Assessment of decarbonization alternatives for passenger transportation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

This paper applies an energy systems model to evaluate how shared mobility (ride-hailing and shared autonomous vehicles), public buses, alternative energy sources (electricity and biofuels) and carbon pricing contribute to reduce passenger vehicles CO2 emissions in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, from 2016 to 2050. Public buses and carpooled shared mobility increase system capacity, resulting in lower vehicle ownership, energy demand and CO2 emissions, as well as savings per ton of CO2 abated (from $3 to $4186). Biofuels reduce CO2 emissions at no increased system cost, while carbon pricing is the most effective policy to reduce CO2 emissions, but it is costlier than the alternatives and results in greater private vehicle use (up to 260%) if the expansion of zero-carbon public transportation remains limited due to technology adoption. The policy that reduces the most emissions (by 84%) combines the expansion of renewable electricity generation and implementation of a CO2 price.