Better Alternatives to Transport Encouraging Reduction in Emissions

Project Background

On a global scale a momentum towards electric vehicles has gathered pace, with the focus of attention mostly being centred on cities and areas where large concentrations of vehicles are to be found. Not so much activity is being focussed on regional areas and there is a question over standardisation. What are the main drivers towards the search for alternative fuel vehicles, which alternative fuel will develop first and will all regions of the EU be compatible when it comes to refuelling?

The principle drivers towards alternative fuel vehicles are CO₂ emissions, rising cost of fuel and targets and legislation. Taking each of these in turn, in Northern Ireland and in the UK it is estimated that CO₂ emissions from vehicles account for about a quarter of all emissions, and in the EU it is estimated to be around 12%. In Northern Ireland, the most frequently used method of travel to work is car, van or minibus, with 83% using these methods (by comparison it is 70% in the UK overall).

In the UK, industry accounts for 2 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per capita, with residential, agriculture, services and waste less than 2 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per capita. Transport accounts for 2.4 tonnes per capita. In Northern Ireland, transport accounts for almost 4 tons of CO₂ emissions per capita.  While the EU as a whole reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by just under 5% over the 1990-2004 period, the CO₂ emissions from road transport increased by 26%. (1)

The rising cost of fuel is also a main driver towards alternative fuel vehicles. In 1983 the price per litre of petrol in the UK was 36.7p, but that has increased in 2010 to 111.9p (changes daily). In Australia the average price per litre (£sterling equivalent) is 70p, in Canada 60p, USA 45p, France 112p and in Spain 96p.

With regards legislation, in the EU, the main legislation is the Renewable Energy “20-20-20” Directive. The EU RE Directive seeks a 20% CO₂ reduction, 20% increase in energy efficiency and 20% total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. In the UK the Energy Act and the Climate Change Act 2008 are the main drivers.

The drive towards ‘electric vehicles’ is growing as electric vehicles are being considered the most advanced option for an alternative to the combustion engine. There are several types of electric car ‘in the running’. Electric cars are powered by electricity so there is no petrol tank. Instead, there are usually several large batteries that store the power. The batteries are charged up on an electricity outlet and then gradually run down as the car drives along. There are also two different models of battery – rechargeable and replacement.

Some electric cars have fuel cells instead of batteries. These are a bit like batteries that never run down. They take in hydrogen gas, from a tank, and convert it into a steady supply of electricity.

Hybrid vehicles combine the best of both worlds. The most familiar model is to have a small petrol engine, just like the one in a normal car. This is typically used to drive the car at high speeds on freeways (motorways) or open country roads. They also have a small electric motor and batteries, which drives the car quietly, cleanly, and efficiently in cities. However, hybrid electric vehicles may also involve a combination of hydrogen combustion and fuel cell, biofuel combustion and battery charging or hydrogen and battery charging.

In the short term the various alternative fuel vehicles are likely to develop in parallel and will be complimentary to each other. Service stations for example, may provide biofuels, fast electric charging points, battery replacement and hydrogen. This is not dissimilar to the current provision of petrol and diesel. Furthermore, where battery cars appear to be leading the way at this time, hydrogen fuel cells may ‘come of age’  so it would be wrong to discount this technology now on the basis that it is not as commercially developed as rechargeable batteries. Both rechargeable batteries and hydrogen offer opportunities for energy storage and grid balancing, provided that the hydrogen is produced via the electrolysis of water.