Transportation fuels and the greenhouse effect

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Transportation Research Record; (United States)

OSTI ID:5748928

DeLuchi, M A; Johnston, R A; Sperling, D ^[1]

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1. Div. of Environmental Studies, Univ. of California-Davis, Davis, CA (US)

Continued emissions of CO{sub 2} and other greenhouse gases are expected to cause substantial global warming with adverse consequences for agriculture and coastal cities, yet emission of greenhouse gases has not been a criterion in evaluation of alternative transportation fuels. In this paper these are evaluated emissions of CO{sub 2}, N{sub 2}O, and other greenhouse gases from the use of gasoline and diesel fuel, electricity, methanol, natural gas, and hydrogen in highway vehicles. Emissions from initial resource extraction to end use are estimated. It is found that the use of coal to make any highway fuel would substantially accelerate greenhouse warming relative to the base-case use of petroleum. The use of natural gas as a feedstock would result in a small reduction. Significant reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases can be achieved only by greatly increasing vehicle efficiency or by using biofuels, electrolytic hydrogen, or nonfossil-fuel-based electricity as the fuel feedstock. Emissions of gases other than CO{sub 2} are likely to contribute appreciably to the warming, but better data are needed. Full social-cost pricing of fuels and increased research and development on sustainable, environmentally sound fuels are recommended.

• OSTI ID: 5748928
• Journal Information: Transportation Research Record; (United States), Journal Name: Transportation Research Record; (United States) Vol. 1175; ISSN 0361-1981; ISSN TRRED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALCOHOL FUELS
AUTOMOBILES
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COAL
DIESEL FUELS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC POWER
EMISSION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXHAUST GASES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS OILS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
GASOLINE
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HAZARDS
HYDROGEN FUELS
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIALS
METHANOL FUELS
NATURAL GAS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POWER
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TRANSPORTATION SECTOR
VEHICLES
WASTES