Clean Energy EXPO 2024: Sustainable Transportation

The 27th Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum was held on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The event was hosted by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), with the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Caucuses serving as honorary co-hosts. It featured seven panels, including Sustainable Transportation.

Highlights

Michael Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation and Fuels, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

• The Department of Energy (DOE) has programs to advance all aspects of clean fuels and technologies. For example, the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) works with airlines to develop and deploy sustainable aviation fuels. Ocean vessels and container ships have switched over from bunker fuel to new fuel technologies also with help from BETO.
• The National Clean Hydrogen Strategy set a goal to make 40 million metric tons of clean hydrogen by 2040, helped along by the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
• DOE and the Department of Transportation are working together to grow the electric vehicle (EV) charging network. They have deployed almost 1,000 charging stations a week, positioning them to hit the goal of building 500,000 publicly-available EV chargers by 2030. DOE also has a goal to have fast chargers every 50 miles along major highways. 

Genevieve Cullen, President, Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA)

• The Electric Drive Transportation Association’s (EDTA’s) focus is on anything where electricity powers the wheels—this includes battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, traditional hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles. These technologies are key to enhancing U.S. energy, economic, and environmental security.
• There are now over 5.3 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads, with 18,000 of those being fuel cell vehicles. Over $300 billion has been invested to build out the EV value chain, and the sector supports over 370,000 jobs—with that number reaching up to 1 million when including related fields like energy storage and transmission.
• EDTA’s goals are to expand EV options spanning from micro-mobility to heavy-duty trucks, to build out charging infrastructure, to integrate that infrastructure more effectively with the electricity grid, and to have more resilient, sustainable supply chains.

Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director, Engine Technology Forum (ETF)

• Historically, internal combustion engines only operated with diesel and gasoline. Now, the Engine Technology Forum (ETF) covers all types of combustion engines, including gasoline, natural gas, diesel, propane, and hydrogen.
• Current engines are nearing zero-emissions for certain pollutants and are becoming more fuel-efficient. Biofuels further reduce certain emissions.
• Powering On: Internal Combustion Engines & the Clean Energy Future, ETF’s 2024 report, shows that internal combustion engines will continue to grow, with an expected annual growth rate of 9% from 2023 to 2030. 

John Fuher, Vice President of Government Affairs, Growth Energy

• Decarbonizing transportation requires multiple technologies—there is no single solution. Ethanol, fuel produced from plant material, is useful in various applications including heavy-duty vehicles, aviation, and marine fuels.
• There are many ways to reduce the carbon intensity of biofuels, either through the inputs, called feedstocks, or through manufacturing processes at the plant.
• The easiest way to decarbonize biofuels is through carbon capture technology, since ethanol plants produce a pure stream of fermented carbon that can be stored underground or used in products like dry ice or carbonated beverages.
• Aviation fuel is also a great end-use application of biofuels. 

Lisa Jerram, Senior Director, Bus Operations and New Vehicle Technologies, American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

• Public transit plays a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as it shifts people away from single-occupancy vehicles to a more equitable, shared transportation system. According to a 2021 Transportation Research Board report, investing in public transit reduces U.S. carbon emissions by 63 million metric tons annually.
• Recent investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) (P.L. 117-169) are being used to expand and improve transit services. This includes implementing bus rapid transit systems that are faster and more cost-effective than light rail.
• The American Public Transportation Association has a sustainability commitment program where transit agencies quantify their efforts to improve their environmental performance, including through better water use, recycling, and energy efficiency.
• Over 50% of U.S. bus fleets already use low-emission technologies, with a growing shift towards battery and fuel cell electric buses. This early adoption sets a precedent for other transportation sectors.

Compiled by Lindsey Snyder and edited for clarity and length. This is not a transcript.

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