Electric and hydrogen rail: Potential contribution to net zero in the UK

Kathryn G Logan; John D Nelson; Benjamin C McLellan; Astley Hastings

doi:10.1016/j.trd.2020.102523

Electric and hydrogen rail: Potential contribution to net zero in the UK

Kathryn G Logan^* (Corresponding Author), John D Nelson, Benjamin C McLellan, Astley Hastings

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Electric trains (ET) and hydrogen trains (HT) are considered zero emission at the point of use. True emissions are dependent upon non-tailpipe sources, primarily in energy production. We present UK carbon dioxide (CO2) operating emission model outputs for conventionally fuelled trains (CFT), ETs and HTs between 2017 and 2050 under four National Grid electricity generation scenarios.

Comparing four service categories (urban, regional, intercity and high speed) to private conventionally fuelled vehicles (CFV) and electric vehicles considering average distance travelled per trip under different passenger capacity levels (125%, 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%).

Results indicate by 2050 at 100% capacity CFTs produce a fifth of the emissions of CFVs per kilometre per person. Under two degree generation scenario, by 2050 ETs produced 14 times and HTs produced five times less emissions than CFTs. Policymakers should encourage shifts away from private vehicles to public transport powered by low carbon electricity.

Original language	English
Article number	102523
Number of pages	16
Journal	Transportation Research Part D
Volume	87
Early online date	3 Sep 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102523
Publication status	Published - Oct 2020

Keywords

trains
public transport
hydrogen
electric
carbon dioxide emissions
Trains
Carbon dioxide emissions
Hydrogen
Electric
Public transport

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.trd.2020.102523Licence: CC BY

TRPD_102523
© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/).
Final published version, 2.6 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Electric and hydrogen rail: Potential contribution to net zero in the UK",

abstract = "Electric trains (ET) and hydrogen trains (HT) are considered zero emission at the point of use. True emissions are dependent upon non-tailpipe sources, primarily in energy production. We present UK carbon dioxide (CO2) operating emission model outputs for conventionally fuelled trains (CFT), ETs and HTs between 2017 and 2050 under four National Grid electricity generation scenarios.Comparing four service categories (urban, regional, intercity and high speed) to private conventionally fuelled vehicles (CFV) and electric vehicles considering average distance travelled per trip under different passenger capacity levels (125%, 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%).Results indicate by 2050 at 100% capacity CFTs produce a fifth of the emissions of CFVs per kilometre per person. Under two degree generation scenario, by 2050 ETs produced 14 times and HTs produced five times less emissions than CFTs. Policymakers should encourage shifts away from private vehicles to public transport powered by low carbon electricity.",

keywords = "trains, public transport, hydrogen, electric, carbon dioxide emissions, Trains, Carbon dioxide emissions, Hydrogen, Electric, Public transport",

author = "Logan, {Kathryn G} and Nelson, {John D} and McLellan, {Benjamin C} and Astley Hastings",

note = "Acknowledgements  This research was carried out under the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) as part of the ADdressing Valuation of Energy and Nature Together (ADVENT) funded project. Funding was received from the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/M019691/1), United Kingdom and the School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom. The authors would also like to thank Dr Christian Brand, University of Oxford, for giving them access to the Transport Energy and Air Pollution Model (TEAM-UK).",

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AU - Hastings, Astley

N1 - Acknowledgements  This research was carried out under the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) as part of the ADdressing Valuation of Energy and Nature Together (ADVENT) funded project. Funding was received from the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/M019691/1), United Kingdom and the School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom. The authors would also like to thank Dr Christian Brand, University of Oxford, for giving them access to the Transport Energy and Air Pollution Model (TEAM-UK).

PY - 2020/10

Y1 - 2020/10

N2 - Electric trains (ET) and hydrogen trains (HT) are considered zero emission at the point of use. True emissions are dependent upon non-tailpipe sources, primarily in energy production. We present UK carbon dioxide (CO2) operating emission model outputs for conventionally fuelled trains (CFT), ETs and HTs between 2017 and 2050 under four National Grid electricity generation scenarios.Comparing four service categories (urban, regional, intercity and high speed) to private conventionally fuelled vehicles (CFV) and electric vehicles considering average distance travelled per trip under different passenger capacity levels (125%, 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%).Results indicate by 2050 at 100% capacity CFTs produce a fifth of the emissions of CFVs per kilometre per person. Under two degree generation scenario, by 2050 ETs produced 14 times and HTs produced five times less emissions than CFTs. Policymakers should encourage shifts away from private vehicles to public transport powered by low carbon electricity.

AB - Electric trains (ET) and hydrogen trains (HT) are considered zero emission at the point of use. True emissions are dependent upon non-tailpipe sources, primarily in energy production. We present UK carbon dioxide (CO2) operating emission model outputs for conventionally fuelled trains (CFT), ETs and HTs between 2017 and 2050 under four National Grid electricity generation scenarios.Comparing four service categories (urban, regional, intercity and high speed) to private conventionally fuelled vehicles (CFV) and electric vehicles considering average distance travelled per trip under different passenger capacity levels (125%, 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%).Results indicate by 2050 at 100% capacity CFTs produce a fifth of the emissions of CFVs per kilometre per person. Under two degree generation scenario, by 2050 ETs produced 14 times and HTs produced five times less emissions than CFTs. Policymakers should encourage shifts away from private vehicles to public transport powered by low carbon electricity.

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Electric and hydrogen rail: Potential contribution to net zero in the UK

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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