Energy Efficiency of Light Rail Versus Motor Vehicles

On the basis of various professional studies, it is widely assumed among public transport planners that electric light rail transit (LRT) provides a clean, energy-efficient form of mobility, representing a significant tool to address problems of peaking of global petroleum supplies (peak oil) and global warming and the effects of carbon (CO2) emissions. Nevertheless, critics of public transport and rail passenger services often disparage the energy efficiency of electric rail. In recent years, some critics claim that electric rail consumes, on average, more energy per passenger mile than personal automobiles and motor buses—a criticism based particularly on an assessment of the total energy losses involved in electric power generation and distribution. However, faulty assumptions and calculations may underlie such claims. Any comparison of electrically powered versus petroleum-fueled transportation modes must include equitable assumptions. This includes fully accounting for the comparative production and distribution losses associated with petroleum-fueled motor vehicle transportation, if such losses are assumed for electric propulsion. The present analysis attempts to derive such a more equitable comparison of energy consumption and carbon emissions and attempts to estimate the total production and distribution energy involved with motor fuels, as well as electric power, and provides energy comparisons of electric LRT versus motor vehicles, both as a national average and for a number of important individual transit systems, based on actual performance data. However, the authors must emphasize that there is no precise measure available of efficiency in electricity generation or of energy lost in the production, transportation, and distribution of petroleum products. In addition, only about 72% of U.S. electric power is derived from CO2-emitting sources. The remainder is derived from noncarbon-emitting sources such as hydroelectric, nuclear, geothermal, and wind power conversion. Therefore, it is useful to compare energy intensity with respect to carbon-emitting energy sources.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/163903.aspx
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Authors:
  • Henry, Lyndon
  • Dobbs, David
  • Drake, Alan
• Conference:
  • Joint International Light Rail Conference: Growth and Renewal
  • Location: Los Angeles California, United States
  • Date: 2009-4-19 to 2009-4-21
• Publication Date: 2010-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 78-89
• Monograph Title: Joint International Light Rail Conference: Growth and Renewal, April 19-21, 2009, Los Angeles, California
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: E-C145
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carbon dioxide; Electric power generation and transmission; Energy consumption; Light rail transit; Light rail vehicles; Motor vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Comparative analysis; Energy efficiency
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Public Transportation; Railroads; I15: Environment; I90: Vehicles;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01206845
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 8 2010 10:36AM