Impact of electric vehicles on electric power generation and global environmental change

Abstract

The transportation industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. Of particular significance is the fleet of private vehicles powered by internal combustion engines utilizing petroleum-based fuels. The subject project was initiated to develop methodology to assess the impact of vehicle fleet electrification on electric power generation and global environmental change. While vehicle electrification will reduce vehicle emissions, the recharging energy will be generated at utility generation sites where emissions will increase. The project included a case study for Alabama. The vehicle emissions fleet model is based on the EPA software mobile5a and employs Alabama Department of Transportation data as inputs to the case study. Electric vehicle penetration effects on vehicle emissions are computed by linear scaling of the base-case emissions. Power plant quarterly emission data from the EPA were employed in the case study for the State of Alabama. Values for feedstock and fuel emissions were taken from greet1.5 to complete the fuel cycle calculations. In the 10% EV penetration Alabama case study, all light-duty vehicle emissions are reduced by 10%, and the total (light-duty vehicle and utility) emissions for the principle greenhouse gas CO 2 were altered by −1.79%. Emissions for NO x and SO 2 were altered by −4.37%, and +1.44%, respectively.