Climate Change Research: Projects
Assessment of Future Internal Combustion Engine Transportation Technology Scenarios
Client
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division, International Society for Environmental Geotechnology
Description
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory is engaged in research to support a broad EPA assessment of the impact of global change on air quality in the United States. In addition to the effects of future changes in the climate, EPA's study will consider the impacts of other factors, such as technology changes that will influence air quality over the next several decades. To assist EPA's Atmospheric Protection Branch in assessing the market potential of future transportation technologies using the MARKAL model, we gathered transportation system data through literature searches, government reports and technology databases, and RTI contacts. The transportation systems included the following:
- Hybrid electric vehicles
- Advanced diesel engines
- Compression ignition (diesel)/direct injection (CIDI)
- Gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engines/stoichiometric operation
- GDI/CIDI lean burn engines
- Advanced engine technology (e.g., valve improvements)
- Advanced transmissions
- Integrated starter/generator
- Exhaust control technologies for gasoline and diesel
- Aerodynamic improvements
- Rolling resistance improvements
- Advanced lightweight materials
The information collected was assessed for content and quality, and those data were assembled into spreadsheet tables consistent with the input requirements of MARKAL. Our staff also provided technical guidance to EPA in developing potential transportation technology datasets and in assessing the impacts of adopting these technologies in the future. We created internally consistent technology datasets for plausible future transportation technology scenarios in the United States for the years 2000, 2010, 2020, and 2030.
rti.org