26 April 2010
Newsletter: Low Carbon Vehicles (LCVs) briefing
By Minna VertainenTransform Scotland held a members’ seminar earlier this year on the topic of LCVs, an area in which we are doing a considerable amount of work at the moment. The presentation and discussion which followed will form part of our considered view on LCVs and the benefits of their widespread introduction in a truly sustainable way. As such we would welcome feedback from readers to help form our recommendations.
The definition of a LCV vehicle is not easy to come by because the description is used to describe not only battery or hydrogen powered vehicles, but also various diesel/battery hybrids or biofuel engines. A more all-embracing definition of a LCV is quite simply “a vehicle with the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emission” by some means or other.
The seminar gave rise to much discussion as to when a vehicle is truly a LCV. Is a vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell really a LCV if the hydrogen is derived from fossil fuel in the first place? Or, is it only truly a LCV when the hydrogen is derived from a sustainable source such as wind or hydro? Another interesting point for the reader to consider is that the widespread introduction of electric vehicles on a global basis would require, in many countries, additional power generation and the enhancement of transmission infrastructure in order to to cope with increased demand. So how much real carbon dioxide savings would be achieved if the power is not derived from sustainable sources?
It all highlights the complexity of the task ahead as Scotland moves towards achieving an 80 % reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, as required by the Climate Change Act. Although there are many policy documents around, such as the Renewable Energy Framework and the Energy Efficiency Action Plan, all of which are admirable in their own right, there is nevertheless a conflict between aspiration and actual spending plans.
A recent trial in London into the use of hydrogen powered buses was apparently very successful with the public delighted with the quietness of the vehicles. Public transport would therefore seem an ideal arena for hydrogen or battery operated vehicles because recharging points could be located at key locations , whereas it may prove more difficult and expensive to roll out such infrastructure for private transport. Would this not be one ideal use of wind power , that allows for the variable nature of its production, by using wind generators to produce hydrogen and then store the hydrogen for use in public transport vehicles?
To tell us what you think, please email
info@transformscotland.org.uk