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Going lightly

Going lightly. Revd Prof Ian N. James Diocesan environment advisor School of Mathematics, Meteorology & Physics, University of Reading. Environmentally friendly travel. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. C. C. C. C. C. C. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H.

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Going lightly

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  1. Going lightly Revd Prof Ian N. James Diocesan environment advisor School of Mathematics, Meteorology & Physics, University of Reading. Environmentally friendly travel Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  2. O O O O O O O O O O O O O O C C C C C C H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H O O O O O O Fossil fuelled transport Fossil fuel burning: water + butane oxygen carbon dioxide Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  3. Typical household Annual emissions: tonnes of carbon per year. Typical UK household emits 9 tonnes C per year Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  4. Discussion point You have to take your family of 4 from Reading to Edinburgh. Which mode emits least carbon dioxide? • Driving in a car • Flying • Diesel train on the East Coast main line • Electric train on the West Coast main line Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  5. Motor transport - Personal transport Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  6. Car use • Typical fuel consumption? • Miles per year? • Fuel type (petrol, diesel, LPG)? • Reduce by 13% for diesel or LPG. Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  7. Rail transport - Public transport Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  8. Carbon generated by a train journey • Government figures suggest train is less polluting than a car. • However, the calculation is very sensitive to the assumptions: occupancy, type of train, speed (IMechE figures) Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  9. Development of rail technology • Internationally, rail vehicles are becoming more efficient. • However, in UK since privatisation, emphasis has been on speed at expense of efficiency. • Eg, Great Western mainline has replaced 4500hp HSTs with 7500hp 10-car units. • Disabled access, crash worthiness, etc., have reduced no of seats. Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  10. Rail travel • Even government is not very sure of CO2 emissions by trains. • Energy consumption goes up rapidly as speed increases: 220mph train uses twice as much fuel as 140mph train. • Efficiency depends strongly on seat occupancy • Diesel much more efficient than electric Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  11. Electric trains • Deceptively clean! • Fossil fuel is burnt at power station. Some energy converted to electricity. • Pollution at power station. • Further energy lost in power lines, transformers, etc., before reaching the train. • Some electric trains (Swiss mountain railways!) really are green. Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  12. Air transport - The fastest growing source of CO2 pollution Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  13. Growth in air transport • Currently fastest growing source of CO2 • Passenger-kilometres: 1,250 million in 1990 to 2,600 million in 2000 (budget carriers) • At present rate of growth, demand for flights will more than triple between now and 2030. Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  14. Flying: Some popular holiday destinations Here is the extra carbon emitted taking your family of 4 on holiday: Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  15. Future developments? Can we fix the carbon pollution from transport? Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  16. Developments of the car • Alternative fuels? • Hybrid fuels • Electric cars • Hydrogen power Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  17. Alternative fuels • LPG, diesel lead to 13% or so reduction in carbon emissions • Tend to be restricted to larger vehicles • Better simply to drive a smaller, fuel efficient petrol car • Renewable fuels – eg., alcohol, vegetable oils – helps carbon problem, creates others Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  18. Hybrid power systems • Eg., Toyota Prius • Hybrid petrol/electric power • Base fuel is petrol – used to drive wheels or to charge batteries, whichever is more efficient • Consumption of around 65mpg in urban driving • Less advantage on motorways, Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  19. Electric power • Looks clean, but is in fact very inefficient • Secondary power source – mostly generated by burning fossil fuels. • Energy losses in power stations, in power transmission and in batteries. • Technical problems – limited range & slow (milk floats!) Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  20. H H H H H H H H O O O O Hydrogen power + • Burn hydrogen in air – product is simply water vapour • Perfectly clean? • No natural sources of hydrogen on earth • Hydrogen made from electrolysis of water to produce oxygen, hydrogen • Really it is simply a way of storing electricity Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  21. Sources of hydrogen? power losses power station hydrogen plant • No natural sources of hydrogen on Earth • Industrial production – electrolysis is only practical solution • Wind farms, etc., cannot produce enough hydrogen • Hydrogen is bulky – three times volume of petroleum for same energy Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  22. Prospects for hydrogen power • May be a realistic way of powering future road vehicles • Secondary, not primary fuel: need electricity to generate hydrogen • Replacing all current vehicles would hydrogen would require 50% expansion of current electricity generating capacity. Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  23. ….and finally Some conclusions Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  24. Re-visit discussion point You have to take your family of 4 from Reading to Edinburgh. Which mode emits least carbon dioxide? • Driving in a car • Flying • Diesel train on the East Coast main line • Electric train on the West Coast main line Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  25. What can you do? • Work out the fuel consumption of your car for your typical pattern of driving • Carry out a journey audit. Record distance, occupancy, and priority of journey: essential, convenient or luxury. • Look for savings, car sharing, etc.. • Look at holidays. Look for prospects for saving miles in the air. Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

  26. Conclusion • We can do a lot to reduce our carbon generation from travel by 10-30%. • Little foreseeable prospect of technical fixes beyond this. • But further reductions need real lifestyle changes. • What is Christian basis of the “commuter lifestyle” Revd Ian James Dr.I.N.James@Btinternet.com

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