FUEL-CYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION FUELS AND ADVANCED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction potentials of various near- and long-term transportation technologies were estimated. The estimated per-travel-distance GHG emissions results indicate that alternative transportation fuels and advanced vehicle technologies can help to significantly reduce transportation-related GHG emissions. Of the near-term technologies evaluated, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, compression-ignition, direct-injection vehicles, and E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) flexible-fuel vehicles can reduce fuel-cycle GHG emissions by more than 25% on a fuel-cycle basis. Electric vehicles powered by electricity generated primarily from nuclear and renewable sources can reduce GHG emissions by 80%. Other alternative fuels (such as compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas) offer limited, but positive, GHG emissions reduction benefits. Among the long-term technologies evaluated, conventional spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines powered by alternative fuels and gasoline- and diesel-powered advanced vehicles can reduce GHG emissions by 10 to 30%. Dedicated ethanol vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel-cell vehicles can reduce GHG emissions by more than 40%. Spark-ignition engines and fuel-cell vehicles powered by cellulosic ethanol and solar hydrogen (for fuel-cell vehicles only) can reduce GHG emissions by over 80%. In conclusion, both near- and long-term alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies can play a role in reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.3141/1664-02
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=FUEL-CYCLE+GREENHOUSE+GAS+EMISSIONS+IMPACTS+OF+ALTERNATIVE+TRANSPORTATION+FUELS+AND+ADVANCED+VEHICLE+TECHNOLOGIES&author=M.+Wang&publication_year=1999
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309070600
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1664, Energy, Air Quality, and Fuels 1999.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Wang, M Q
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 9-17
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1664
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternate fuels; Compressed natural gas; Electric vehicles; Ethanol; Fuel cells; Global warming; Greenhouse gases; Hybrid vehicles; Hydrogen fuels; Liquefied petroleum gas; Technological innovations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Emissions control
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00771080
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309070600
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 4 1999 12:00AM