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Strategic Objective
PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Strategic Objective
Overview
The transportation sector accounts for about 70 percent of all petroleum usage in the U.S. Consumption for motor gasoline represents about 46 percent of all petroleum consumed (in Quadrillion BTUs). Most transportation activity is based on fossil fuel consumption, which is the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and about 27 percent of these emissions are due to transportation activities. Passenger cars, heavy and medium duty trucks, and light duty trucks are the source for nearly 80 percent of transportation-related GHG emissions in the U.S.. We are working across all modes to improve the energy and environmental performance of the transportation sector. The aviation industry has made significant gains in fuel efficiency, with commercial jet aircraft fuel efficiency improvements of 70 percent over the last 40 years. DOT and the EPA have worked closely with auto manufacturers, the State of California, environmental groups and other stakeholders to promulgate new rules and develop a series of programs to increase fuel economy for the Nation's vehicle fleet. We will continue to promote the deployment of advanced vehicle technologies, alternatives fuels and alternatives fuels infrastructure where feasible to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of transportation systems, including highway vehicles, transit systems ships and airport support vehicles.
Read Less...Progress Update
Aviation Efficiency
FAA’s current energy efficiency target is based on a 2-percent per-year improvement, relative to a calendar year (CY) 2000 baseline (i.e., CY 2000 = 0 percent). For FY 2015, the target in terms of fuel consumed by payload (the load carried by an aircraft that is not necessary for its operation, e.g., passengers or cargo) transported and distance flown decreased 20 percent relative to the baseline. With a result of a 24.41-percent decrease, FAA was successful in achieving its energy efficiency goal.
More information about the CLEEN program can be found at: http://faa.gov/go/cleen
Transit Fuel Efficiency
FTA met its goal of 50 percent of the transit revenue fleet being comprised of alternative-fuel and hybrid vehicles in 2013 and continued to exceed this goal in 2014. The calculation of this metric is based on data received through the National Transit Database. The performance for 2015 will be available in fall of 2016.
Alternative fuel vehicles are eligible under FTA’s core programs, including the Urbanized Area Formula Program and the Bus and Bus Facilities Program. FTA grants obligated during FY 2014 included funding for 1,597 Rail vehicles and 4,764 buses. Of the 4,764 buses that were in grants, 1,773 were alternative fuels.
In addition to formula fund support for alternative fuel vehicles, FTA’s Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment (LoNo) Program provides funds for deployment of innovative bus technologies for U.S. transit operators. The program focuses on deploying the cleanest and most energy-efficient transit buses that are specifically designed to reduce emissions like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Grants from the LoNo Program will help transit agencies integrate more of these cutting-edge buses into their fleets.
Highway Vehicle Energy Use and Emissions Reduction
The Energy and Emissions Reduction Policy Analysis Tool (EERPAT) allows transportation agencies to evaluate the impact of transportation strategies on travel demand, energy consumption, and GHG emissions. Several States have used the analytic model to evaluate the combined effects of planning-related policies, highway operations, vehicle efficiency, and lower-carbon energy.
FHWA developed the Infrastructure Carbon Estimator, a calculator to estimate energy use and GHG emissions from the construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. The calculator allows practitioners to analyze infrastructure emissions associated with transportation plan alternatives, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project alternatives, and alternative construction and maintenance practices. A final version was released in 2014, after being piloted by several States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
In January 2015, FHWA completed a report entitled Feasibility and Implications of Electric Vehicle (EV) Deployment and Infrastructure Development to better understand how the deployment of EVs will impact the mission of FHWA, the financial implications for available revenues, and potential infrastructure development needs for EV deployment in the United States.
