Regulations in the United States have taken multiple approaches and methodologies to evaluating emissions sources. Light duty vehicles are primarily regulated by the emissions that come from the vehicle tailpipe while liquid fuels are, in some cases, regulated based upon the emissions that are generated from the entire production cycle of the product, otherwise known as the “life cycle” or well-to-wheels.
Today, the Transportation Energy Institute (TEI) has released a new whitepaper, Using Life Cycle Assessment to Evaluate the Light Duty Vehicle Transportation Sector which considers how a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology could be applied to evaluate emissions from the entire transportation sector, considering energy and vehicles as a holistic system.
“To reduce emissions, it is important to account for emissions wherever they are generated,” states John Eichberger, TEI’s executive director. “By doing so, LCA can provide a comprehensive understanding of the full environmental footprint of the sector across all stages of its life cycle—from raw material extraction, through production, use, and disposal of both energy and vehicles.”
The whitepaper provides an overview of how an LCA methodology could be applied. It covers:
- What is a life cycle assessment and how does it work?
- What are the main steps involved in defining an LCA?
- How can LCA be applied to the transportation sector holistically?
A life cycle approach enables organizations to strategically target their emissions reduction investments where they make the greatest economic and environmental sense, amplifying the benefits to the environment while providing an opportunity to generate a positive return. This will in turn encourage additional emissions reduction investments.”
