Energy Efficiency
Transportation
According to the Energy Information Administration, as of 2001, 43% of all vehicles in the United States achieved no greater than 19 miles per gallon. 65% of the American fleet achieved no greater than 21 miles per gallon. It is easy to see how Americans use over 113 billion gallons of motor fuel in our personal vehicles each year. That’s 592 gallons per vehicle, which at $3.21/gallon (the average market price on May 21, 2007), comes to $1900 a year…just for gas, most of which is imported into the United States.According to FuelEconomy.gov, “only about 15% of the energy from the fuel you put in your tank gets used to move your car down the road or run useful accessories, such as air conditioning. The rest of the energy is lost to inefficiencies and idling.” Clearly, there is significant opportunity to improve fuel efficiency as we advance technologically. There are also many things you can do to improve fuel efficiency in your vehicle, whether it is making sure your tires are properly inflated, reducing your speed, changing your air filter, or cleaning out your car to reduce the weight you carry around with you. Some studies have shown, however, the greater efficiency we realize in our personal vehicles, the more we drive. This in turn negates the environmental benefits gained in fuel efficiency. So do all of these things contribute to more efficient - or sustainable - transportation?
Yes and no. Making sure you are traveling in the most efficient way is very important, and so if your mode of transportation is your personal vehicle it is very important that it be as efficient as possible. There are other ways to travel more efficiently:
- Bus, bike, walk – The more you can rely on public transportation, you bicycle, and your feet, the less you have to rely on motor fuel, and thus the less harm you do to the environment.
- Carpool – If you have a long commute, take some time to discover whether there are others in your community who head the same way. There are several sites on the web, such as eRideShare where you can find others looking to travel more efficiently.
- Learn about alternative fuel vehicles – Whether it is biodiesel produced locally or an electric car, there is a growing market of alternative fuel vehicles. The Alternative Fuels Data Center is an online collection of data, including more than 3000 documents and several interactive tools covering the topics of alternative transportation fuels, alternative fuel vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, idle reduction technologies, fuel blends, and fuel economy.
- Consider purchasing a hybrid, diesel, or electric car for your next vehicle – Hybrid vehicles use advanced technology to greatly reduce the amount of fuel the car consumes and the amount of pollution it creates. Click here to learn more about hybrid vehicles. Improvements in diesel engines have made them more efficient and cleaner than their petrol counterparts. Diesel engines can also run off biodiesel, a non-petroleum fuel produced from renewable resources such as soybeans, without any additional equipment or effort. Click here to see the biodiesel dealers in North Carolina and here to learn more about diesel engines and technology. If your daily drive is less than 150 miles, you should consider an electric car as your next vehicle. To learn more, click here.
Electric Vehicle Challenge is the country’s premier alternative fuel education program, unique because of its integration of several disciplines, including math, science, engineering, language arts and more.
Hybrid Cars is part web journal, part online community, and part hybrid market research organization.
NC Solar Center has information about clean transportation alternatives.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric School Bus Project is a collaborative effort led by Advanced Energy to transform the nation’s school bus market by introducing plug-in hybrid technology.
Triangle Clean Cities Coalition is a voluntary group of public and private entities dedicated to increasing the use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) as a means to improve air quality and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
