amtrak and greenhouse gas emissions
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Amtrak and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Summary. Overview Energy Emissions. Amtrak and the Environment. Energy Amtrak’s focus is on development of fast, frequent and energy-efficient “corridor service” over shorter routes ( < 500 miles) - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Amtrak and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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Summary
• Overview
• Energy
• Emissions
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Transportation-related Carbon Dioxide Emissions
61%20%
1%
10%
3%
3%
2%Autos & Light-dutyTrucksOther Trucks
Busses
Aircraft
Ships and Boats
Locomotives
Other
Amtrak and the Environment• Energy
– Amtrak’s focus is on development of fast, frequent and energy-efficient “corridor service” over shorter routes (< 500 miles)
– Amtrak is experiencing a traffic boom – and it has moved more passengers while cutting energy use by almost 19%
– On a passenger-mile basis, Amtrak is 17% more efficient than domestic airline travel and 21% more efficient than auto travel
• Emissions
– The transportation industry emits about 28% of America’s carbon output
– Passenger railroads (intercity and commuter) are one of the cleanest forms of transportation, emitting only 0.2% of the transportation industry’s greenhouse gasses
– Amtrak has long been an industry leader in environmental initiatives, and was an early member of the Chicago Climate Exchange
– Amtrak’s plan to cut its emissions by 2010 is the largest voluntary proportional reduction in the United States
Source: EPA Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gasses and Sinks, 1990-2005
“Locomotives” includes both freight and passenger emissions
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Global Climate Change and the Transportation Sector
• As policymakers address the issue of climate change, there will be a heightened effort to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
– Thirty-six states have climate action plans completed or in progress
– There are approximately 150 emissions-related federal legislative proposals (57 Senate/ 90 House)
• Some policy makers are calling for an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050.
• About 28% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. Highway travel generates 75% of carbon emissions and consumes 75% of total sector energy use.
• Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost alternative to developing low-carbon and zero-carbon alternative fuels
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Global Climate Change and the Transportation Sector
• Air transportation produces significant levels of CO2. Emissions effects are greater at high altitudes.
• Airliner fuel use triples during the takeoff climb, and sometimes in descent, making short distance trips inefficient
• Rail travel could efficiently replace short distance air travel and longer distance highway trips, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Adopt policies that reward and encourage energy efficient, low-emissions transportation modes like passenger rail
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Amtrak’s place in domestic transportation
• Amtrak is the nation’s principal intercity rail passenger carrier
– Operates 21,000 route-miles of service in 46 states
– Carried over 24 million riders in FY 06
– Amtrak operations parallel I-95 north of Richmond, and serve the same localities as six of the ten most congested airports in the U.S.
– Amtrak service parallels I-5 between Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego
• Amtrak’s electrified line between Washington, DC and New York City carries more passengers between those two cities than all of the air carriers combined
• Auto-Train service between Virginia and Florida literally removes 105,439 cars per year from the I-95 corridor (train carries cars and passengers)
• Amtrak’s development strategy envisions partnerships with state governments to develop fast, frequent service over corridors of fewer than 500 miles
– Could replace the least efficient and most polluting airline services
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Amtrak’s National System
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Top Ten Corridors by Ridership, FY 2002-2006
Corridor Ridership (2002-6) Length 2002-2006 Change YTD Change
DC-NYC-Boston 46,622,654 457 mi +3.2% +6.3%
San Diego- 11,427,543 128 mi +54.1% +1.6%San Luis Obispo
Capitol (San-Jose- 5,908,322 133 mi +17% +14.3%Sacramento)
New York-Albany 4,521,811 141 mi +3.2% +4.7%
Oakland-Bakersfield 3,811,284 318 mi +8.9% -0.4%
Phil.-Harrisburg 3,379,198 104 mi +40.4% +20.0%
Vancouver-Eugene 3,017,673 187 mi +8.3% +8.3%
Chicago-Milwaukee 2,387,377 86 mi +43.6% +2.7%
Washington- 2,141,799 187 mi -7.6% -0.7%Newport News
Chicago-Pontiac 1,837,415 281 mi +46.3% +2.7%
Green highlight indicates corridor is also one of the ten fastest-growing corridors in FY 07
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What does it take to move one person one mile?
Amtrak is 17% more efficient than domestic airline travel
Amtrak is 21% more efficient than automobile travel
All data as of 2005; U.S. DoE, “Transportation Energy Data Book,” 26 th Edition
All measures are in British Thermal Units of energy per passenger mile
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Energy Intensity by Travel Mode, 2004
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Auto PersonalTrucks
TransitBusses
CommercialAviation
Amtrak Transit Rail CommuterRail
Mode
BT
U p
er P
asse
ng
er M
ileComparative Energy Intensities
Source: U.S. DoE, “Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 26 – 2007”
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Amtrak reconciles efficiency and growth
Energy Used (trillions of BTUs)
1313.5
1414.5
1515.5
1616.5
1717.5
2002 2003 2004 2005
Year
Tri
llio
ns
of
BT
Us
NOTE: Ridership for all years restated to reflect NJ Transit assumption of NJ/NY Clocker trains in FY05.
Total Ridership
20,000,00020,500,00021,000,00021,500,00022,000,00022,500,00023,000,00023,500,00024,000,00024,500,000
2002 2003 2004 2005
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f R
ider
s
Source: U.S. DoE, “Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 26 – 2007” Amtrak has effected a significant reduction in its energy consumption while increasing ridership
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Amtrak and Climate Change
• Amtrak has a longstanding interest in innovative methods for combating global warming
– Amtrak joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) in 2003, the year it began trading emissions
– Amtrak passengers will soon be able to purchase carbon offsets with internet ticket purchases
• Realized efficiencies also reduce emissions– Diesel fuel economies translate into greenhouse gas reductions
– Climate exchanges allow Amtrak to convert reductions into capital funds, enabling further improvements and efficiencies
• Amtrak is committed to the largest voluntary proportional emissions reduction plan in the United States (Source: CCX)
• Advanced rail technologies could further reduce emissions– Eurostar estimates that an electrified high speed train emits between 1/10 and
¼ of the carbon dioxide of a plane.
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Emissions Comparisons
Calculations made with 2006 data provided by the World Resources Institute
Kilograms of Carbon Dioxide Per Passenger Mile
0.210.18 0.35
00.050.1
0.150.2
0.250.3
0.350.4
Amtrak Automobile Airplane
Mode of Transportation
Kg
of
CO
2 E
mit
ted
Auto data assumes single occupancy.Aircraft data includes radiative forcing from high altitude release.
Backup Slides
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Amtrak has significantly reduced fossil fuel use
Amtrak reduced its diesel fuel use by almost 15% between 1999 and 2006
Diesel Fuel use (Millions of Gallons)
0
20
40
60
80
100
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
Mill
ion
s o
f G
allo
ns
of
Fu
el
In July 2003, Amtrak ended its contract with the MBTA Commuterservices in Massachsuetts, which accounted for approximately 11 million gallons of diesel fuel per year.
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Amtrak’s voluntary commitment to emissions reduction
• Amtrak is committed to a phased reduction in its diesel emissions levels
• The baseline for the reduction is an average of 1998-2001 emissions levels
1998 787,631
1999 821,259
2000 817,790
2001 776,077
Average of baseline years 800,689
2003 872,300 (actual: 846,100)
2004 810,000 (actual: 731,400)
2005 801,700 (actual: 723,600)
2006 793,400 (actual: 668,157)
Fiscal YearEmissions Commitment in Metric
Tons of CO2
Note: 2002 not an inventory year; part of pre- 2004 emissions due to a since-discontinued MBTA commuter contract
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Planned reductions will be a phased process
Fiscal Year Percentage of Baseline Reduction
2003 1%
2004 2%
2005 3%
2006 4%
2007 4½ %
2008 5 %
2009 5½ %
2010 6%
PH
AS
E I
PH
AS
E I
I
Largest percentage reduction of any voluntary commitment in the United States (Source: CCX)
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45%56% 50% 50% 51% 55% 54% 54%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
FY 01 FY 02 FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 1Q FY07
2Q FY07
Air
Rail
South End of the NEC Air/Rail Shares (NYC-DC)
Source: Air-Rail Shares Report
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27%41% 35% 39% 38% 36% 38% 39%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
FY 01 FY 02 FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 1Q FY07
2Q FY07
Air
Rail
North End of the NEC Air/Rail Shares (Boston-NYC)
Source: Air-Rail Shares Report
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Proposed Corridors
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Corridor Change from FY06 Length Ridership Frequency
Chicago-Carbondale +66.3% 310mi 208,723 6
Chicago-St. Louis +54.7% 284mi 373,036 10
Chicago-Quincy +40.8% 258mi 154,743 6
Chicago-Indianapolis +29.8% 196mi 24,031 2
Keystone +20.0% 104mi 905,187 29
Vermonter +16.4% 611mi 58,717 2
Capitol Corridor +14.3% 120mi 1,333,981 32
Adirondack +8.9% 381mi 93,071 2
Cascades +8.3% 467mi 622,590 12
NEC +6.3% 457 mi 9,185,631 158
Top Ten Corridors by Growth
Green highlight indicates increases in service frequency - frequencies include long distance trains,where appropriate