Implications of sustainability for the United States light-duty transportation sector
Abstract
This article reviews existing literature to assess the consensus of the scientific and engineering communities concerning the potential for the United States’ light-duty transportation sector to meet a goal of 80% reduction in vehicle emissions and examine what it will take to meet this target. Climate change is a problem that must be solved. The primary cause of this problem is burning of fossil fuels to generate energy. A dramatic reduction in carbon emissions must happen soon, and a significant fraction of this reduction must come from the transportation sector. This paper reviews existing literature to assess the consensus of the scientific and engineering communities concerning the potential for the United States' light-duty transportation sector to meet a goal of 80% reduction in vehicle emissions and examine what it will take to meet this target. It is unlikely that reducing energy consumption in just vehicles with gasoline-based internal combustion drivetrains will be sufficient to meet GHG emission-reduction targets. This paper explores what additional benefits are possible through the adoption of alternative energy sources, looking at three possible on-vehicle energy carriers: carbon-based fuels, hydrogen, and batteries.
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). Transportation and Hydrogen System Center
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies Office (EE-3V)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1293802
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5400-65669
Journal ID: ISSN 2329-2229
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- MRS Energy & Sustainability
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 2329-2229
- Publisher:
- Materials Research Society - Cambridge University Press
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; transportation; light-duty; vehicle emissions; carbon-based fuels; hydrogen; batteries
Citation Formats
Gearhart, Chris. Implications of sustainability for the United States light-duty transportation sector. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1557/mre.2016.8.
Gearhart, Chris. Implications of sustainability for the United States light-duty transportation sector. United States. https://doi.org/10.1557/mre.2016.8
Gearhart, Chris. 2016.
"Implications of sustainability for the United States light-duty transportation sector". United States. https://doi.org/10.1557/mre.2016.8. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1293802.
@article{osti_1293802,
title = {Implications of sustainability for the United States light-duty transportation sector},
author = {Gearhart, Chris},
abstractNote = {This article reviews existing literature to assess the consensus of the scientific and engineering communities concerning the potential for the United States’ light-duty transportation sector to meet a goal of 80% reduction in vehicle emissions and examine what it will take to meet this target. Climate change is a problem that must be solved. The primary cause of this problem is burning of fossil fuels to generate energy. A dramatic reduction in carbon emissions must happen soon, and a significant fraction of this reduction must come from the transportation sector. This paper reviews existing literature to assess the consensus of the scientific and engineering communities concerning the potential for the United States' light-duty transportation sector to meet a goal of 80% reduction in vehicle emissions and examine what it will take to meet this target. It is unlikely that reducing energy consumption in just vehicles with gasoline-based internal combustion drivetrains will be sufficient to meet GHG emission-reduction targets. This paper explores what additional benefits are possible through the adoption of alternative energy sources, looking at three possible on-vehicle energy carriers: carbon-based fuels, hydrogen, and batteries.},
doi = {10.1557/mre.2016.8},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1293802},
journal = {MRS Energy & Sustainability},
issn = {2329-2229},
number = ,
volume = 3,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Mon Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Status of advanced light-duty transportation technologies in the US
journal, February 2012
- Andress, David; Das, Sujit; Joseck, Fred
- Energy Policy, Vol. 41
Transportation options in a carbon-constrained world: Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, biofuels, fuel cell electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles
journal, December 2009
- Sandy Thomas, C. E.
- International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 34, Issue 23
Potential Reductions in Emissions and Petroleum Use in Transportation: Perspectives from the Transportation Energy Futures Project
journal, January 2013
- Vimmerstedt, Laura; Brown, Austin; Heath, Garvin
- Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Vol. 2375, Issue 1
Quantifying the Potential Impacts of Regenerative Braking on a Vehicle's Tractive-Fuel Consumption for the U.S., European, and Japanese Driving Schedules
conference, April 2006
- Sovran, Gino; Blaser, Dwight
- SAE 2006 World Congress & Exhibition, SAE Technical Paper Series
A Parametric Analysis Technique for Design of Fuel Cell and Hybrid-Electric Vehicles
conference, June 2003
- Simpson, Andrew G.; Walker, Geoffrey R.
- Future Transportation Technology Conference & Exposition, SAE Technical Paper Series
The evolution of technology for materials processing over the last 50 years: The automotive example
journal, February 2007
- Taub, Alan I.; Krajewski, Paul E.; Luo, Alan A.
- JOM, Vol. 59, Issue 2
Automotive Materials: Technology Trends and Challenges in the 21st Century
journal, April 2006
- Taub, Alan I.
- MRS Bulletin, Vol. 31, Issue 4
Light weight materials for automotive applications
journal, July 1995
- Cole, G. S.; Sherman, A. M.
- Materials Characterization, Vol. 35, Issue 1
Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles
journal, January 1993
- Hucho, W.; Sovran, G.
- Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 25, Issue 1
Understanding the fuel savings potential from deploying hybrid cars in China
journal, January 2014
- Saxena, Samveg; Phadke, Amol; Gopal, Anand
- Applied Energy, Vol. 113
Primary energy efficiency of alternative powertrains in vehicles
journal, November 2001
- Åhman, Max
- Energy, Vol. 26, Issue 11
Analysis of the Fuel Economy Benefit of Drivetrain Hybridization
conference, February 1997
- Cuddy, Matthew R.; Wipke, Keith B.
- International Congress & Exposition, SAE Technical Paper Series
Fuel cell and battery electric vehicles compared
journal, August 2009
- Thomas, C. E.
- International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 34, Issue 15
A statistical approach to estimating acceptance of electric vehicles and electrification of personal transportation
journal, January 2013
- Tamor, Michael A.; Gearhart, Chris; Soto, Ciro
- Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, Vol. 26
Reducing GHG emissions in the United States' transportation sector
journal, June 2011
- Andress, David; Nguyen, T. Dean; Das, Sujit
- Energy for Sustainable Development, Vol. 15, Issue 2
Biofuel’s carbon balance: doubts, certainties and implications
journal, September 2013
- DeCicco, John M.
- Climatic Change, Vol. 121, Issue 4
Life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas emission impacts of different corn ethanol plant types
journal, April 2007
- Wang, Michael; Wu, May; Huo, Hong
- Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 2, Issue 2
Resource Assessment for Hydrogen Production: Hydrogen Production Potential from Fossil and Renewable Energy Resources
report, September 2013
- Melaina, M.; Penev, M.; Heimiller, D.
Analyzing Vehicle Fuel Saving Opportunities through Intelligent Driver Feedback
journal, April 2012
- Gonder, Jeffrey; Earleywine, Matthew; Sparks, Witt
- SAE International Journal of Passenger Cars - Electronic and Electrical Systems, Vol. 5, Issue 2
Autonomous taxis could greatly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions of US light-duty vehicles
journal, July 2015
- Greenblatt, Jeffery B.; Saxena, Samveg
- Nature Climate Change, Vol. 5, Issue 9
Works referencing / citing this record:
Gasoline as a motor fuel at the pump: Conventional wisdom and new paradigms
journal, May 2018
- Gogate, Makarand R.
- Petroleum Science and Technology, Vol. 36, Issue 16