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The Impact of CNG on Buses Fleet Decarbonization: A Case Study

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Smart Energy for Smart Transport (CSUM 2022)

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Abstract

By 2050, and in the context of decarbonization and carbon neutrality, many companies worldwide are looking for low-carbon alternatives. Transport companies are probably the most challenging due to the continuing growth in global demand and the high dependency on fossil fuels. Some alternatives are emerging to replace conventional diesel vehicles and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. One of these alternatives is the adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG). In this paper, we provide a detailed study of the current emissions from the largest bus fleet company in the metropolitan area of Oporto. For this analysis, we used a top-down and a bottom-up methodology based on EMEP/EEA guidebook to compute the CO2 and air pollution (CO, NMVOC, PM2.5, and NOx) emissions from the fleet. Fuel consumption, energy consumption, vehicle slaughter, electric bus incorporation, and the investments made were taken into consideration in the analyses. From the case study, the overall reduction in CO2 emission was just 6.3%, and the emission factors (air pollutants) from CNG-powered buses and diesel-powered buses are closer and closer. For confirming these results and question the effectiveness of the fleet transitions from diesel to CNG vehicles, we analysed two scenarios. The obtained results reveal the potential and effectiveness of electric buses and other fuel alternatives to reduce CO2 and air pollution.

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Acknowledgement

This work is financed by National Funds through the FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within the project e-LOG (EXPL/ECI-TRA/0679/2021). Tânia Fontes also thanks FCT for the Post-Doctoral scholarship SFRH/BPD/109426/2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INESC TEC—Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    João Paulo Fontoura Oliveira, Tânia Fontes & Teresa Galvão

  2. Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    Teresa Galvão

Authors
  1. João Paulo Fontoura Oliveira
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  2. Tânia Fontes
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  3. Teresa Galvão
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tânia Fontes .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece

    Eftihia G. Nathanail

  2. Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece

    Nikolaos Gavanas

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece

    Giannis Adamos

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Oliveira, J.P.F., Fontes, T., Galvão, T. (2023). The Impact of CNG on Buses Fleet Decarbonization: A Case Study. In: Nathanail, E.G., Gavanas, N., Adamos, G. (eds) Smart Energy for Smart Transport. CSUM 2022. Lecture Notes in Intelligent Transportation and Infrastructure. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23721-8_50

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-23721-8_50

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-23720-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-23721-8

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