A paper co-authored by several EDF researchers published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology finds that while there are pathways for natural gas trucks to achieve climate benefits, reductions in potent heat-trapping methane emissions across the natural gas value chain are necessary, along with engine efficiency improvements.
If these steps are not taken, switching heavy-duty truck fleets from diesel to natural gas could actually increase warming for decades.
The research demonstrates a robust analytical framework to assess the potential climate impact of switching trucks to run on natural gas as today’s relatively small natural gas truck market expands. It finds that to achieve the potential climate benefits of natural gas trucks, it will be necessary to reduce methane emissions across the natural gas value chain and to improve the efficiency of natural gas trucks, which burn more fuel per mile than their diesel equivalents.
The study emphasizes the importance of reducing methane emissions both upstream (before the fuel reaches the vehicle) and in-use (at the vehicle level).
The findings have implications for truck and engine manufacturers, shippers, fleet operators and policy makers, many of whom look to the operational advantage in carbon dioxide emissions to justify the higher cost and reduced fuel efficiency of a natural gas truck.
This study is distinct and separate from the series of 16 methane field studies currently underway and does not use any data from those studies. However this study and the 16 methane field studies serve complementary purposes. All of these studies emphasize the importance of gathering more and better data on the magnitude of methane emissions across the value chain. Additionally, the paper published today provides a framework for understanding what climate impacts could be given new data points as they become available, such as those from the field studies.
Key findings of EDF’s study: