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Title: 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:
 [1]
  1. 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}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Gasoline as a motor fuel at the pump: Conventional wisdom and new paradigms
journal, May 2018