Suggested Citation:
Ogden, Joan M. and Lorraine Anderson (2011) Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways: A Research Summary for Decision Makers. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis

Available in color ($61) or black and white ($12.25) paperback, online or from your local bookstore. Also available as a free PDF.

We stand at the beginning of a revolution in transportation and energy. Over the next several decades, a convergence of growing demand, resource constraints, and environmental imperatives will reshape our energy system. These forces will change the way we travel and the kinds of vehicles we drive, and will challenge the century-long primacy of petroleum and the internal combustion engine. This transformation will unfold over many decades. But it poses urgent questions today because of the long time horizon inherent in developing new technologies and changing the energy system.

This book is written to help inform decision makers in industry and government about the potential costs and benefits of different fuel/vehicle pathways, and illuminates viable transition strategies toward a sustainable transportation future.

It focuses on characterizing and comparing four fuel pathways: hydrogen, biofuels, electricity, and fossil fuels. Technical aspects, cost, market issues, environmental implications, and transition issues for each individual pathway are explored, creating a strong basis for the development of integrative scenarios to address policy goals such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or oil dependency. Case studies are presented that inform carbon and alternative fuel policies in California, the United States, and beyond.

© 2010 The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus.