ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR
Across the globe, transport is the sector with the highest energy consumption. In Europe, transport accounts for about 20% of Europe’s primary energy consumption. The United States uses 28% of its energy for the transportation of people and goods, including personal vehicles (cars, light trucks), public transportation (buses, trains), airplanes, freight trains, barges, and pipelines. Moreover, transport is the fastest growing sector in terms of energy use, forecasts estimating an increase in demand of 50% for freight transport and 35% for passenger transport by 2020. About 98% of the energy used in Europe by the transport sector comes from fossil fuels, which makes it a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. In USA, 86% of all the energy used in the transportation sector comes from gasoline and diesel fuels, the combustion of which emits carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons. Under these circumstances, energy efficiency policies and measures for the transportation sector became a priority for countries around the globe. For this sector, policies focus on improving tire energy efficiency, fuel economy standards and eco-driving. Greater vehicle and fuel efficiency is a short term strategy for meeting energy efficiency standards and policies. In many countries, measuring and monitoring energy consumption is mandatory for businesses that are dependent on their vehicles and equipments in their everyday processes. These aspects concern any business activating in the transportation sector - freight, distribution, logistics, and passenger transportation services. More and more transportation companies implement consumption monitoring technologies to decrease their fuel and energy demands through correct forecasts and better understanding of the factors that drive increased consumption within the company. Especially for large organizations, with big fleets, energy efficiency systems are effective internal tools, allowing fuel-related costs traceability. Energy efficiency solutions have a great impact on companies’ budgets firstly due to cost savings generated by better monitoring. Secondly, these kinds of solutions allow companies to meet local, national or international regulations. According to the European Commission’s Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, the transport sector has the potential to cut its energy use by about 26%. Energy efficiency policies and recommendations remain a work in progress, with continuous room for improvement.
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