NREL releases comprehensive vision for deep decarbonization of transportation
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a comprehensive vision for deeply decarbonizing transportation. It is a strategy rooted in cross-cutting research and engineering to enable industry stakeholders, communities, government agencies, and early adopters to meet their climate goals.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 50%–85% by 2050 to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius (four degrees Fahrenheit). The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, accounting for about 28% of total carbon emissions.
At the basic level, our strategy is simple: pair the best technology with the right application—whether that’s an electrified ride to school, a hydrogen-fueled big rig, or a commercial flight powered by low-carbon biofuel. We envision a mobility system fueled with clean, renewable energy, delivered directly by vehicle electrification, or indirectly by low-carbon, energy-dense fuels and renewable hydrogen for those sectors, like marine and aviation, that are harder to electrify.