Clean Energy

Energy Efficiency in Transport

The transport sector in 2002 used 21% of the worldwide all-sector total energy consumption and is projected to generate over 60% of the increase in total energy use through to 2025. The emerging Asian nations are projected to provide much of that future growth in oil consumption—and GHG emissions—due to their strong economic and population growth.

Emerging Asia (including China and India) is expected to account for 45% of the total world increase in oil use through to 2025. China’s energy use for transportation is projected to grow by 6–9% per year and in India, energy demand in the transportation sector has been projected to grow at 5–8% a year over this period.

Increasing energy efficiency in the road transportation sector is crucial to resolving both global and environmental sustainability resulting from high fuel consumption. There are complementary approaches to achieve this, including

• Improving the energy efficiency of individual vehicles, to increase the distance traveled per unit of fuel
• Modal shift that promotes lower fuel consumption per passenger—or freight—kilometer traveled
• Urban design that reduces the need to travel, requiring fewer passenger—or freight—kilometers
• Changing to fuels with lower GHG emissions

References:

• Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Considerations for On-road Transport in Asia*
• Roadmaps for Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles for Asia*

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