IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v81y2015icp176-185.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Long term energy and emission implications of a global shift to electricity-based public rail transportation system

Author

Listed:
  • Chaturvedi, Vaibhav
  • Kim, Son H.

Abstract

With high reliance on light-duty vehicles in the present, the future of global transportation system is also geared towards private modes, which has significant energy and emission implications. Public transportation has been argued as an alternative strategy for meeting the rising transportation demands of the growing world, especially the poor, in a sustainable and energy efficient way. The present study analyzes an important yet under-researched question – what are the long-term energy and emission implications of an electric rail based passenger transportation system for meeting both long and short distance passenter transportation needs? We analyze a suite of electric rail share scenarios with and without climate policy. In the reference scenario, the transportation system will evolve towards dominance of fossil based light-duty vehicles. We find that an electric rail policy is more successful than an economy wide climate policy in reducing transport sector energy demand and emissions. Economy wide emissions however can only be reduced through a broader climate policy, the cost of which can be reduced by hundreds of billions of dollars across the century when implemented in combination with the transport sector focused electric rail policy. Moreover, higher share of electric rail enhances energy security for oil importing nations and reduces vehicular congestion and road infrastructure requirement as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Chaturvedi, Vaibhav & Kim, Son H., 2015. "Long term energy and emission implications of a global shift to electricity-based public rail transportation system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 176-185.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:176-185
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.11.013
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421514006211
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2014.11.013?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hensher, David A., 2007. "Sustainable public transport systems: Moving towards a value for money and network-based approach and away from blind commitment," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 98-102, January.
    2. Phang, Sock-Yong, 2003. "Strategic development of airport and rail infrastructure: the case of Singapore," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 27-33, January.
    3. David McCollum & Volker Krey & Peter Kolp & Yu Nagai & Keywan Riahi, 2014. "Transport electrification: A key element for energy system transformation and climate stabilization," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 123(3), pages 651-664, April.
    4. Clarke, John F. & Edmonds, J. A., 1993. "Modelling energy technologies in a competitive market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 123-129, April.
    5. Chaturvedi, Vaibhav & Kim, Sonny & Smith, Steven J. & Clarke, Leon & Yuyu, Zhou & Kyle, Page & Patel, Pralit, 2013. "Model evaluation and hindcasting: An experiment with an integrated assessment model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 479-490.
    6. Kyle, Page & Kim, Son H., 2011. "Long-term implications of alternative light-duty vehicle technologies for global greenhouse gas emissions and primary energy demands," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 3012-3024, May.
    7. te Brömmelstroet, Marco & Bertolini, Luca, 2008. "Developing land use and transport PSS: Meaningful information through a dialogue between modelers and planners," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 251-259, July.
    8. Edmonds, Jae & Reilly, John, 1983. "A long-term global energy- economic model of carbon dioxide release from fossil fuel use," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 74-88, April.
    9. Son H. Kim, Jae Edmonds, Josh Lurz, Steven J. Smith, and Marshall Wise, 2006. "The objECTS Framework for integrated Assessment: Hybrid Modeling of Transportation," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Special I), pages 63-92.
    10. Schipper, Lee, 2011. "Automobile use, fuel economy and CO2 emissions in industrialized countries: Encouraging trends through 2008?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 358-372, March.
    11. Chaturvedi, Vaibhav & Clarke, Leon & Edmonds, James & Calvin, Katherine & Kyle, Page, 2014. "Capital investment requirements for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in power generation on near term to century time scales and global to regional spatial scales," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 267-278.
    12. Litman, Todd, 2005. "Efficient vehicles versus efficient transportation. Comparing transportation energy conservation strategies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 121-129, March.
    13. Cascetta, Ennio & Pagliara, Francesca, 2008. "Integrated railways-based policies: The Regional Metro System (RMS) project of Naples and Campania," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 81-93, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cai, Yanpeng & Applegate, Scott & Yue, Wencong & Cai, Jianying & Wang, Xuan & Liu, Gengyuan & Li, Chunhui, 2017. "A hybrid life cycle and multi-criteria decision analysis approach for identifying sustainable development strategies of Beijing's taxi fleet," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 314-325.
    2. Kołoś, Arkadiusz & Taczanowski, Jakub, 2016. "The feasibility of introducing light rail systems in medium-sized towns in Central Europe," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 400-413.
    3. Longe Adedayo Emmanuel & Omitogun Olawunmi & Adelokun Oluwole Oluniyi & Adebayo Emmanuel Olajide & Muhammad Shehu, 2020. "The Impact of Trade and Transport Services on the Environment in Africa," Economic Themes, Sciendo, vol. 58(3), pages 415-439, September.
    4. Mohsen Davoodi & Hamed Jafari Kaleybar & Morris Brenna & Dario Zaninelli, 2023. "Energy Management Systems for Smart Electric Railway Networks: A Methodological Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-35, August.
    5. Sun, Chuanwang & Zhang, Wenyue & Luo, Yuan & Xu, Yonghong, 2019. "The improvement and substitution effect of transportation infrastructure on air quality: An empirical evidence from China's rail transit construction," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 949-957.
    6. Alshehry, Atef Saad & Belloumi, Mounir, 2017. "Study of the environmental Kuznets curve for transport carbon dioxide emissions in Saudi Arabia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 1339-1347.
    7. Mohit Sharma & Vaibhav Chaturvedi & Pallav Purohit, 2017. "Long-term carbon dioxide and hydrofluorocarbon emissions from commercial space cooling and refrigeration in India: a detailed analysis within an integrated assessment modelling framework," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 503-517, August.
    8. Ou, Yang & Kittner, Noah & Babaee, Samaneh & Smith, Steven J. & Nolte, Christopher G. & Loughlin, Daniel H., 2021. "Evaluating long-term emission impacts of large-scale electric vehicle deployment in the US using a human-Earth systems model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    9. Vijay S. Limaye & Kim Knowlton & Sayantan Sarkar & Partha Sarthi Ganguly & Shyam Pingle & Priya Dutta & Sathish L. M. & Abhiyant Tiwari & Bhavin Solanki & Chirag Shah & Gopal Raval & Khyati Kakkad & G, 2018. "Development of Ahmedabad’s Air Information and Response (AIR) Plan to Protect Public Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-28, July.
    10. Chan, Lok Shun, 2023. "Transition from fossil fuel propelled transport to electrified mass transit railway system - Experience from Hong Kong," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    11. Jing Li & Kevin Lo & Meng Guo, 2018. "Do Socio-Economic Characteristics Affect Travel Behavior? A Comparative Study of Low-Carbon and Non-Low-Carbon Shopping Travel in Shenyang City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, June.

    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. Yu, Sha & Tan, Qing & Evans, Meredydd & Kyle, Page & Vu, Linh & Patel, Pralit L., 2017. "Improving building energy efficiency in India: State-level analysis of building energy efficiency policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 331-341.
    2. Yu, Sha & Eom, Jiyong & Evans, Meredydd & Clarke, Leon, 2014. "A long-term, integrated impact assessment of alternative building energy code scenarios in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 626-639.
    3. Zhou, Yuyu & Clarke, Leon & Eom, Jiyong & Kyle, Page & Patel, Pralit & Kim, Son H. & Dirks, James & Jensen, Erik & Liu, Ying & Rice, Jennie & Schmidt, Laurel & Seiple, Timothy, 2014. "Modeling the effect of climate change on U.S. state-level buildings energy demands in an integrated assessment framework," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1077-1088.
    4. Vaibhav Chaturvedi & Priyadarshi Shukla, 2014. "Role of energy efficiency in climate change mitigation policy for India: assessment of co-benefits and opportunities within an integrated assessment modeling framework," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 123(3), pages 597-609, April.
    5. Dai, Hancheng & Silva Herran, Diego & Fujimori, Shinichiro & Masui, Toshihiko, 2016. "Key factors affecting long-term penetration of global onshore wind energy integrating top-down and bottom-up approaches," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 19-30.
    6. Iyer, Gokul & Hultman, Nathan & Eom, Jiyong & McJeon, Haewon & Patel, Pralit & Clarke, Leon, 2015. "Diffusion of low-carbon technologies and the feasibility of long-term climate targets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 90(PA), pages 103-118.
    7. Yu, Sha & Eom, Jiyong & Zhou, Yuyu & Evans, Meredydd & Clarke, Leon, 2014. "Scenarios of building energy demand for China with a detailed regional representation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 284-297.
    8. Melania Michetti & Matteo Zampieri, 2014. "Climate–Human–Land Interactions: A Review of Major Modelling Approaches," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-41, July.
    9. Shukla, Priyadarshi R. & Chaturvedi, Vaibhav, 2012. "Low carbon and clean energy scenarios for India: Analysis of targets approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(S3), pages 487-495.
    10. Chaturvedi, Vaibhav & Eom, Jiyong & Clarke, Leon E. & Shukla, Priyadarshi R., 2014. "Long term building energy demand for India: Disaggregating end use energy services in an integrated assessment modeling framework," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 226-242.
    11. Pietzcker, Robert C. & Longden, Thomas & Chen, Wenying & Fu, Sha & Kriegler, Elmar & Kyle, Page & Luderer, Gunnar, 2014. "Long-term transport energy demand and climate policy: Alternative visions on transport decarbonization in energy-economy models," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 95-108.
    12. Chaturvedi, Vaibhav & Kim, Sonny & Smith, Steven J. & Clarke, Leon & Yuyu, Zhou & Kyle, Page & Patel, Pralit, 2013. "Model evaluation and hindcasting: An experiment with an integrated assessment model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 479-490.
    13. Girod, Bastien & van Vuuren, Detlef P. & Deetman, Sebastiaan, 2012. "Global travel within the 2°C climate target," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 152-166.
    14. Zemp, Stefan & Stauffacher, Michael & Lang, Daniel J. & Scholz, Roland W., 2011. "Generic functions of railway stations--A conceptual basis for the development of common system understanding and assessment criteria," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 446-455, March.
    15. Charlie Wilson & Céline Guivarch & Elmar Kriegler & Bas Ruijven & Detlef P. Vuuren & Volker Krey & Valeria Jana Schwanitz & Erica L. Thompson, 2021. "Evaluating process-based integrated assessment models of climate change mitigation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-22, May.
    16. Yin, Xiang & Chen, Wenying & Eom, Jiyong & Clarke, Leon E. & Kim, Son H. & Patel, Pralit L. & Yu, Sha & Kyle, G. Page, 2015. "China's transportation energy consumption and CO2 emissions from a global perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 233-248.
    17. Yu, Sha & Yarlagadda, Brinda & Siegel, Jonas Elliott & Zhou, Sheng & Kim, Sonny, 2020. "The role of nuclear in China's energy future: Insights from integrated assessment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    18. Zhou, Sheng & Wang, Yu & Zhou, Yuyu & Clarke, Leon E. & Edmonds, James A., 2018. "Roles of wind and solar energy in China’s power sector: Implications of intermittency constraints," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 22-30.
    19. Pan, Xunzhang & Wang, Hailin & Wang, Lining & Chen, Wenying, 2018. "Decarbonization of China's transportation sector: In light of national mitigation toward the Paris Agreement goals," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 853-864.
    20. Seungho Jeon & Minyoung Roh & Almas Heshmati & Suduk Kim, 2020. "An Assessment of Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Passenger Cars in South Korea," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-13, September.

    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:eee:enepol:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:176-185. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    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.