This session on alternative fuels and vehicles, including technical but also non-technical aspects of their promotion (local initiative, public awareness) offered an instructive and broad picture, regarding the possibilities of more sustainable alternative fuels/powertain introduction. The sub-session dedicated to hydrogen demonstrated and recorded how the commission already committed themselves for research programmes funding, but also how strong are the barriers to overpass, before large hydrogen public applications in transport. Regarding alternative fuels, the most discussed pathways have been presented: methane and bio-methane, synthetic fuels from biomass (BTL), from natural gas (GTL) or coal (CTL), biodiesels, bio-ethanols. All these fuels have been assessed on their current availability and potential for future developments, also on a well-to-wheels basis, including detailed accounting of the GHG emitted during the fuels manufacturing, and not only during the final use in the vehicle. Connected to this last point, an important challenge emerged during all the sessions: the problematic of alternative fuels certification. To end, the session on the technologies offered interesting developments regarding the flexfuel vehicles experience in Brazil, but also discussions around the relevance of the NEDC test cycle of advanced and alternative vehicles type approval.

MAHIEU Vincent;  MUNTEAN Marilena;  PERUJO MATEOS DEL PARQUE Adolfo;  DE SANTI Giovanni; 

2007-06-27

JRC37577

EUR 22789 EN,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC37577,