Energy efficiency and specific CO2 emissions

Assessment versions

Published (reviewed and quality assured)

• Energy efficiency and specific CO2 emissions (TERM 027) - Assessment published Jan 2013
• Energy efficiency and specific CO2 emissions (TERM 027) - Assessment published Jan 2011
• Energy efficiency and specific CO2 emissions (TERM 027) - Assessment published Sep 2010
• Energy efficiency and specific CO2 emissions (TERM 027) - Assessment published Apr 2009

Justification for indicator selection

Transport accounts for almost one third of final energy consumption (see Eurostat energy statistics) and around a quarter of total CO₂ emissions (see TERM 02 - Transport emissions of greenhouse gases). Energy efficiency improvements in transport can therefore result in considerable reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions.

The average energy efficiency of passenger and freight transport is determined by the fleet composition (number and type of vehicles), vehicle utilisation (occupancy rates and load factors) and driving characteristics (speeds, distances).
In the case of freight transport, energy use per tonne-kilometre also depends on the characteristics of the goods transported (e.g. weight and volume of goods). Thus, differences in the goods transported can result to differences in the energy efficiency, expressed as energy use per tonne-kilometre.
This indicator has been selected to monitor the energy efficiency of the various passenger and freight transport modes enabling thus the evaluation of related policies and targets set at the national and international levels.

Scientific references:

• Support for the revision of regulation on CO2 emissions from light commercial vehicles — final report TNO, AEA, CE Delft, Ricardo, Okopol and TML, 2012. Report to the European Commission, accessed 1 July 2012.

Indicator definition

Specific CO₂ emissions are defined as emissions of CO₂ per transport unit (passenger-km or tonne-km), specified by mode (road, rail, inland, maritime, air).

CO2 emissions from new passengers cars are expressed in terms of grams of CO2 per kilometer. They are the experimental data measured in the vehicle type approval procedure.

Units

For passenger transport, specific CO₂ emissions are expressed in g per passenger-kilometre.
For freight transport, specific CO₂ emissions are expressed in g per tonne-kilometre.

For new passenger cars, tailpipe emissions are expressed in g per kilometre

Policy context and targets

Context description

Since specific CO₂ emissions are expressed per transport unit, occupancy rates and load factors have a considerable effect on specific emissions produced from passenger and freight transport respectively. Reduction of specific emissions can be achieved by increasing occupancy rates and load factors and/or by decreasing the emissions per vehicle-km (e.g. by setting stricter emission standards and introducing more energy efficient technologies such as hybrid, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, etc).

Targets

There are no specific objectives or targets related to the energy efficiency or specific CO₂ emissions of the total fleet.

Policy objectives are only set with respect to CO₂ emissions of passenger cars and vans. Regulation No 443/2009 specifies that each vehicle manufacturer must achieve a fleet-average CO₂ emission target of 130 g/km by 2015 for all new cars registered in the EU. In order to meet the CO₂ emission target of 120 g/km, a further reduction of 10 g/km is to be provided by additional measures, such as the use of biofuels. The regulation also defines a long-term target of 95 g/km to be reached from 2020.

Regulation No 510/2011 limits CO₂ emissions from new vans to an average of 175 grams of CO₂ per kilometre by 2017 –  phased in from 2014 - and 147 g/km by 2020.

Related policy documents

• 443/2009
  Regulation (ec) no 443/2009 of the European parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the community's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles.
• Decision No 1753/2000/EC, CO2 from new passenger cars
  Decision No 1753/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 2000 establishing a scheme to monitor the average specific emissions of CO2 from new passenger cars
• REGULATION (EU) No 510/2011
  REGULATION (EU) No 510/2011 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL setting emission performance standards for new light commercial vehicles as part of the Union's integrated approach to reduce CO 2 emissions from light-duty vehicles

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

For passenger transport, the specific emissions are calculated by dividing the CO₂ emissions of each mode (i.e. road, rail, maritime and air transport) by the respective passenger-kilometres.
For freight transport, the specific emissions are calculated by dividing the CO₂ emissions of each mode (i.e. road, rail, inland shipping and maritime transport) by the respective tonne-kilometres.

For CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars, data is compiled from DG-Clima monitoring 2000-2009 whereas the EEA is monitoring it since 2010.

Methodology for gap filling

Passenger- and tonne-kilometres and CO₂ emissions are modelled and therefore no gap filling is necessary.

Methodology references

• TREMOVE documentation TREMOVE documentation

Data specifications

EEA data references

• Monitoring of CO2 emissions from passenger cars – Regulation 443/2009 provided by Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG-CLIMA)

External data references

• CO2 emissions, passenger-km and tonne-km from road, rail and inland shipping
• CO2 emissions, passenger-km and tonne-km from air and maritime transport

Data sources in latest figures

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

CO₂ emissions calculated with TREMOVE v3.3.1 are consistent with both UNFCCC submissions (appr. 3% deviation) and COPERT 4 (appr. 1.5% deviation).

Data sets uncertainty

Since the data on CO₂ emissions, passenger-km and tonne-km are modelled rather than measured, the data must be treated as estimates. Data on CO₂ emissions are less uncertain, as they are calibrated against statistical fuel consumption.

Rationale uncertainty

N/A