IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i16p12246-d1214725.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is a Carbon-Neutral Pathway in Road Transport Possible? A Case Study from Slovakia

Author

Listed:
  • Ján Horváth

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University in Zvolen, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
    Department of Emissions and Biofuels, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, 833 15 Bratislava, Slovakia)

  • Janka Szemesová

    (Department of Emissions and Biofuels, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, 833 15 Bratislava, Slovakia)

Abstract

Transformation of European transport belongs among the key challenges to achieve a reduction of 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. This study focuses on GHG emissions in road transport in Slovakia, as it currently accounts for 19% of total GHG emissions (road transport emissions account for 99% of transport emissions). The main driver for this study was the preparation of Slovakia’s Climate Act and investigation of where are the limits of greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2050. With the aim of achieving maximum reduction in emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels, various scenarios were developed using the COPERT model to explore emission reduction strategies. The scenarios considered different subsectors of road transport, including passenger cars, light-commercial vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles (buses and trucks), and L-category vehicles and examined encompassed reduction of transport demand, improving energy efficiency, and utilizing advanced technologies with alternative fuels (hybrids, PHEV, CNG, LNG or LPG). However, the economic aspects of specific mitigation options were not considered in this analysis. The results show that there is a possibility of 77% GHG emission reduction by 2050 in comparison with the 2005 level. This reduction is accompanied by a shift in vehicle technologies to alternative fuels like electricity, hydrogen, and to a smaller extent biofuels and biomethane. This study shows that it will be possible to achieve 86.7% zero-emission cars and an additional 12.9% low emission and alternative fueled cars by 2050. By identifying and assessing these scenarios, policymakers and stakeholders can gain insights into the possibilities, challenges, and potential solutions for meeting the climate targets set by the European Union’s Fit for 55 climate package.

Suggested Citation

  • Ján Horváth & Janka Szemesová, 2023. "Is a Carbon-Neutral Pathway in Road Transport Possible? A Case Study from Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:16:p:12246-:d:1214725
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/16/12246/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/16/12246/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Remzi Can Samsun & Michael Rex & Laurent Antoni & Detlef Stolten, 2022. "Deployment of Fuel Cell Vehicles and Hydrogen Refueling Station Infrastructure: A Global Overview and Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-34, July.
    2. Wojciech Rabiega & Artur Gorzałczyński & Robert Jeszke & Paweł Mzyk & Krystian Szczepański, 2021. "How Long Will Combustion Vehicles Be Used? Polish Transport Sector on the Pathway to Climate Neutrality," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Chang, Ching-Chih & Chung, Chia-Ling, 2018. "Greenhouse gas mitigation policies in Taiwan's road transportation sectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 299-307.
    4. Bucher, Dominik & Buffat, René & Froemelt, Andreas & Raubal, Martin, 2019. "Energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction potentials resulting from different commuter electric bicycle adoption scenarios in Switzerland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    5. Yang, Christopher & McCollum, David L & McCarthy, Ryan & Leighty, Wayne, 2009. "Meeting an 80% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation by 2050: A Case Study in California," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2ns1q98f, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    6. Davis, Matthew & Ahiduzzaman, Md. & Kumar, Amit, 2018. "How will Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions change by 2050? A disaggregated analysis of past and future greenhouse gas emissions using bottom-up energy modelling and Sankey diagrams," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 754-786.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Talaei, Alireza & Pier, David & Iyer, Aishwarya V. & Ahiduzzaman, Md & Kumar, Amit, 2019. "Assessment of long-term energy efficiency improvement and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation options for the cement industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 1051-1066.
    2. Anton Manakhov & Maxim Orlov & Mustafa Babiker & Abdulaziz S. Al-Qasim, 2022. "A Perspective on Decarbonizing Mobility: An All-Electrification vs. an All-Hydrogenization Venue," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Zuo, Chengchoa & Birkin, Mark & Clarke, Graham & McEvoy, Fiona & Bloodworth, Andrew, 2018. "Reducing carbon emissions related to the transportation of aggregates: Is road or rail the solution?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 26-38.
    4. Innocent Bakam & Robin Matthews, 2009. "Emission trading in agriculture: a study of design options using an agent-based approach," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 14(8), pages 755-776, December.
    5. Euchi, Jalel & Kallel, Ahmed, 2021. "Internalization of external congestion and CO2emissions costs related to road transport: The case of Tunisia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    6. Michael Cary, 2020. "Have greenhouse gas emissions from US energy production peaked? State level evidence from six subsectors," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 125-134, March.
    7. Yang, Christopher & Yeh, Sonia & Zakerinia, Saleh & Ramea, Kalai & McCollum, David, 2015. "Achieving California's 80% greenhouse gas reduction target in 2050: Technology, policy and scenario analysis using CA-TIMES energy economic systems model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 118-130.
    8. Matteo Genovese & David Blekhman & Michael Dray & Francesco Piraino & Petronilla Fragiacomo, 2023. "Experimental Comparison of Hydrogen Refueling with Directly Pressurized vs. Cascade Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-14, August.
    9. Vijai Kaarthi Visvanathan & Karthikeyan Palaniswamy & Dineshkumar Ponnaiyan & Mathan Chandran & Thanarajan Kumaresan & Jegathishkumar Ramasamy & Senthilarasu Sundaram, 2023. "Fuel Cell Products for Sustainable Transportation and Stationary Power Generation: Review on Market Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-21, March.
    10. Laha, Priyanka & Chakraborty, Basab, 2021. "Low carbon electricity system for India in 2030 based on multi-objective multi-criteria assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    11. Ryerson, Megan S. & Ge, Xin, 2014. "The role of turboprops in China’s growing aviation system," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 133-144.
    12. Ülengin, Füsun & Işık, Mine & Ekici, Şule Önsel & Özaydın, Özay & Kabak, Özgür & Topçu, Y. İlker, 2018. "Policy developments for the reduction of climate change impacts by the transportation sector," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 36-50.
    13. Long, Zoe & Axsen, Jonn & Kitt, Shelby, 2020. "Public support for supply-focused transport policies: Vehicle emissions, low-carbon fuels, and ZEV sales standards in Canada and California," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 98-115.
    14. Suresh Neethirajan, 2023. "Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Dairy Farming in Canada amidst Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-37, December.
    15. Christopher Hoehne & Matteo Muratori & Paige Jadun & Brian Bush & Arthur Yip & Catherine Ledna & Laura Vimmerstedt & Kara Podkaminer & Ookie Ma, 2023. "Exploring decarbonization pathways for USA passenger and freight mobility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    16. Cook, Jonathan A. & Sanchirico, James N. & Salon, Deborah & Williams, Jeffrey, 2015. "Empirical distributions of vehicle use and fuel efficiency across space: Implications of asymmetry for measuring policy incidence," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 187-199.
    17. Emami Javanmard, M. & Tang, Y. & Wang, Z. & Tontiwachwuthikul, P., 2023. "Forecast energy demand, CO2 emissions and energy resource impacts for the transportation sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    18. Özdemir, Enver Doruk & Hartmann, Niklas, 2012. "Impact of electric range and fossil fuel price level on the economics of plug-in hybrid vehicles and greenhouse gas abatement costs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 185-192.
    19. Michael Kleeman & Christina Zapata & John Stilley & Mark Hixson, 2013. "PM 2.5 co-benefits of climate change legislation part 2: California governor’s executive order S-3-05 applied to the transportation sector," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 399-414, March.
    20. Frauke Behrendt & Sally Cairns & David Raffo & Ian Philips, 2021. "Impact of E-Bikes on Cycling in Hilly Areas: Participants’ Experience of Electrically-Assisted Cycling in a UK Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-19, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:16:p:12246-:d:1214725. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.