Investigation of alternative vehicle applications for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in urban public transport: The case of Adana province

Abstract

Passenger cars, trucks, commercial airplanes, and railways all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions as part of the transportation sector. The usage of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel emits exhaust gases commonly referred to as greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The buildup of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is responsible for global warming, a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly pronounced in today’s climate. In response to the GHG problem, cities have started setting targets to reduce their emission values. Adana is one of the cities that has set reduction targets. In all of the studies forming the basis of this research, the potential for transitioning buses and minibuses used in public transportation in Adana to alternative vehicles is investigated, with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study includes a comparison between electric, compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen and conventional vehicles, considering various parameters such as fuel economy estimates, vehicle size, and emission calculations. The research delves into greenhouse gas emission calculations specific to the Adana province, along with potential alternative applications in public transportation. Within the province, the transportation sector accounts for 27% of the total city inventory’s emissions. This study shows that converting the existing urban public transport fleet to alternative buses can lead an impressive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as 81.93% with electric car, while hydrogen vehicles achieve a commendable 57.37% decrease. This underscores the substantial potential of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles to lead to a significant reduction in transportation-related carbon emissions in the city. Consequently, the research places significant emphasis on addressing the transportation sector, which stands out as a primary contributor to emissions.