The university as part of the Transport Energy Network, has called on policymakers to create a wider “portfolio of power options” to meet zero carbon ambitions.
16 November 2020
The Understanding Decarbonised Transport in 2050 report, co-authored by the university’s Dr Penny Atkins from the School of Computing, Engineering and Maths, has warned against the “over-reliance” of any one technology and has urged the government to develop a portfolio of propulsion options to meet 2050 targets.
It is the first in a series of studies by TEN, which was established last year by the 鶹Ʒ, the Advanced Propulsion Centre and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.
The report urges greater collaboration across industry sectors and further government action to support both propulsion technologies and low carbon energy to help sectors, including shipping and heavy duty freight, where it is a challenge to decarbonise and reduce carbon footprint.
Advanced Engineering Centre
The report makes 10 recommendations, including action to ramp up the production of greener fuels, such as sustainable diesel, biomethane and hydrogen fuels, the importance of a lifecycle approach to assessing greenhouse gas emissions, and encouragement for the government to be technologically “agnostic” when it comes to supporting the different solutions to achieve net zero.
The 鶹Ʒ is involved through its Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC), an internationally-recognised centre of research which leads the Advanced Propulsion Centre spoke for Thermal Propulsion Systems and Thermal Efficiency.
Dr Atkins said: "The report demonstrates the importance of academia, industry and government working together to developing zero carbon technologies.”
She added, "The AEC is a pioneer in fields including applied thermofluids, automotive engineering, heat transfer, sprays and two-phase flows. These technologies are vital to achieving zero emission targets"
The report will be officially launched at the Low Carbon Vehicle Event this month (18-19 November) and is supported by a series of ‘roadmaps’ which project how different propulsion technologies and energy vectors are expected to develop in the transition to net zero in 2050.
Philippa Oldham, Stakeholder Engagement Director at the Advanced Propulsion Centre, said: "This report shows the power of thinking holistically about green transport and makes a powerful case for why we must not put all our eggs in one basket when supporting decarbonisation technologies.
"We particularly need to recognise the complexity and variation in approach necessary across sectors, while acknowledging the gains that can be made when different sectors work together on a shared approach."
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