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Evaluation of the energy efficiency evolution in the European road freight transport sector

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  • Ruzzenenti, F.
  • Basosi, R.

Abstract

In this paper, we evaluate energy efficiency in the European freight transport sector over three decades, according to a variety of indicators, methodologies and databases. The aim is, on the one hand, of determining major drawbacks in energy efficiency metrics, on the other hand, identifying a possible trend in the sector. The present analysis shows that energy efficiency evaluation is generally subject to misinterpretation and distortion with regard to the methods and data source adopted. Two different indicators (energy intensity and fuel economy) were initially taken into account to select the most suitable for evaluating vehicles' efficiency. Fuel economy was then adopted and measured according to two different methodologies (top-down and bottom-up). We then considered all the possible sources of distortion (data sources employed, methods of data detection, speed of detection, power enhancement, size factor) with the aim of accomplishing a sound estimation. Fuel economy was eventually divided with the maximum power available (adjusted fuel economy), to account for the power shift of vehicles, that represents a further efficiency improvement.

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  • Ruzzenenti, F. & Basosi, R., 2009. "Evaluation of the energy efficiency evolution in the European road freight transport sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 4079-4085, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:37:y:2009:i:10:p:4079-4085
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    8. Galvin, Ray & Martulli, Alessandro & Ruzzenenti, Franco, 2021. "Does power curb energy efficiency? Evidence from two decades of European truck tests," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    9. Fenling Feng & Qingya Zhang, 2015. "Multimodal Transport System Coevolution Model Based on Synergetic Theory," Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, Hindawi, vol. 2015, pages 1-10, March.
    10. Hao, Han & Geng, Yong & Li, Weiqi & Guo, Bin, 2015. "Energy consumption and GHG emissions from China's freight transport sector: Scenarios through 2050," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 94-101.
    11. Whyte, Kieran & Daly, Hannah E. & Ó Gallachóir, Brian P., 2013. "Modelling HGV freight transport energy demand in Ireland and the impacts of the property construction bubble," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 245-251.
    12. Yuan, Xiaodong & Cai, Yuchen, 2021. "Forecasting the development trend of low emission vehicle technologies: Based on patent data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
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    14. Franco Ruzzenenti, 2018. "The Prism of Elasticity in Rebound Effect Modelling: An Insight from the Freight Transport Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-13, August.
    15. Riccardo Chiarucci & Franco Ruzzenenti & Maria I. Loffredo, 2013. "Detecting spatial homogeneity in the world trade web with Detrended Fluctuation Analysis," Papers 1308.0526, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2013.
    16. Bhadbhade, Navdeep & Yilmaz, Selin & Zuberi, Jibran S. & Eichhammer, Wolfgang & Patel, Martin K., 2020. "The evolution of energy efficiency in Switzerland in the period 2000–2016," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    17. Jasmina Pašagić Škrinjar & Borna Abramović & Lucija Bukvić & Željko Marušić, 2020. "Managing Fuel Consumption and Emissions in the Renewed Fleet of a Transport Company," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-15, June.
    18. Wang, Y.F. & Li, K.P. & Xu, X.M. & Zhang, Y.R., 2014. "Transport energy consumption and saving in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 641-655.
    19. Gómez, Antonio & Dopazo, César & Fueyo, Norberto, 2014. "The causes of the high energy intensity of the Kazakh economy: A characterization of its energy system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 556-568.
    20. Gómez, Antonio & Dopazo, César & Fueyo, Norberto, 2015. "The future of energy in Uzbekistan," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 329-338.
    21. Pérez-Martínez, P.J. & Vassallo-Magro, J.M., 2013. "Changes in the external costs of freight surface transport In Spain," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 61-76.
    22. Feng, Chao & Wang, Miao, 2018. "Analysis of energy efficiency in China's transportation sector," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 565-575.
    23. Jinliang Xu & Yaping Dong & Menghua Yan, 2020. "A Model for Estimating Passenger-Car Carbon Emissions that Accounts for Uphill, Downhill and Flat Roads," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-21, March.
    24. Shoki Kosai & Muku Yuasa & Eiji Yamasue, 2020. "Chronological Transition of Relationship between Intracity Lifecycle Transport Energy Efficiency and Population Density," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-15, April.

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