Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Articles

A Study on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Vehicles Due to the In-house Logistics of Steel Enterprises

A Study on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Vehicles Due to the In-house Logistics of Steel Enterprises

Multi-Modal Life Cycle Assessment of Journeys by Aircraft, Train or Passenger Car

To reduce the carbon footprint of transport, policymakers are simultaneously stimulating cleaner vehicles and more sustainable mobility choices, such as a shift to rail for short-haul flights within Europe. The purpose of this study is to determine the climate impact of a journey within Europe by aircraft, train or passenger car, and to better understand what factors drive this impact in order to make smarter and more sustainable fact-based mobility choices. The study consists of a life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle impact assessment (LCA) of greenhouse gas emissions of specific vehicles in five case study travel scenarios in Europe. The energy and resulting direct emissions (including non-CO2) of the aircraft scenarios were calculated for the purpose of this study using the Mission Aircraft and Systems Simulation tool developed by the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre NLR. For other LCA phases and other modes of transport, the study relies on emission factors from public literature. A trip by train results in three to five times less emissions than a comparable trip by aircraft. In most scenarios, the passenger car with two people onboard emits significantly more than a train but slightly less than an aircraft. The study also shows what drives the climate impact of such a trip and how this is very different for different modes of transport. The study further highlights a lack of high-quality data, especially in the areas of indirect emissions and infrastructure, poor consistency among studies and a general under-documentation and lack of transparency regarding assumptions.

Vehicle greenhouse gas emission factors based on multi-dimensional Bin interval mode

The emission factors of greenhouse gases from motor vehicles are of significant importance for low-carbon and environmentally friendly initiatives. This paper focuses on greenhouse gas emission factors of heavy-duty vehicles. The multi-dimensional Bin interval mode are proposed, which considers multiple parameters such as vehicle speed, acceleration, torque, and rotational speed. Based on this, the emission characteristics of greenhouse gases from heavy-duty vehicles. are investigated under different parameter conditions. The results indicate that as the VSPA value or the engine torque increases, the CO2 emission factor also increases accordingly. The CO2 emission factor is lower at medium to high rotational speeds, while it tends to increase at low rotational speeds. The research findings provide support for monitoring and evaluating greenhouse gas emissions and offer scientific guidance for formulating specific carbon reduction policies, emission targets, and plans.

The impact of passenger electric vehicles on carbon reduction and environmental impact under the 2050 net zero policy in Taiwan

In response to the 2050 net-zero emission goal, Taiwan initiated the “Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions” in 2022, including a focus on electric vehicles (EVs). However, the emission reduction effect of electric vehicles has not been fully studied in Taiwan. Therefore, this study aims to conduct life cycle assessment (LCA) on environmental performance by replacing petrol vehicles with electric vehicles on the basis of the well-to-wheel method. This study also establishes a feedback mechanism through system dynamics to correlate the DALY results of LCA with population and energy demand. Results of the impact of DALY on lifespan and population is relatively small, indicating that the reduction in environmental impact from electric vehicles helps mitigate the decline in population. The emission-reducing potential and environmental impact of electric vehicles by 2050 are also estimated. Results demonstrate that within a 95% confidence interval and considering uncertainties arising from total driving distance, fuel economy, and energy intensity of electric vehicles, the greenhouse gas emissions of electric vehicles in 2050 will be between 7.826 × 105 and 1.069 × 106 tCO2e, respectively. In addition, the emission-reducing potential of electric vehicles is in the range of 1.076 × 106 to 1.804 × 106 tCO2e.

Hybrid vigor: Why hybrids with sustainable biofuels are better than pure electric vehicles

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV), hybrid vehicles (non-plug-in or plug-in), and battery electric vehicles (BEV), fueled with biofuels or recharged with electricity from Brazilian or European matrix, including recharging losses. The study shows that calculated GHG emissions for hybrid vehicles using biofuels are lower than observed for BEVs even in Brazil, where the carbon intensity of the electricity matrix is low compared to most countries. In addition, we show that the emissions of a non-hybrid traditional internal combustion vehicle using biomethane is lower than a BEV. It was also observed that combining Brazilian biofuels with hybrid vehicles results in a higher traveled distance for each kilogram of GHG emitted compared to a BEV.The carbon footprint reduction for metallic batteries in future scenarios was considered in the sensitivity analysis, which shows that biofuels still remain a better option. We hope these results can be useful for guiding public policies for transport decarbonization, considering hybrid vehicles fueled with biofuels as an economical and more effective alternative than battery electric vehicles to reach the sustainable goal of carbon net zero emissions by 2050.

Opportunities and Scope of Electric Vehicle in India

The vehicle industry has advanced due to the introduction of new technology. Alternatives to internal combustion engines include electric automobiles. Demand for electric vehicles is rising globally due to their lower CO2 emissions. The Indian government also intends to boost the production of electric vehicles in the automotive sector. This essay discusses the commercial prospects and difficulties for electric automobiles in India. This study discusses the economic, social, technological, and environmental variables influencing the electric car industry in India. The development of the infrastructure and batteries is influenced by the aforementioned economic and technological considerations. Over the past ten years, the global market for electric vehicles has grown at an unparalleled rate. In this essay, we first go over the potential and reach of electric vehicles in India. We also talk about the many frameworks and policies that the Indian government has put in place. Then, we research different adoption case studies for electric vehicles from throughout the globe. Finally, we discuss how India could put these tactics into practise and profit from them both locally and nationally. The India Electric Vehicle Market has a market size of USD 5 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow at an astounding CAGR of over 44% to reach USD 47 billion by 2026. (2021 – 2026). The market for electric cars (EVs) is expanding quickly on a global scale. The EV market has now experienced tremendous growth in India as well. As the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises implemented the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) initiative in 2015, the market is expanding further. Sales of all electric vehicles reached 365,920 units in 2018 and are projected to increase by 36% CAGR through 2026. In India, the market for EV batteries is anticipated to reach US$ 520 million in 2018 and increase at a CAGR of 30% through 2026.Electric cars provide ways to be self-sufficient and independent of foreign energy sources. One of the biggest producers of crude oil in the world is India. India might undergo a significant transformation towards self-sustainability thanks to electric automobiles. Alternatives to reduce carbon dioxide gas include electric vehicles (EV). Air pollution is a serious issue in large cities like Delhi and Mumbai. One of the sources of air pollution is the carbon dioxide produced by cars. Electric cars operate smoothly, emit little pollutants, and are highly efficient. According to research on the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in China, they consume 37.5% less energy and emit 35% fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline vehicles . Government financial policies to promote EV adoption have already been established, but for them to be effectively implemented, decision-makers must have a long-term perspective. India's history of EV has been disappointing so far. Lack of loading infrastructure, inconsistent government support and early product failures have all led to the stagnant growth in recent years.

Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Light-Duty Passenger Vehicles in China: Towards a Carbon-Neutral Future

Vehicle electrification is considered a pathway for on-road transportation decarbonization in China. Different from the conventional gasoline vehicles whose emissions are mainly released from vehicle tailpipes, emissions of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are from the upstream processes of electricity generation and vehicle manufacturing, thus a comprehensive lifecycle analysis and comparison of BEVs with gasoline vehicles is required to quantify the emission mitigation benefit of vehicle electrification and determine the path to a carbon-neutral future. In the study, we compare the cradle-to-grave (C2G) lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of gasoline and electric vehicles in China and analyze the greenhouse gas emission reduction of vehicle electrification in different provinces. Results show that under the current technologies, the national average C2G GHG emissions for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) of 100 miles (i.e., 160 km) and 300 miles (i.e., 480 km) all-electric range (AER) are 231 and 279 g CO2eq/km, respectively, 22% and 5% lower than those for gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). Improving vehicle fuel efficiency by hybridizing gasoline ICEVs can effectively reduce C2G emissions to 212 g CO2eq/km. At the provincial level, C2G GHG emissions of BEVs vary according to the provincial electricity mix. In eight provinces, C2G GHG emissions of BEVs with 300 miles AER (BEV300s) are higher than those of gasoline ICEVs due to the GHG-intensive coal-based electricity mix. In the future scenario, with low carbon fuels (such as high-level bioethanol blending gasoline) and electricity decarbonization, the national average C2G emissions of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and BEV300s can be reduced to 55 and 73 g CO2eq/km, respectively. Further decrease of C2G GHG emissions relies on reducing vehicle-cycle emissions from material processing and vehicle component manufacturing.

The fuel cell electric vehicle market growth: Analyses of contracts and government incentives

Climate change has emerged as one of the most challenging problems facing the world. Due to the greenhouse gas emissions of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, automakers have introduced more eco-friendly products, such as fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). However, despite government policies and collaborations, the market share of FCEVs is far below the target level. Hence, this paper focuses on the FCEV market growth and analyzes the effects of contracts and government incentives. The fuel price (FP) and supplementary subsidy (SS) contracts are developed for collaborating a hydrogen supplier and automaker framework. Furthermore, four different government incentives are examined. The results imply that incentives supporting the capital costs are more effective in the startup phase to increase the number of companies entering the market and accelerate to reach a target market size. On the other hand, consumer-oriented and operating cost-based incentives are more capable of market demand enhancement and growth. Only the tax credit of 8,000 USD generates higher market demand and annual profits than the contracts in some cases, and both contracts dominate all the other incentives. Hence, depending solely on government incentives will not be enough for market growth, and it will take ages to reach a target market size without contracts. The stakeholders with sufficient initial capital can prefer the FP contract to achieve the highest market demand and annual profits. If the stakeholders have less capital, they can apply the SS contract to earn higher profits per investment. Both contracts are strict Pareto improving and fair.

Review of Well-to-Wheel lifecycle emissions of liquefied natural gas heavy goods vehicles

It has been suggested that using liquefied natural gas as a fuel source for heavy goods vehicles could provide a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Various studies have investigated different aspects of the lifecycle emissions of natural gas heavy goods vehicles throughout the past decade, however, there has been little comparative analysis across these studies. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the well-to-wheel lifecycle emissions of liquefied natural gas for heavy goods vehicles in comparison to diesel, the current standard. A systematic selection criteria based on relevance to the defined well-to-wheel system boundary of liquefied natural gas as a fuel source for heavy goods vehicles, including greenhouse gas emissions, were augmented by the authors knowledge of the field. The various data are categorised by engine technology and model year (pre- and post-2015), average speed of the duty cycle, and then statistically analysed to identify clear trends and correlations in the emissions produced. The two primary factors affecting the well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions of natural gas heavy hoods vehicles are: (i) natural gas engine fuel efficiency relative to diesel, and (ii) methane leakage across the supply chain. Methane leakage rates are a significant uncertainty and range from 0.3 to 20 % of throughput. With long-term perspective of efficiency penalty (10 %) in natural gas engines, the well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions reduction of natural gas fuelled trucks against diesel is up to 10 %, which appears insufficient toward net zero emissions by 2050. The use of biomethane further reduces the greenhouse gas emissions by 34–66 % depending on the engine technology. Controlling fugitive methane emissions in the fuel production and supply chain remains critical.

Which type of electric vehicle is worth promoting mostly in the context of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality? A case study for a metropolis in China.

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been promoted acceleratively to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, however, the GHG emission reduction potential of different powertrain EVs has not been investigated thoroughly. In this study, we firstly quantified and compared the GHG emissions of different powertrain vehicles in a life cycle perspective with particular focus on energy and climate consequences, for current and future integrated scenarios, to facilitate carbon reduction assessment for Shanghai. Four major types of EVs were considered. The results show that life cycle total energy consumption and GHG emissions of all EVs are lower than that of gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles (GICEVs), among which battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) is the lowest. Compared with GICEVs, the total energy use and GHG emissions of BEVs decrease by 34.2% and 41.7% respectively. As the electrification of vehicle powertrain system innovates, the life cycle emissions of GHG are gradually concentrated to the upstream stage. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that life cycle GHG emissions of vehicles are most sensitive to the proportion of thermal power than other three parameters (utilization rate of recycled steel, vehicle lifetime and curb weight). The scenario analysis indicates that BEVs present the more favorable carbon emission decline performance over other EVs from a long-term perspective. It is estimated that up to 12.5 million tons of GHG emissions could be reduced under the optimistic scenario in 2050 in Shanghai. In the process of energy conversion from oil to electricity in transport in Shanghai, BEVs should be constantly promoted.

Branch-Cut-and-Price for the Time-Dependent Green Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows

Motivated by rising concerns regarding global warming and traffic congestion effects, we study the time-dependent green vehicle routing problem with time windows (TDGVRPTW), aiming to minimize carbon emissions. The TDGVRPTW is a variant of the time-dependent vehicle routing problem (TDVRP) in which, in addition to the time window constraints, the minimization of carbon emissions requires determination of the optimal departure times for vehicles, from both the depot and customer location(s). Accordingly, the first exact method based on a branch-cut-and-price (BCP) algorithm is proposed for solving the TDGVRPTW. We introduce the notation of a time-dependent (TD) arc and describe how to identify the nondominated TD arcs in terms of arc departure times. In this way, we reduce infinitely many TD arcs to a finite set of nondominated TD arcs. We design a state-of-the-art BCP algorithm for the TDGVRPTW with labeling and limited memory subset row cuts, together with effective dominance rules for eliminating dominated TD arcs. The exact method is tested on a set of test instances derived from benchmark instances proposed in the literature. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed exact method in solving TDGVRPTW instances involving up to 100 customers. Summary of Contribution: Due to the environmental situation, green vehicle routing problems (GVRPs) aim to consider greenhouse gas emissions reduction, while routing the vehicles, and play a key role in transportation and logistics. Vehicle greenhouse gas emissions strongly depend on the vehicle speeds and traffic conditions which in real life vary continuously over time. To tackle these challenges, we address the time-dependent green vehicle routing problem with time windows (TDGVRPTW) aimed at reducing total carbon emissions under time-dependent travel times and time window constraints. We design an effective exact method for the TDGVRPTW based on a state-of-the-art branch-cut-and-price algorithm. The paper is both of methodological value for researchers and of interest for practitioners. For researchers, the presented algorithm is amenable for various routing constraints and provides a ground for further studies and research. For practitioners, the paper suggests insights on how the carbon emissions change based on different vehicle speed profiles. History: Accepted by Andrea Lodi, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms—Discrete. Funding: This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 71831003, 71831006, 72171043, and 71901180] and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [Grants N170405005 and N180704015]. Supplemental Material: The electronic companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1195 .

Should India Move toward Vehicle Electrification? Assessing Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas and Criteria Air Pollutant Emissions of Alternative and Conventional Fuel Vehicles in India.

We perform a state-specific life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gases (GHG) (CO2eq) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in India for representative passenger vehicles (two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and buses) and technologies (internal combustion engine, battery electric, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles). We find that in most states, four-wheeler battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have higher GHG and SO2 emissions than other conventional or alternative vehicles. Electrification of those vehicle classes under present conditions would not lead to emission reductions. Electrified buses and three-wheelers are the best strategies to reduce GHG emissions in many states, but they are also the worst strategy in terms of SO2 emissions. Electrified two-wheelers have lower SO2 emissions than gasoline in one state. The Indian grid would need to decrease its carbon dioxide emissions by 38-52% and SO2 emissions by 58-97% (depending on the state) for widespread vehicle electrification for sustainability purposes to make sense. If the 2030 goals for India under the Glasgow COP are met, we find that four-wheeler BEVs still have higher GHG emissions in 18 states compared to a conventional gasoline compact four wheeler, and all states will have higher SO2 emissions for BEVs across all vehicle types compared to their conventional counterparts.

Optimisation of Trailing Edge Flaps on the Base Cavity of a Vehicle for Improved Performance at Yaw

Regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of passenger vehicles are becoming increasingly stringent. The aerodynamic drag is a major contributor to the vehicle’s total energy consumption where a large portion is attributed to the base wake. This paper optimises the angles of small trailing edge flaps on a base cavity of a full-scale sports utility vehicle placed in a wind tunnel. The trailing edge flaps are controlled using servos mounted inside the cavity. The flap angles are optimised using a surrogate model based optimisation algorithm with the objective of reducing the aerodynamic drag at different yaw angles and to create a yaw-insensitive geometry by considering several weighted yaw angles to form the driving cycle averaged drag. Low drag designs are further investigated using base pressures and wake measurements. The results show that the base pressures are symmetrised by reducing the crossflow in the wake. As the model is yawed the wake becomes increasingly downwash dominated by a large rotating windward structure which is reduced by the optimised flaps. The cycle averaged drag optimised design has a smaller increase in drag when yawed compared to a design optimised without considering yaw.

Environmental Regulation and Product Attributes: The Case of European Passenger Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards

Environmental Regulation and Product Attributes: The Case of European Passenger Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards

Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Petrol, Biodiesel and Battery Electric Vehicles in Malaysia Based on Life Cycle Approach

A steady rise in the ownership of vehicles in Malaysia has drawn attention to the need for more effective strategies to reduce the emissions of the road transport sector. Although the electrification of vehicles and replacing petrol with biofuel are the strategies being considered in Malaysia, these strategies have yet to be fully evaluated from an environmental perspective. In this study, a life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the greenhouse gas emissions of different types of transportation means (passenger cars, two-wheelers (motorbikes), and buses) with several types of powertrains (petrol, biodiesel, electricity) based on multiple lifecycle stages in Malaysia. The impact of considering land use change for the biodiesel production in the LCA was also considered in this study. It was found that the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles fueled by petrol to electric vehicles would reduce the greenhouse gas emission for passenger cars, two-wheelers, and buses. However, because the greenhouse gas emissions of biodiesel-fueled vehicles are higher than those of petrol-fueled vehicles, even without considering land use change, the results indicate that the transition from a 10% to 20% biofuel blend, which is a current strategy in Malaysia, will not result in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the transport sector in Malaysia.

When, where and how can the electrification of passenger cars reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Reducing the climate impacts of passenger cars has a high priority on the political agenda, especially in the EU. However, there is disagreement on how this can best be achieved – with battery or fuel cell electric vehicles, or rather with combustion engine vehicles using electricity-based synthetic liquid fuels. To answer this question and to quantify potential environmental co-benefits and trade-offs, this paper introduces carculator, a Python library to conduct environmental life cycle assessments of current and future passenger vehicles. Because carculator is open-source and equipped with an easy-to-use online graphical user interface, it produces context-specific results, deemed more relevant than results otherwise published in more static formats. carculator supports for several powertrains, vehicle size categories and fuel types, for any year between 2000 and 2050, as well as error propagation from input parameters. We demonstrate carculator with an analysis of the expected evolution of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of hybrid vehicles powered by fossil or synthetic gasoline and battery electric vehicles between 2020 and 2050, for all European countries and Brazil, China, India, Japan and the United States. Results show that current battery electric vehicles perform better than gasoline-powered vehicles in 26 out of the 35 countries considered. In the future, electricity-based synthetic fuels show the potential to reduce climate impacts due to the expected massive decarbonization of electricity supply. However, due to their comparatively inefficient supply and use, limited renewable resources represent a challenge and should better be used for other purposes.

The role of pickup truck electrification in the decarbonization of light-duty vehicles

Electrification can reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of light-duty vehicles. Previous studies have focused on comparing battery electric vehicle (BEV) sedans to their conventional internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) counterparts. We extend the analysis to different vehicle classes by conducting a cradle-to-grave life cycle GHG assessment of model year 2020 ICEV, HEV, and BEV sedans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and pickup trucks in the United States. We show that the proportional emissions benefit of electrification is approximately independent of vehicle class. For sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks we find HEVs and BEVs have approximately 28% and 64% lower cradle-to-grave life cycle emissions, respectively, than ICEVs in our base case model. This results in a lifetime BEV over ICEV GHG emissions benefit of approximately 45 tonnes CO2e for sedans, 56 tonnes CO2e for SUVs, and 74 tonnes CO2e for pickup trucks. The benefits of electrification remain significant with increased battery size, reduced BEV lifetime, and across a variety of drive cycles and decarbonization scenarios. However, there is substantial variation in emissions based on where and when a vehicle is charged and operated, due to the impact of ambient temperature on fuel economy and the spatiotemporal variability in grid carbon intensity across the United States. Regionally, BEV pickup GHG emissions are 13%–118% of their ICEV counterparts and 14%–134% of their HEV counterparts across U.S. counties. BEVs have lower GHG emissions than HEVs in 95%–96% of counties and lower GHG emissions than ICEVs in 98%–99% of counties. As consumers migrate from ICEVs and HEVs to BEVs, accounting for these spatiotemporal factors and the wide range of available vehicle classes is an important consideration for electric vehicle deployment, operation, policymaking, and planning.

Accelerating vehicle fleet turnover to achieve sustainable mobility goals

AbstractAchieving societal climate goals requires rapid reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation. Recent efforts by policymakers have focused on increasing consumer adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Nevertheless, EV sales remain low. Worse, even if EV market share jumped dramatically, it would take decades to replace the existing vehicle fleet, during which time vehicle GHG emissions would continue, worsening climate change. Consequently, some argue for policies to accelerate the retirement of inefficient fossil‐powered vehicles through “cash‐for‐clunkers” (C4C) programs. We examine C4C policies through a behavioral model of vehicle fleet turnover and EV market development in the United States. We find C4C policies can substantially reduce vehicle fleet emissions at reasonable cost per tonne of CO2. To meet emissions reductions goals, C4C policies should apply only when consumers replace their fossil‐powered vehicles with EVs. C4C policies incentivizing EVs accelerate cost reductions through scale economies, charging infrastructure deployment, model variety, and consumer awareness, boosting EV adoption beyond the direct effect of vehicle replacement. The result is a substantial synergy amplifying the impact of C4C and lowering unit cost of emissions reductions. C4C is further amplified when deployed together with complementary policies promoting renewable electricity production and a gas tax or carbon price.

Well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions of electric versus combustion vehicles from 2018 to 2030 in the US

Concise abstractElectric vehicles (EVs) can reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, given the planned electric grid decarbonization. Regulations can also reduce internal combustion engine vehicle's (ICEVs) emissions by mandating increased fuel economies or ethanol-gasoline mixes. Factors such as fuel economy, electricity grid mix, vehicle choice, and temperature affect EV GHG emissions relative to ICEVs, and successfully decarbonizing the transportation sector depends on understanding their combined effects. We use life-cycle assessment to compare the EV and ICEV well-to-wheel GHG emissions in the United States and four other states from 2018 to 2030. We found lower emissions for EVs than ICEVs in most conditions considered. In New York state, where natural gas power plants replace nuclear energy, GHG emissions of electricity generation increase over time after 2020. Future ICEVs can have comparable emissions to EVs due to fuel economy increase. Therefore, EV and ICEV can together lower transportation GHG emissions at a faster pace. Extended abstractTransportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be reduced by (a) increasing the share of electric vehicles (EVs) and (b) reducing GHG emissions of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) by mandating increased fuel economies or ethanol-gasoline mixes. Factors, such as fuel economy, electricity grid mix, vehicle choice, and temperature affect EVs' relative GHG emissions compared to ICEVs, and understanding their combined effect is necessary for a successful decarbonization of the transportation sector. We used life-cycle assessment to evaluate the simultaneous effect of the above-mentioned factors on the well-to-wheel GHG emissions of EVs and ICEVs from 2018 to 2030. The analysis was performed for the United States (US) average and state-level for Arizona, California, New York, and Oregon.Our results showed lower GHG emissions for EVs than ICEVs for most conditions considered. GHG emissions are expected to decrease in the US on average by 5% for EVs and 27% for ICEVs in 2030 compared to 2018. In 2030, the ICEV well-to-wheel GHG emissions were comparable to those of the EVs in the US average and Arizona. EVs perform best in California and Oregon throughout the considered period. In regions, such as New York, EVs driven 2021 and after will have higher GHG emissions than ICEVs, as natural gas power plants are replacing nuclear energy. While EV GHG emissions decrease over time due to grid decarbonization, future ICEVs can lower the GHG emissions, especially for larger vehicles, where EVs might not be the best option. Therefore, EV and ICEV can together lower transportation GHG emissions at a faster pace.

Performance and its determinants in the Portuguese municipal solid waste utilities

The unprecedented population increase brings several consequences to the environment, including the rise of urbanization levels and municipal solid waste (MSW) production – one expects that it may reach 3.4 billion tons per year by 2050. This paper contributes to the debate of efficiency measurement of MSW utilities management using the Portuguese case study.Our objectives are twofold. First, we assess the efficiency levels of municipalities in MSW collection through the Data Envelopment Analysis model, choosing total costs, staff, and vehicles as inputs, and the quantity of MSW collected (selective and refuse waste) as outputs. The efficiency results point to an average inefficiency level of about 35% and potential cost savings of over €96 million yearly.Second, by using a set of fifteen performance indicators monitored by the regulatory agency, we evaluate their relationship with the efficiency of MSW utilities, through the order-m model. Our results suggest that, in opposition to the management model, the rural/urban nature of councils helps explain part of the inefficiency. In general, the conditional-to-unconditional efficiency ratios reached values statistically different from 1, meaning that those indicators help explaining their efficiency distribution and the benchmarks profile, and need to be considered in future performance analyses. Remarkable and influential indicators include the accessibility to the service (average ratio = 0.95), the recycling rate (0.94), the monetization of the vehicle fleet (0.92), the pollution resulting from greenhouse gas emissions of waste collection vehicles (0.81), and council size measured by the population or the number of households (0.47).