Low-carbon emission

The main components of automobile exhaust are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O). Carbon dioxide is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) and the most significant Greenhouse Gas emitted in the U.S. (with 82-84% of all U.S. emissions). [ [http://www.greenbuilder.com/sbc/newsletters/99july.html July 1999 SBC Newsletter ] ] Increases in carbon dioxide concentration are due primarily to fossil fuel use and land-use change. [ IPCC, "PDF| [http://www.20minutos.es/data/adj/2007/02/02/456.pdf Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis] |2.20 MiB " .]

The CO₂ emission standards can be referred to the fuel or to the vehicle :

*The European Union is moving towards fuel mandatory CO₂ standards and USA has reflected it in the Greenhouse Gas Score.

*There are information, but no mandatory, standards for CO₂ limits in vehicle (engine) emissions, excepting some state regulations (i.e. California). See hybrid vehicles.

CO₂ mass emission in vehicles is measured in g/km (g/mi * 0.621371192 = g/km).

Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Transportation accounts for forty percent of California's annual greenhouse gas emissions, and California relies on petroleum-based fuels for 96 percent of its transportation needs.

The Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced an Executive Order that California adopt so-called Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). [ [http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/5074 Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Directive to Establish World's First Low Carbon Standard for Transportation Fuels - Press Release by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ] ] The LCFS requires fuel providers to ensure that the mix of fuel they sell in the California Market meets, on average, a declining target for greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2-equivalent grams per unit of fuel energy sold. By 2020, the LCFS will produce a 10 % reduction in GHG emissions from production and use of fuel in passenger vehicles in California.

See also

* Emission standard
* Low-carbon economy
* No-carbon renewable energy economy (NCREE).
* Sustainable mobility technology

References