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Methane emissions from natural gas vehicles in China

Author

Listed:
  • Pan

    (Princeton University
    Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and The Environmental, NSF-ERC)

  • Lei Tao

    (Princeton University
    Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and The Environmental, NSF-ERC)

  • Kang Sun

    (University at Buffalo
    University at Buffalo)

  • Levi M. Golston

    (Princeton University
    Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and The Environmental, NSF-ERC)

  • David J. Miller

    (Princeton University
    Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and The Environmental, NSF-ERC
    Currently at Environmental Defense Fund)

  • Tong Zhu

    (Peking University)

  • Yue Qin

    (The Ohio State University
    Sustainability Institute, The Ohio State University)

  • Yan Zhang

    (Michigan State University)

  • Denise L. Mauzerall

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University)

  • Mark A. Zondlo

    (Princeton University
    Center for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and The Environmental, NSF-ERC)

Abstract

Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) have been promoted in China to mitigate air pollution, yet our measurements and analyses show that NGV growth in China may have significant negative impacts on climate change. We conducted real-world vehicle emission measurements in China and found high methane emissions from heavy-duty NGVs (90% higher than current emission limits). These emissions have been ignored in previous emission estimates, leading to biased results. Applying our observations to life-cycle analyses, we found that switching to NGVs from conventional vehicles in China has led to a net increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 2000. With scenario analyses, we also show that the next decade will be critical for China to reverse the trend with the upcoming China VI standard for heavy-duty vehicles. Implementing and enforcing the China VI standard is challenging, and the method demonstrated here can provide critical information regarding the fleet-level CH4 emissions from NGVs.

Suggested Citation

  • Pan & Lei Tao & Kang Sun & Levi M. Golston & David J. Miller & Tong Zhu & Yue Qin & Yan Zhang & Denise L. Mauzerall & Mark A. Zondlo, 2020. "Methane emissions from natural gas vehicles in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18141-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18141-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Sergejus Lebedevas & Laurencas Raslavičius & Martynas Drazdauskas, 2023. "Comprehensive Correlation for the Prediction of the Heat Release Characteristics of Diesel/CNG Mixtures in a Single-Zone Combustion Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Sun, Shouheng & Ertz, Myriam, 2022. "Life cycle assessment and risk assessment of liquefied natural gas vehicles promotion," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    3. Keogh, Niamh & Corr, D. & O'Shea, R. & Monaghan, R.F.D., 2022. "The gas grid as a vector for regional decarbonisation - a techno economic case study for biomethane injection and natural gas heavy goods vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    4. Kazimierz Lejda & Artur Jaworski & Maksymilian Mądziel & Krzysztof Balawender & Adam Ustrzycki & Danylo Savostin-Kosiak, 2021. "Assessment of Petrol and Natural Gas Vehicle Carbon Oxides Emissions in the Laboratory and On-Road Tests," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Valerie Karplus & Yong-Gun Kim & Luis Agosti & Boaz Moselle & Karsten Neuhoff & Anoop Singh & Hikaru Yamada, 2022. "LNG Price Responsiveness in Asia: Final Report," DIW Berlin: Politikberatung kompakt, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, volume 127, number pbk178, January.
    6. Stettler, Marc E.J. & Woo, Mino & Ainalis, Daniel & Achurra-Gonzalez, Pablo & Speirs, Jamie & Cooper, Jasmin & Lim, Dong-Ha & Brandon, Nigel & Hawkes, Adam, 2023. "Review of Well-to-Wheel lifecycle emissions of liquefied natural gas heavy goods vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    7. Okunlola, Ayodeji & Davis, Matthew & Kumar, Amit, 2023. "Assessing the cost competitiveness of electrolytic hydrogen production from small modular nuclear reactor-based power plants: A price-following perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 346(C).
    8. Byun, Jaewon & Han, Jeehoon, 2021. "Economically feasible production of green methane from vegetable and fruit-rich food waste," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    9. Kirsi Spoof-Tuomi & Hans Arvidsson & Olav Nilsson & Seppo Niemi, 2022. "Real-Driving Emissions of an Aging Biogas-Fueled City Bus," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Jia, Weidong & Gong, Chengzhu & Pan, Kai & Yu, Shiwei, 2023. "Potential changes of regional natural gas market in China amidst liberalization: A mixed complementarity equilibrium simulation in 2030," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).

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