Carbon Footprint of the U.S. Population: Causes and SpatialTemporal Pattern

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Carbon Footprint of the U.S. Population Causes
and Spatial-Temporal Pattern
ENERGY EFFICIENCY

• Class Project
• Me/ENV 449, 2007
• Deniz Discioglu
• Fang-yun Chou
• Instructor R. Husar

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Energy Efficiency trend 1960-2003
• Effect on carbon emissions
• Parameters influencing energy efficiency
• Suggestions to improve energy efficiency

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Introduction

• Energy Efficiency (Fuel Efficiency)-1
• Energy Efficiency in Btu/mile
• Inverse Fuel Efficiency in Gal/mile
• Inverse fuel efficiency in gal/mile (1960-2003)
• Passenger cars
• Trucks (heavy trucks)
• Other 2-axel 4-tire vehicles (light trucks)
• Approach
• Converted data by
• Gal/mile (mile/gal)-1
• 1 / (Total miles
  traveled)/(Total gallons consumed)
• Data from
• 1 main source
• 1 additional source (for cars and light trucks)
• Error between sources
• Use data on heavy trucks from additional source

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Introduction contd

• Findings
• Trend of mil/gal for each type of vehicle
• Effects of fuel efficiency on carbon emissions
• Parameters influencing fuel efficiency
• Results
• Confirmed finding by two sources and obtained
  usable data
• Cars have the highest fuel efficiency
• Trucks are the least fuel efficiency vehicles
• Fuel efficiency
• increased for cars and light trucks
• decreased for heavy trucks

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Energy Efficiency Trend 1960-2003

• Energy efficiency
• Cars
• 35 increase in efficiency
• Highest fuel efficiency
• Steady increase after 1970s
• due to the high efficiency of newly manufactured
  cars
• Light trucks
• 38 increase in energy efficiency
• Steady increase after 1975

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Energy Efficiency Trend 1960-2003 contd

• Energy efficiency
• Heavy trucks
• Fluctuated over the years
• Overall decrease in efficiency 19
• Increasing for the recent years
• Least energy efficient vehicles

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Energy Efficiency Trend 1960-2003 contd

• Freight Energy Efficiency (Btu/freight ton-mile)
• Cars least energy efficient vehicle
• decrease before 1970 unsteady increase
  after 1970
• Light Trucks steady decrease
• highest efficient before
  1970
• Heavy Trucks increase until 1970 steady
  decrease after 1970
• highest efficient after 1970

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Effect on Carbon Emissions

• Energy efficiency is found by converting gal/mile
  to Btu/mile
• Results were confirmed through 2 different
  sources
• Data is used to estimate carbon emissions
• Overall energy efficiency contributes as a
  decreasing factor to the carbon emissions

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Parameters influencing energy efficiency

• The main parameter type of vehicle
• Some vehicles are more energy efficiency
  (hybrids)
• Second parameter age of car
• Newest cars are more energy efficient

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Parameters influencing energy efficiency contd
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Suggestions to improve energy efficiency

• Avoid big cars/vans
• Do not buy cars manufactured before 1980s
• Compare efficiencies of different vehicles and
  hybrids before purchase
• Drive sensibly
• avoid rapid acceleration and braking
• do not exceed speed limit.
• Use cruise control and highest gear on highways
• Avoid idling
• Remove extra weight from car
• Do not pack extra items on top of the car
• Keep the car clean and well maintained
• Change oil frequently
• Keep filters clean
• Use recommended fuel type and octane level
• Reduce the amount of time AC is on.
• Drive less in cold weather or use a heater to
  warm the coolant

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Suggestions to improve energy efficiency contd

• Fuel efficiency standards are determined by
  Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards
• market incentives and education programs should
  be increased to educate the public about CAFE
  standards
• hybrid and fuel cell cars should be improved to
  replace less energy efficient cars.

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References

• Energy Information Administration
• http//www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/pdf/pages/sec1_17
  .pdf
• http//www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/pdf/pages/sec2_23
  .pdf
• Passenger Cars, 1990-1994 U.S. Department of
  Transportation, Bureau of Transportation
  Statistics, National Transportation Statistics
  1998, Table 4-13.
• All Other Data ? 1949-1994Federal Highway
  Administration (FHWA), Highway Statistics Summary
  to 1995, Table VM-201A. ? 1995 forwardFHWA,
  Highway Statistics, annual reports, Table VM-1.
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  http//www.bts.gov/publications/national_transport
  ation_statistics/html/table_04_22_m.html
• http//www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/rtecs/chapter4.html
• http//www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml
• http//www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/103164/a
  rticle.html
• http//www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/fuelalr
  t.pdf
• http//oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/personal/dri
  ving/autosmart-methods.cfm?attr3d8

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QUESTIONS??