Assessing the Environmental Impact of the Self-propelled Bulk Carriage through LCA

Abstract

Environmental sustainability of the transport sector is a highly important issue today. The European Commission has made a goal of delivering a minimum 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 2050. Part of this reduction will come from the railway sector by making the maintenance processes more environmentally friendly. This paper presents the results of the environmental assessment of the self-propelled bulk carriage (SPBC), an innovative new product aiming to decrease the environmental impact of the railway maintenance processes. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used in the study, and environmental impact is given in five impact categories based on the CML 2001 method through three main modules of the self-propelled bulk carriage life cycle: upstream, core, and downstream. The novelty of the research includes the fact that this is the first life cycle assessment study done for the bulk carriage, as well in that the authors have proposed the use of a new functional unit in the category of freight railway vehicles. The biggest environmental impact of the self-propelled bulk carriage across all five categories is in the use and maintenance phase of its life cycle and mainly due to diesel fuel use. The SPBC uses significantly less fuel than a conventional diesel locomotive.

Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Calculation for Urban Rail Transit Systems: The Case of Pernambuco Metro

“…Many countries are setting reduction targets, and one of the key sectors is transportation, which needs to become more sustainable. The European Union aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% by 2050 [14]. Sweden aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 2045, and for this, stakeholders in transportation planning, construction, and infrastructure need to reduce their impacts by half by 2030 [14,15].…”

“…The European Union aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% by 2050 [14]. Sweden aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 2045, and for this, stakeholders in transportation planning, construction, and infrastructure need to reduce their impacts by half by 2030 [14,15]. Life cycle assessment (LCA) in the transportation sector is becoming more widespread, and the studies conducted so far have often referred to the results obtained as a measure of the transportation flow, usually expressed as a specific weight moved over a particular distance, i.e., t-km [13].…”

Impact of Road Transport Means on Climate Change and Human Health in Poland

“…The investments considered important for the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission caused by transport include development of transport networks Various environmental assessment techniques applicable to transport have been used for several years, including the WTW (well-to-wheel) and the LCA (life cycle assessment) [11][12][13]. Environmental analyses according to the WTW methodology cover the stages of raw material extraction, refining and distribution of fuels, as well as the fuel consumption phase, while the LCA analysis can be used for environmental assessment of fuel, cars or individual stages of the vehicle life cycle, e.g.…”