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The Urban Transportation Emissions Calculator (UTEC) is a user-friendly tool for estimating annual emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and key air pollutants from personal, commercial, and public transit vehicles in an urban context.
UTEC is very easy to use and this Quick Guide will describe the basic steps on how to generate results quickly. The quality of the emission estimates will depend on the quality of the input data and ability to tailor default values to local conditions. For more detailed discussion of the inputs, underlying data, calculations, and assumptions, see the other sections of this User Guide.
UTEC allows users to create one or two scenarios. Each scenario has its own input screens, and results are available for each scenario as well as a comparison of the two scenarios.
Running a scenario involves three main tasks: (1) Scenario Inputs, (2) Vehicle Inputs, and (3) Results. These tasks involve 12 basic steps as described below. Optional steps are indicated.
Scenario Inputs
Vehicle Inputs
Vehicle inputs consist of three screens: Personal Vehicles, Commercial Vehicles, and Public Transit. Each screen follows approximately the same structure.
Results
Each scenario has its own Results screen, and a Scenario Comparison screen is also available to compare the results of both scenarios. Results are displayed in three tables: Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Annual Criteria Air Contaminant Emissions, and Annual Travel.
Note: The units for each table vary based on the size of the numbers.
UTEC v.3.0 allows users to create and compare up to two different scenarios. Each scenario has its own set of vehicle input screens and results. The Scenario Comparison page provides an easy way to view the differences between two scenarios.
Users can choose to create and enter inputs for one or both scenarios. For one scenario, simply enter all input data for one set of the input screens. The other scenario will show zero emissions.
Enter Scenario Name
The scenario names can be anything of your choosing. Scenario name is displayed in the Results screen, and choosing meaningful scenario names (e.g., Full Bus Rapid Transit Implementation) will aid in keeping track of multiple scenarios. Note that UTEC cannot save results from any scenario.
Select Evaluation Year
The evaluation year will affect emission results as it is expected that vehicle fuel efficiencies and other emission factors will improve in the future. The nature of these changes is discussed later in the sections on Fuel Efficiency, GHG Emission Factors, and CAC Emission Factors. The evaluation years were set in five‑year increments from 2006 through 2031 to correspond with Census years as these are the years to which many municipalities have calibrated their travel demand forecasting models.
Select Province/Territory
Selecting the province or territory of the municipality of interest allows the Tool to account for the varied provincial breakdowns of light-duty passenger vehicles (i.e., proportion of automobiles vs. light trucks), as well as the differing GHG intensities associated with electricity production in each province. An option for Canada-wide values is also available.
The Personal Vehicles input screen accepts activity and fleet inputs for Light-Duty Passenger Vehicles (LDPVs). This includes cars and light trucks less than 6,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
Enter Vehicle-kilometres Travelled by Light-Duty Passenger Vehicles
Vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) represents the primary input to the Tool for LDPVs and care should be taken to enter accurate values.
Based on the data available, the user can enter VKT for the peak hour, average weekday, or annual time period. Travel demand models, available in most larger municipalities, generate travel estimates for the peak hour. If modelled VKT data are not available, other methods may be used. For example, if peak hour traffic counts are available, multiplying the peak hour traffic count by the appropriate road length will yield peak hour VKT.
Modify Personal Vehicle Expansion Factors
Expansion factors are used to convert inputted travel data into an annual value. If the user specified that input VKT is daily or annual, the appropriate expansion factors will automatically set to one.
While all municipalities have unique relationships between peak hour and annual travel, default values take into account travel characteristics for the Toronto area, a large urban region, based on data from the 2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey. Users are encouraged to tailor expansion factors to local conditions.
Enter Percentage of Kilometres in City and Highway Driving
Based on fuel efficiency ratings for new vehicles, stop-and-go city driving consumes approximately 20% to 65% more fuel per kilometre than free-flow highway driving (Fuel Consumption Guide 2008, Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada, 2007). The proportion of city versus highway driving is used to estimate fuel efficiency for light-duty passenger vehicles. Default values reflect that the majority of driving for personal vehicles is expected to be in stop-and-go city conditions.
Enter Breakdown of LDPV Fleet
The LDPV category includes many vehicle classes, such as small automobiles, large automobiles, sport utility vehicles, minivans, pick-up trucks, etc. To allow greater accuracy in calculation of fuel consumption and emissions, the light-duty passenger vehicle type is subdivided into automobiles (LDPV-A) and light trucks (LDPV-T). LDPV-T includes all larger personal vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles, minivans, and pick-up trucks. The default automobile and light truck proportions are province-specific and were determined from 2008 data reported by the Office of Energy Efficiency Comprehensive Energy Use Database, Transportation Sector1.
Enter Passenger Fleet Breakdown By Fuel Technology
The Tool allows for eleven (11) different fuel vehicle technologies for LDPVs, as shown in Exhibit 5.1. Users can select up to six LDPV fuel vehicle technologies per scenario from the pull-down lists. Each vehicle is assumed to travel the same distance annually so that the value entered is equivalent to the proportion of the VKT by each vehicle technology. The sum of percentages must be 100%.
Default values for fleet breakdown are based on national VKT data by vehicle type reported in the Environment Canada MOBILE6.2C output.
The Commercial Vehicles input screen accepts activity and fleet inputs for:
1 http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/comprehensive_tables/index.cfm?fuseaction=Selector.showTree
Enter Vehicle-kilometres Travelled by Commercial VEhicles
Vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) represents the primary input to the Tool for commercial vehicles and care should be taken to enter accurate values.
Based on the data available, the user can enter VKT for the peak hour, average weekday, or annual time period. Travel demand models, available in most larger municipalities, generate travel estimates for the peak hour, although they may not consider commercial vehicles. If modelled VKT data are not available, other methods may be used, such as cordon counts or assuming that commercial travel represents a certain proportion of passenger travel. Alternatively, fleet managers may keep records or their truck travel on a daily or annual basis.
Modify Commercial Vehicle Expansion Factors
Expansion factors are used to convert inputted travel data into an annual value. If the user specified that input VKT is daily or annual, the appropriate expansion factors will automatically set to one.
Users are encouraged to tailor expansion factors to local conditions. The default value for the peak hour to daily expansion factor takes into account travel characteristics for the Toronto area, a large urban region, based on data from the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO) 2001 Commercial Vehicle Survey and the University of Toronto Data Management Group cordon count database (also 2001 counts). It is an average of expansion factors for each commercial vehicle type. Based on these sources, the peak hour to daily expansion factor increases with increasing truck size (LCDV = 12, MDCV = 14.5, HDCV = 16). This reflects that travel for larger trucks is spread out more evenly over the day. The user can adjust the default peak hour to daily expansion factor if only one or two commercial vehicle types are being considered.
The daily to annual expansion factor is based on typical commercial travel patterns.
Enter Percentage of Kilometres in City and Highway Driving
The proportion of city versus highway driving is used to estimate fuel efficiency for commercial vehicles. Default values reflect that, with increasing vehicle size, average trip distance increases and a greater proportion of driving tends to occur in free-flow, highway conditions.
Enter Commercial Fleet Breakdown By Fuel Technology
The Tool allows for eleven (11) different vehicle-technologies for light-duty commercial vehicles and seven (7) different vehicle-technologies for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, as shown in Exhibit 5.1. Users can select up to four (4) fuel vehicle technologies per vehicle type from the pull-down lists. Each vehicle is assumed to travel the same distance annually so that value entered is equivalent to the proportion of the VKT by each vehicle technology. The sum of percentages must be 100%.
Default values for fleet breakdown are based on national VKT data by vehicle type reported in the Environment Canada MOBILE6.2C output. Assumptions regarding alternative fuel technologies are described in the discussion of Emission Factors.
Enter Annual Revenue Tonne-kilometres by Freight Rail
Annual revenue tonne-kilometres (RTK) represent the primary input to the Tool for freight rail and care should be taken to enter accurate values.
Unlike other input data for commercial vehicles which can be entered for peak hour, average weekend or annual time periods, there are no expansion factors available. Users should convert travel data to annual values outside of the Tool.
Public Transit vehicles include:
Enter Vehicle-kilometres Travelled by Buses
Vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) represents the primary input to the Tool for buses and care should be taken to enter accurate values.
Enter Percentage of Bus Kilometres in City and Highway Driving
The proportion of city versus highway driving is used to estimate fuel efficiency for buses with internal combustion engines (i.e. not Trolley Buses). Default values reflect that all driving for buses is expected to be in stop-and-go city conditions.
Enter Passenger-kilometres Travelled by Rail Vehicles
Passenger-kilometres travelled (PKT) represents the primary input to the Tool for rail vehicles, since this measure is a better indicator of rail energy consumption due the variability of rail vehicle size (i.e. the number of cars). Care should be taken to enter accurate values.
Specify Time period for Entered Activity Data
Based on the data available, the user can enter VKT and PKT for the peak hour, average weekday, or annual time period. Travel demand models, available in most larger municipalities, generate travel estimates for the peak hour. If modelled VKT or PKT data are not available, other methods may be used. For example, a transit agency may collect data on daily or annual basis.
Modify Public Transit Expansion Factors
Expansion factors are used to convert inputted travel data into an annual value. If the user specified that inputted VKT and PKT are daily or annual, the appropriate expansion factors will automatically set to one. Users are encouraged to tailor expansion factors to local conditions. Compared with personal and commercial vehicles, public transit travel has the greatest proportion of daily VKT during the peak hour, when transit demand is highest.
The default value for the peak hour to daily expansion factor takes into account travel characteristics for the Toronto area, a large urban region, based on data from the 2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey. The default value represents an appropriate expansion factor for buses, light rail, and subways that are used regularly over the course of the day.
A lower peak hour to daily expansion factor would be appropriate for commuter rail given that ridership is highly peaked and commute-trip oriented. For commuter rail in the Toronto area (i.e. GO Transit), the peak hour to daily expansion factor is estimated as 4.5 based on 2001 TTS data.
The daily to annual expansion factor is based on typical transit ridership patterns.
Enter Bus Fleet Breakdown By Fuel Technology
The Tool allows for nine (9) different vehicle-technologies for buses (not including trolley buses), as shown in Exhibit 5.1. Users can select up to four (4) fuel vehicle technologies per scenario from the pull-down lists. Each vehicle is assumed to travel the same distance annually so that value entered is equivalent to the proportion of the VKT by each vehicle technology. The sum of percentages must be 100%.
Assumptions regarding alternative fuel technologies are described in the discussion of Vehicle and Fuel Technologies and of Emission Factors.
UTEC v.3.0 allows users to create one or two scenarios. The Tool has an output screen for each scenario which summarizes the annual travel and related GHG and CAC emissions. The Tool also has a “Scenario comparison” output screen to view the differences in outputs between the two scenarios.
The three tables cover GHG emissions, CAC emissions and annual travel. Note that units for each table vary based on the size of the numbers.
The Tool cannot save scenarios and results. The output screen for each scenario is structured so that it can be easily copied and pasted into a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel. This allows the user to store results from different scenarios and compare and analyze the results as they see fit.
Users are also able to modify current scenario inputs or start over. Buttons allow users to clear the current scenario/scenarios and start over, or return to the Scenario Inputs sheet and make modifications. Alternatively, use the tab-like buttons at the top of the screen to go to any input sheet and make modifications.
GHG and CAC Emissions
The output summarizes annual vehicle operation and upstream GHG emissions in unit of mass of CO2e. The output also summarizes annual CAC emissions by contaminant.
Annual Travel
The output summarizes annual vehicle-kilometres travelled for road vehicles, annual passenger-kilometres travelled for rail passenger vehicles, and annual revenue tonne-kilometres for rail freight.
Scenario Comparison
The Scenario Comparison page shows the difference between Scenario 1 and Scenario 2, using Scenario 1 as the base case (i.e. negative values indicate Scenario 2 emissions data is lower than Scenario 1).UTEC estimates GHG and CAC emissions based on annual kilometres of travel. The Tool includes some flexibility in the required inputs recognising that different users may have travel data available for different time periods. Based on their data available, users are allowed to enter vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) or passenger-kilometres travelled (PKT) as tallies for: weekday peak hour, average weekday (daily), or annual.
Expansion factors are used to convert input travel data (vehicle-kilometres or passenger-kilometres) into an annual value:
annual kms = χvkt/pkt × (αpeak>daily) × (αdaily>annual)
Where:
χvkt/pkt = veh-kms or pass-kms entered as input data
αpeak>daily = Peak-hour to Daily Expansion Factor
αdaily>annual = Daily to Annual Expansion Factor
Expansion factors are automatically defaulted to 1 based on the entered time period. For example, if the user enters and specifies Daily VKTs, the Tool will automatically set αpeak>daily = 1, which the user will not be allowed to modify. The Daily-to-Annual expansion factor may still be modified and should be tailored by the user to reflect travel characteristics in the area of interest.
The peak-to-daily expansion factor accounts for the fact that travel in the off-peak or non-rush hour periods is lower and, therefore, the factor is less than 24. An area with a high proportion of “commuter traffic” would have a lower peak to daily factor than an area with traffic patterns that are spread throughout the day. Similarly, an area with significant seasonal travel patterns will have a different daily-to-annual expansion factors than an area with only typical commuting patterns.
Users are encouraged to tailor expansion factors to local conditions. Tailoring expansion factors to local conditions will have a very significant impact on the results.
Default expansion factors take into account travel characteristics for a large urban area, and are based on the travel characteristics of the Toronto area (see Exhibit 4.1).
Input |
Default Expansion Factor (Value) |
Source / Data based on |
|---|---|---|
Personal Vehicles |
peak-to-daily (10.5) daily-to-annual (320) |
2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey |
Commercial Vehicles |
peak-to-daily (14)
|
Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO) 2001 Commercial Vehicle Survey and the University of Toronto Data Management Group cordon count database (also 2001 counts) |
daily-to-annual (280) |
Typical commercial travel patterns |
|
Public Transit |
peak-to-daily (6.5) |
2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey The default value represents an appropriate expansion factor for buses, light rail, and subways that are used regularly over the course of the day. A lower peak hour to daily expansion factor would be appropriate for commuter rail given that ridership is highly peaked and commute-trip oriented. For commuter rail in the Toronto area (i.e. GO Transit), the peak hour to daily expansion factor is estimated as 4.5 based on 2001 TTS data. |
daily-to-annual (300) |
Typical transit ridership patterns |
Vehicles considered in the Tool can be categorized by the type of vehicle (e.g., cars vs. buses) and fuel technology (e.g., gasoline vs. biodiesel). UTEC v.3.0 now includes ten (10) vehicle types and fifteen (15) fuel technologies. Vehicle types considered include:
Fuel technologies considered include gasoline, diesel, propane, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, ethanol (E10 and E85), methanol (M85), ethanol-diesel (ED10), Biodiesel (B100), hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, electric vehicle, and fuel cell.
The Tool estimates annual GHG and CAC emissions for 51 vehicle-technology categories, displayed in Exhibit 5.1.
Technology |
Vehicle |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDPV |
LDCV |
MDCV |
HDCV |
BUS |
TB |
LR-E |
LR-D |
SM |
HR |
FR |
|
Gasoline (G) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diesel (D) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
yes |
|
yes |
yes |
Propane (P) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) |
|
|
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ethanol (E10) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ethanol (E85) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Methanol (M85) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ethanol-Diesel (ED10) |
|
|
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biodiesel (B100) |
|
|
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hybrid Gasoline (HYB-G) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hybrid Diesel (HYB-D) |
|
|
|
|
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electric Vehicle (EV) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
yes |
yes |
|
yes |
|
|
Fuel Cell (FC) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle assumes PHEV50/50 (i.e. battery can provide energy for 50km of driving and vehicle operates in battery mode 50% of driving).
One topic, which affects the calculation of all factors, is vehicle classification. Different sources use different vehicle classification systems. GHGenius uses the most aggregate vehicle classifications, while MOBILE6.2C uses the most refined vehicle classification system. Exhibit 5.2 shows how the vehicle classifications from GHGenius, the Environment Canada GHG Emissions Inventory, and MOBILE6.2C relate and how they were used to determine emission factors for the Tool vehicle types.
UTEC |
MOBILE 6.2C |
Environment Canada GHG Inventory |
GHGenius |
|---|---|---|---|
LDPV-A |
LDGV |
LDGA |
Light-Duty Vehicle (LDV) |
LDDV |
LDDA |
||
LDPV-T |
LDGT1 |
LDGT |
|
LDGT2 |
|||
LDDT12 |
LDDT |
||
LDCV |
LDGT3 |
LDGT |
|
LDGT4 |
|||
LDDT34 |
LDDT |
||
MDCV |
HDGV2B |
HDGV |
Heavy-Duty Vehicle (HDV)/Bus |
HDGV3 |
|||
HDGV4 |
|||
HDGV5 |
|||
HDGV6 |
|||
HDGV7 |
|||
HDDV2B |
HDDV |
||
HDDV3 |
|||
HDDV4 |
|||
HDDV5 |
|||
HDDV6 |
|||
HDDV7 |
|||
HDCV |
HDGV8A |
HDGV |
|
HDGV8B |
|||
HDDV8A |
HDDV |
||
HDDV8B |
|||
Bus |
GAS BUS |
HDGV |
|
URB BUS |
HDDV |
||
TB |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
LR-E |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
SM |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
LR-D |
N/A |
Diesel Rail Transportation |
N/A |
HR |
N/A |
N/A |
|
FR |
N/A |
N/A |
Note: See Glossary for definition of acronyms.
Factors are used to calculate fuel consumption, GHG emissions, and CAC emissions from annual vehicle travel data, as discussed in the following sections. Fuel efficiencies and GHG and CAC emission factors were drawn from three primary sources:
Fuel efficiency factors are used to determine fuel consumption rates based on annual vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT), passenger-kilometres travelled (PKT) and revenue tonne-kilometres (RTK) values. These fuel consumption rates are used to calculated direct and indirect GHG emissions. CAC emissions are estimated directly from VKT, PKT and RTK.
Fuel efficiency is expressed in Litres per 100-km (L/100 km) for most technology types with some variations as shown in Exhibit 6.1.
2 MOBILE is a model developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for estimating pollution from highway vehicles. MOBILE calculates gram per mile emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter (PM) and air toxics from Gas, diesel, and natural-gas-fuelled cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles for the calendar years between 1952 and 2050. MOBILE is the most recognized model for estimating CAC emission from road sources. MOBILE includes over 25 vehicle classifications. The most recent version is MOBILE6.2, which has been adapted by Environment Canada to Canadian conditions as MOBILE6.2C.
Vehicle Technology |
Fuel Efficiency Units |
|---|---|
Compressed Natural Gas |
m3/100 km |
Electric-Vehicle |
MJ/100 km |
Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle |
MJ/100 km |
Trolley Bus |
MJ/100 km |
Light Rail (electric) |
MJ/100 p-km |
Light Rail (diesel) |
L/100 p-km |
Subway/Metro (electric) |
MJ/100 p-km |
Heavy Rail (diesel) |
L/100 p-km |
Freight Rail (diesel) |
L/100 tonne-km |
All others |
L/100 km |
For passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and buses, fuel efficiency is calculated as a weighted average of city and highway fuel efficiency factors based on the inputted proportion of kilometres in city and highway conditions.
City and highway fuel efficiency for gasoline and diesel vehicles are based on values from Environment Canada MOBILE6.2C forecasts. These fuel efficiencies take into account the age profile of the fleet by vehicle class at the national scale, and were modified to reflect a 0.5% annual improvement factor and varying city and highway driving conditions and fuel efficiencies.
Fuel efficiencies for alternative technology vehicles (i.e. CNG, biodiesel, etc.) were determined using relative emission factors developed based on the approach adopted in the GHGenius Tool. UTEC v.3.0 relative fuel efficiency factors are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19.
Efficiencies for rail vehicles and trolley buses were derived from a variety of sources: the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Public Transportation Fact Book, the Transportation Energy Data Book (by Oak Ridges National Laboratory), and the Locomotive Emissions Monitoring Program by the Railway Association of Canada.
Additional data sources and estimation of fuel efficiency factors used by the Tool are detailed in Appendix A.
GHG emissions are estimated based on fuel and electricity consumption from travel. The Tool calculates the GHG emissions from fuel combustion and the upstream fuel cycle effects:
It is important to note that the Tool does not consider life-cycle emissions associated with the manufacture and end‑of‑life recycling of vehicles.
Additional data sources and estimation of GHG emission factors used by the Tool are detailed in Appendix A.
Global Warming Potential
GHG emissions are calculated for carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) and then reported in CO2 equivalents (CO2e) based on their respective global warming potentials. In order to measure the impact of the various gases involved in global warming using a single unit of measurements, the scientific community has adopted a standard based on the impact of one tonne of CO2 over a 100-year time frame. The impacts of other gas types are compared to CO2 over the same time frame to produce standard global warming potentials (GWP), expressed in tonnes CO2 equivalent (CO2e). GWP values for nitrous oxide and methane are taken from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC, http://unfccc.int/ghg_data/items/3825.php).
Vehicle Operation GHG Emission Factors
Direct GHG Emission Factors are used to determine the tailpipe GHG emissions of CO2, N2O, and CH4 from urban transportation fuel use. Direct GHG emission factors are measured in g/L except for compressed natural gas, which is measured in g/m3.
Vehicle operation GHG emission factors for conventional vehicles (i.e. gasoline and diesel powered) are based on the National Inventory Report on greenhouse gas emissions prepared by Environment Canada.
Since emissions control technology (such as the type of catalytic converter) affects the emission rates of N2O and CH4, the fleet penetration of each technology (measured by the age of the fleet) will affect the fleet’s overall emission factors. For 2011 road vehicles, emission factors were calculated as a weighted average of Tier 1 / Tier 0 and Advanced Control / Moderate Control based on the proportion of the national vehicle fleet built since 1996 based on information from the 2009 Canadian Vehicle Survey: Annual published by Statistics Canada. Emission factors for later model years were set to the Tier 1 and Advanced Control values.
GHG emission factors for alternative technology vehicles were determined using relative emission factors derived from GHGenius. UTEC v.3.0 relative fuel efficiency factors are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19.
Emission factors for diesel rail transportation – light rail, heavy rail and freight rail – are based on the GHG inventory emission factors for Diesel Train Railways from the National Inventory Report prepared by Environment Canada.
Upstream Fuel Cycle GHG Emission Factors
Upstream fuel cycle GHG emission factors are used to estimate the associated ‘upstream’ fuel cycle GHG emissions, including fuel refining and transportation. They are fuel specific and were determined from GHGenius. The feedstock for the ethanol in E10, E85, and ED10 is assumed to be corn. The feedstock for biodiesel is assumed to be soybeans. The fuel cells are assumed to run on methanol.
UTEC v.3.0 upstream fuel cycle GHG emission factors are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19.
Indirect Electricity Production GHG Emission Factors
Indirect electricity production GHG emission factors are used to determine the GHG emissions associated with electric vehicles. They are specified in kg CO2e per megajoule of electricity consumed. The factors are province- and territory-specific based on the mix of electricity generation methods in each region. These factors were determined from the electricity GHG emission factors by province and territory reported in the 1990-2008 National Inventory Report prepared by Environment Canada. Forecasts of electrical emission factors are not available so the factors do not change over the model years.
UTEC v.3.0 includes a Canada-wide emission factor, which was not available in previous versions of the Tool.
CAC emission factors are used to determine the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), total particulate matter (TPM), particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) from vehicle operation. Direct CAC emission factors have the units of g/km as they are better estimated by distance travelled than by amount of fuel consumed.
Additional data sources and estimation of GHG emission factors used by the Tool are detailed in Appendix A.
Direct CAC emission factors for gasoline and diesel road vehicles were developed from forecasts of CAC emission factors from MOBILE6.2C developed by Environment Canada. These emission factors were further reduced by 0.5% per year, corresponding to the annual improvement factor applied to MOBILE6.2C fuel efficiencies.
CAC emission factors for alternative technology vehicles were determined using relative CAC emission factors derived from GHGenius. The particulate matter multiplication factor was assumed to apply to all particulate emission factors (TPM, PM10, and PM2.5). UTEC v.3.0 relative fuel efficiency factors are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19.
For electric road vehicles, the CO, NOx, SO2, and VOC emissions were assumed to be zero; however, even though these vehicles have no exhaust, they do generate particulate matter emissions from brake and tire wear.
CAC emission factors for diesel-powered rail (light-rail, heavy rail and freight rail) are based on the railway operations CAC emissions reported in the Locomotive Emissions Monitoring (LEM) Program (Railway Association of Canada).
B100 - 100% biodiesel (100% soybean feedstock assumed)
Bus - Urban public transit bus
CAC - Criteria air contaminant (CO, NOx, SOx, VOC, TPM, PM10, PM2.5)
CH4 - Methane
CNG - Compressed natural gas
CO - Carbon monoxide
CO2 - Carbon dioxide
CO2e - Carbon dioxide equivalents – Single unit describing the global warming potential of all GHG emissions.
D - Diesel
E10 - 10% ethanol / 90% gasoline blend (ethanol is assumed to be derived from corn feedstock)
E85 - 85% ethanol / 15% gasoline blend (ethanol is assumed to be derived from corn feedstock)
EV - Electric vehicle
ED10 - 10% ethanol / 90% diesel blend (ethanol is assumed to be derived from corn feedstock)
FC - Fuel cell (assumes the reactant is compressed gaseous hydrogen derived from natural gas)
G - Gasoline
GHG - Greenhouse gas
GWP - Global warming potential – Global warming impact of a gas compared to CO2 over a 100-year time frame.
HDCV - Heavy-duty commercial vehicle
HR - Heavy rail (diesel powered)
HYB - Hybrid-electric vehicle (gasoline fuel is assumed for LDPV and LDCV hybrids and diesel fuel is assumed for Bus hybrids)
LDCV - Light-duty commercial vehicle
LDPV - Light-duty passenger vehicle
LDPV-A - Light-duty passenger automobile
LDPV-T - Light-duty passenger truck (minivan, SUV, light truck)
LNG - Liquefied natural gas
LR-D - Light rail (diesel powered)
LR-E - Light rail / Metro (electrically powered)
M85 - 85% methanol / 15% gasoline blend (methanol is assumed to be derived from natural gas)
MDCV - Medium-duty commercial vehicle
N2O - Nitrous oxide
NG - Natural gas
NOx - Nitrogen oxides
P - Propane
PHEV - Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV50/50 assumed meaning that the battery can provide energy for 50km of driving and vehicle operates in battery mode for 50% of driving)
PKT - Passenger-kilometres travelled
PM10 - Particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter
PM2.5 - Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter
RTK - Revenue tonne-kilometres
SM - Subway/Metro
SO2 - Sulphur dioxide
TB - Trolley bus (electrically powered from an overhead wire)
TPM - Total particulate matter
VKT - Vehicle-kilometres travelled
VOCs - Volatile organic compounds
The Urban Transportation Emissions Calculator (UTEC) is a user-friendly tool for estimating annual emissions from personal, commercial, and public transit vehicles. UTEC estimates:
The target audience for this tool includes those with responsibility for transportation and land-use planning, academics and other transportation experts, urban transportation providers, and private and public vehicle fleet managers.
UTEC can be used for urban transportation emissions estimation in a wide variety of contexts involving different vehicle types (i.e. personal, commercial, and public transit vehicles), fuel technologies (e.g., gasoline, diesel, hybrid, ethanol, biodiesel, etc.), and planning horizons (2006-2031). Sample uses include:
As discussed below, UTEC estimates emissions from transportation activity data (e.g., vehicle-kilometres travelled). It cannot predict the emission implications of different land uses or other transportation demand strategies (e.g., ridematching) directly if activity data is not available.
The Tool estimates GHG and CAC emissions for the following vehicles:
The Tool also considers the impacts of new technologies and alternative fuels for road vehicles. The vehicle-technology combinations considered for road-vehicles are displayed in Exhibit A.1.
Technology |
Vehicle |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDPV |
LDCV |
MDCV |
HDCV |
BUS |
TB |
LR-E |
LR-D |
SM |
HR |
FR |
|
Gasoline (G) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diesel (D) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
yes |
|
yes |
yes |
Propane (P) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) |
|
|
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ethanol (E10) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ethanol (E85) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Methanol (M85) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ethanol-Diesel (ED10) |
|
|
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biodiesel (B100) |
|
|
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hybrid Gasoline (HYB-G) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hybrid Diesel (HYB-D) |
|
|
|
|
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Electric Vehicle (EV) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
|
yes |
yes |
|
yes |
|
|
Fuel Cell (FC) |
yes |
yes |
|
|
yes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle assumes PHEV50/50 (i.e. battery can provide energy for 50km of driving and vehicle operates in battery mode 50% of driving).
The primary input to the Tool is vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) for road vehicles and passenger-kilometres travelled (PKT) for rail vehicles. These numbers can be entered as tallies for the peak weekday hour, average weekday daily, or annual time period. To improve the accuracy of results, it is strongly recommended that the user modify default values for other inputs, such as expansion factors and fleet composition, to local conditions, but this is not required to run the Tool.
The key inputs are summarized below and described individually in the Inputs Section.
While the data used in UTEC are collected from a variety of sources, the underlying fleet composition, fuel efficiency, and GHG and CAC emission factors were drawn from three primary sources:
Other than ensuring you have good estimates of travel activity by vehicle class, there are a number of ways that UTEC can be tailored to local conditions.
3 MOBILE is a model developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for estimating pollution from highway vehicles. MOBILE calculates gram per mile emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter (PM) and air toxics from Gas, diesel, and natural gas-fuelled cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles for the calendar years between 1952 and 2050. MOBILE is the most recognized model for estimating CAC emission from road sources. MOBILE includes over 25 vehicle classifications. The most recent version is MOBILE6.2, which has been adapted by Environment Canada to Canadian conditions as MOBILE6.2C.
Certain aspects of UTEC cannot be modified, which puts limits on how far the Tool can be tailored to local conditions. For example, emission factors and fuel efficiencies by vehicle type cannot be modified and are based on national level fleet data, primarily due to data limitations. This may result in underestimates of fuel consumption and emissions in provinces that do not have emission standards for vehicles in operation (e.g., Drive Clean in Ontario) or in provinces with older vehicle fleets (e.g., British Columbia, since many areas do not use road salt). In addition, upstream fuel cycle GHG emission factors for all fuels were derived from GHGenius based on average national values.
Overall, it is expected that UTEC provides good estimates of annual emissions for an urban area, provided that the user can reasonably tailor the aforementioned inputs to local conditions. Emission estimates will be less accurate, however, if the fleet under consideration is significantly different from the national average (e.g., a truck fleet with all vehicles purchased in one year) or if it has a less representative speed profile (e.g., only modelling low-speed local traffic). This is particularly the case for CAC emission estimates, which are very sensitive to driving conditions.
The first version of UTEC was made available in mid-2006. Given the continually growing body of knowledge with regards to emission estimation, comments received to date, and the desire to enhance the value of the Tool to the target audience, UTEC has been upgraded in 2008 (v.2.0.) and in 2011 (v.3.0).
Key upgrades for UTEC v.3.0 include:
Factors are used to calculate fuel consumption, GHG emissions, and CAC emissions from annual vehicle travel data, as discussed in the following sections.
One topic, which affects the calculation of all factors, is vehicle classification. Classification of vehicles typically varies between different sources. GHGenius uses the most aggregate vehicle classifications, while MOBILE6.2C uses the most refined vehicle classification system. Exhibit B.1 shows how the GHG Inventory and Mobile 6.2C vehicle classifications relate and how they were used to determine emission factors for the Tool vehicle types.
UTEC |
MOBILE 6.2C |
Environment Canada GHG Inventory |
GHGenius |
|---|---|---|---|
LDPV-A |
LDGV |
LDGA |
Light-Duty Vehicle (LDV) |
LDDV |
LDDA |
||
LDPV-T |
LDGT1 |
LDGT |
|
LDGT2 |
|||
LDDT12 |
LDDT |
||
LDCV |
LDGT3 |
LDGT |
|
LDGT4 |
|||
LDDT34 |
LDDT |
||
MDCV |
HDGV2B |
HDGV |
Heavy-Duty Vehicle (HDV)/Bus |
HDGV3 |
|||
HDGV4 |
|||
HDGV5 |
|||
HDGV6 |
|||
HDGV7 |
|||
HDDV2B |
HDDV |
||
HDDV3 |
|||
HDDV4 |
|||
HDDV5 |
|||
HDDV6 |
|||
HDDV7 |
|||
HDCV |
HDGV8A |
HDGV |
|
HDGV8B |
|||
HDDV8A |
HDDV |
||
HDDV8B |
|||
Bus |
GAS BUS |
HDGV |
|
URB BUS |
HDDV |
||
TB |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
LR-E |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
SM |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
LR-D |
N/A |
Diesel Rail Transportation |
N/A |
HR |
N/A |
N/A |
|
FR |
N/A |
N/A |
Note: See Glossary for definition of acronyms.
Fuel efficiency factors are used to determine fuel consumption rates based on annual vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT), passenger-kilometres travelled (PKT) and revenue tonne-kilometres (RTK) values. These fuel consumption rates are used to calculated direct and indirect GHG emissions. CAC emissions are estimated directly from VKT, PKT and RTK.
Fuel efficiency is expressed in Litres per 100-km (L/100 km) for most technology types with some variations as shown in Exhibit B.2.
Vehicle Technology |
Fuel Efficiency Units |
|---|---|
Compressed Natural Gas |
m3/100 km |
Electric-Vehicle |
MJ/100 km |
Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle |
MJ/100 km |
Trolley Bus |
MJ/100 km |
Light Rail (electric) |
MJ/100 p-km |
Light Rail (diesel) |
L/100 p-km |
Subway/Metro (electric) |
MJ/100 p-km |
Heavy Rail (diesel) |
L/100 p-km |
Freight Rail (diesel) |
L/100 tonne-km |
All others |
L/100 km |
For passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and buses, fuel efficiency is calculated as a weighted average of city and highway fuel efficiency factors based on the inputted proportion of kilometres in city and highway conditions.
Conventional Road Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
Baseline fuel efficiencies for gasoline and diesel vehicles for each forecast year were determined based on values from Environment Canada MOBILE6.2C forecasts. These fuel efficiencies take into account the age profile of the fleet by vehicle class at the national scale. Since VKT values were provided for each of the 27 MOBILE6.2C vehicle classes considered, fuel efficiencies for each Tool vehicle type could be calculated as a weighted average of the related MOBILE6.2C vehicle classes as shown in Exhibit B.1.
Runs of MOBILE6.2C were prepared by Environment Canada for the years 1980 to 2030 using national level fleet data. The results from these runs provided CAC emission factors and fuel efficiencies for conventional road vehicles used in UTEC.
Environment Canada MOBILE6.2C forecasts predict only marginal improvements in fuel efficiency over time. Since larger improvements are expected, MOBILE6.2C fuel efficiencies for LDPV, LDCV, MDCV, HDCV, and BUS were scaled by a 0.5% annual improvement factor. This annual improvement rate is on the conservative end of fuel efficiency improvements predicted by NRCan’s Emissions Outlook document, which predicts fuel efficiency improvements in the order of 0.5% to 1% per year for most vehicle types.
The MOBILE6.2C fuel efficiency results were also modified to estimate city and highway fuel efficiencies for each vehicle class. This was a two-step process:
Using these values, city and highway fuel efficiency for gasoline and diesel vehicles were generated from MOBILE6.2C results by horizon year and vehicle class.
UTEC v.3.0 fuel efficiency factors for gasoline and diesel vehicles remain unchanged from UTEC v.2.0.
Alternative Technology Road Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
City and highway fuel efficiencies for alternative technology vehicles were determined using relative fuel efficiency factors developed based on the approach adopted in the GHGenius Tool. GHGenius uses separate relative efficiency factors for city and highway conditions, which provide a basis to determine the fuel efficiency of alternative technology vehicles from known gasoline and diesel-powered vehicle fuel efficiencies of the same vehicle type. GHGenius provides relative efficiency factors for light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles / transit buses. Relative efficiency factors for light-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to light-duty passenger and light-duty commercial vehicles. Relative efficiency factors for heavy-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to medium-duty commercial vehicles.
The relative efficiency factor is determined based on the relative efficiency of the alternative fuel / engine combination and the impact on vehicle weight changes on the relative vehicle efficiency. The relative efficiency of the alternative fuel / engine combination is the most important factor. For each alternative technology, relative efficiency is projected to improve with time at a different rate. See Chapter 39 of Documentation for Natural Resources Canada’s GHGenius Model 3.0 (S&T2 Consultants, 2005), available at www.ghgenius.ca, for a more detailed description of the derivation of relative efficiency factors. Relative fuel efficiency factors for alternative technology vehicles are shown in the tables below for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, respectively. The factors presented are designed to modify gasoline and diesel fuel efficiency expressed in MJ/km.
UTEC v.3.0 relative fuel efficiency factors are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19, and are summarized in Exhibit B.3 for Light-Duty Passenger and Light-Duty Commercial Vehicles, and in Exhibit B.4 for Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Commercial Vehicles and Transit Buses.
Driving Conditions |
Year |
P |
CNG |
LNG |
E10 |
E85 |
M85 |
ED10 |
B100 |
HYB-G |
HYB-D |
PHEV |
EV |
FC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
City |
2006 |
0.98 |
1.06 |
|
0.99 |
0.94 |
0.95 |
|
|
0.59 |
|
0.44 |
0.29 |
0.40 |
2011 |
0.96 |
1.05 |
|
0.99 |
0.93 |
0.94 |
|
|
0.57 |
|
0.43 |
0.29 |
0.39 |
|
2016 |
0.94 |
1.02 |
|
0.99 |
0.92 |
0.93 |
|
|
0.55 |
|
0.42 |
0.28 |
0.39 |
|
2021 |
0.92 |
1.00 |
|
0.99 |
0.91 |
0.92 |
|
|
0.54 |
|
0.41 |
0.29 |
0.38 |
|
2026 |
0.91 |
0.98 |
|
0.99 |
0.90 |
0.91 |
|
|
0.53 |
|
0.41 |
0.29 |
0.38 |
|
2031 |
0.90 |
0.97 |
|
0.99 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
|
|
0.53 |
|
0.41 |
0.29 |
0.37 |
|
Highway |
2006 |
0.98 |
1.06 |
|
0.99 |
0.94 |
0.95 |
|
|
0.81 |
|
0.60 |
0.39 |
0.57 |
2011 |
0.96 |
1.05 |
|
0.99 |
0.93 |
0.94 |
|
|
0.78 |
|
0.58 |
0.39 |
0.54 |
|
2016 |
0.94 |
1.02 |
|
0.99 |
0.92 |
0.93 |
|
|
0.75 |
|
0.57 |
0.38 |
0.52 |
|
2021 |
0.92 |
1.00 |
|
0.99 |
0.91 |
0.92 |
|
|
0.73 |
|
0.56 |
0.39 |
0.51 |
|
2026 |
0.91 |
0.98 |
|
0.99 |
0.90 |
0.91 |
|
|
0.72 |
|
0.56 |
0.40 |
0.50 |
|
2031 |
0.90 |
0.97 |
|
0.99 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
|
|
0.71 |
|
0.56 |
0.40 |
0.49 |
Driving Conditions |
Year |
P |
CNG |
LNG |
E10 |
E85 |
M85 |
ED10 |
B100 |
HYB-G |
HYB-D |
PHEV |
EV |
FC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
City |
2006 |
1.25 |
1.26 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.61 |
- |
- |
0.50 |
2011 |
1.24 |
1.17 |
1.00 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.57 |
- |
- |
0.48 |
|
2016 |
1.22 |
1.17 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.47 |
|
2021 |
1.21 |
1.17 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.54 |
- |
- |
0.47 |
|
2026 |
1.20 |
1.17 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.54 |
- |
- |
0.46 |
|
2031 |
1.19 |
1.17 |
0.98 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.53 |
- |
- |
0.46 |
|
Highway |
2006 |
1.25 |
1.26 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.84 |
- |
- |
0.71 |
2011 |
1.24 |
1.17 |
1.00 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.78 |
- |
- |
0.67 |
|
2016 |
1.22 |
1.16 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.75 |
- |
- |
0.65 |
|
2021 |
1.21 |
1.15 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.74 |
- |
- |
0.63 |
|
2026 |
1.20 |
1.14 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.72 |
- |
- |
0.62 |
|
2031 |
1.19 |
1.13 |
0.98 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.00 |
- |
0.71 |
- |
- |
0.61 |
Trolley Bus and Rail Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
Passenger-kilometres travelled (PKT) represents the primary input to the Tool for rail vehicles, since this measure is a better indicator of rail energy consumption due the variability of rail vehicle size (i.e. the number of cars).
Efficiencies for rail vehicles and trolley buses were derived from a variety of sources as outlined:
GHG emissions are estimated based on fuel and electricity consumption from travel. The Tool calculates the GHG emissions from fuel combustion and the upstream fuel cycle effects:
It is important to note that the Tool does not consider life-cycle emissions associated with the manufacture and end‑of‑life recycling of vehicles.
GHG emissions are calculated for carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) and then reported in CO2 equivalents (CO2e) based on their respective global warming potentials.
Global Warming Potential
In order to measure the impact of the various gases involved in global warming using a single unit of measurements, the scientific community has adopted a standard based on the impact of one tonne of CO2 over a 100-year time frame. The impacts of other gas types are compared to CO2 over the same time frame to produce standard global warming potentials (GWP), expressed in tonnes CO2 equivalent (CO2e). GWP values for nitrous oxide and methane are taken from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC, http://unfccc.int/ghg_data/items/3825.php).
Vehicle Operation GHG Emission Factors for Conventional Vehicles
Direct GHG Emission Factors are used to determine the tailpipe GHG emissions of CO2, N2O, and CH4 from urban transportation fuel use. Direct GHG emission factors are measured in g/L except for compressed natural gas, which is measured in g/m3. Vehicle operation GHG emission factors for conventional vehicles (i.e. gasoline and diesel powered) are based on the National Inventory Report on greenhouse gas emissions prepared by Environment Canada.
UTEC v.3.0 GHG emission factors for gasoline and diesel road vehicles are based on the 1990-2008 National Inventory Report by Environment Canada.
Gasoline and diesel emission factors were taken from the GHG Inventory for each vehicle type as shown in Exhibit B.1. Since emissions control technology (such as the type of catalytic converter) affects the emission rates of N2O and CH4, the fleet penetration of each technology (measured by the age of the fleet) will affect the fleet’s overall emission factors. The terminology used by Environment Canada to refer to the most recent and preceding emission control technologies are Tier 1 and Tier 0 for gas-powered vehicles and Advanced Control and Moderate Control for diesel-powered vehicles.
For 2011 road vehicles, emission factors were calculated as a weighted average of Tier 1 / Tier 0 and Advanced Control / Moderate Control based on the proportion of the national vehicle fleet built since 1996. Information of the vehicle fleet composition for light- and heavy-duty vehicles has been updated and was obtained from the 2009 Canadian Vehicle Survey: Annual published by Statistics Canada (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=53-223-X&CHROPG=1&lang=eng). Emission factors for later model years were set to the Tier 1 and Advanced Control values.
Vehicle Operation GHG Emission Factors for Alternative Technology Vehicles
Similar to relative efficiency factors discussed earlier, GHG emission factors for alternative technology vehicles were determined using relative emission factors derived from GHGenius. GHGenius uses relative GHG emission factors, which provide a basis to determine CO2, N2O, and CH4 emission factors for alternative technology vehicles from known gasoline and diesel-powered emission factors of the same vehicle type. GHGenius provides relative emission factors for light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles / transit buses. Relative emission factors for light-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to light-duty passenger and light-duty commercial vehicles. Relative efficiency factors for heavy-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial vehicles as well as buses. The approach and sources used in determining these relative emission factors are described in Chapter 40 of Documentation for Natural Resources Canada’s GHGenius Model 3.0 (NRCan, 2005), available at www.ghgenius.ca.
UTEC v.3.0 relative GHG emission factors for alternative technology vehicles are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19 and are shown in Exhibit B.5.
Vehicle Type |
GHG |
P |
CNG |
LNG |
E10 |
E85 |
M85 |
ED10 |
B100 |
HYB-G |
HYB-D |
PHEV |
EV |
FC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDPV, LDCV |
CO2 |
0.67 |
0.85 |
- |
0.96 |
0.16 |
0.56 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
CH4 |
0.77 |
22.7 |
- |
1.01 |
1.16 |
0.39 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
|
N2O |
0.77 |
0.31 |
- |
0.39 |
0.62 |
0.25 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
|
MDCV, HDCV, BUS |
CO2 |
0.57 |
0.71 |
0.49 |
- |
- |
- |
0.9 |
0.01 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
CH4 |
0.53 |
12.74 |
8.77 |
- |
- |
- |
0.96 |
0.96 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
N2O |
0.53 |
0.85 |
0.58 |
- |
- |
- |
0.96 |
0.96 |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
Note: Factors for LDPV/LDCV are relative to gasoline emission factors of the same vehicle type, factors for MDCV/HDCV/BUS are relative to dieses emission factors of the same vehicle type.
All electric vehicles have no direct GHG emissions. Hybrid vehicle emission factors are assumed to be the same per litre as the primary fuel (e.g., gas for LDPV, diesel for BUS) for the vehicle type under consideration.
Vehicle Operation GHG Emission Factors for Diesel Rail Vehicles
Emission factors for diesel rail transportation – light rail, heavy rail and freight rail – are based on the GHG inventory emission factors for Diesel Train Railways from the 1990-2008 National Inventory Report prepared by Environment Canada.
Upstream Fuel Cycle GHG Emission Factors
Upstream fuel cycle GHG emission factors are used to estimate the ‘upstream’ fuel cycle GHG emissions associated including fuel refining and transportation. They are fuel specific and were determined from GHGenius. GHGenius estimates the GHG emissions in CO2 equivalents from fuel dispensing, fuel distribution and storage, fuel production, feedstock transmission, feedstock recovery, land use changes, fertilizer manufacture, gas leaks and flares, and emissions displaced. Default results that are used represent average industry conditions in Canada. There are many assumptions involved in these calculations, such as the distance the fuel is transported and the fuel feedstock. The user should refer to GHGenius (www.ghgenius.ca) if detailed analysis of upstream GHG emissions is required.
The feedstock for the ethanol in E10, E85, and ED10 is assumed to be corn. The feedstock for biodiesel is assumed to be soybeans. The fuel cells are assumed to run on methanol.
UTEC v.3.0 upstream fuel cycle GHG emission factors are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19.
Indirect Electricity Production GHG Emission Factors
Indirect electricity production GHG emission factors are used to determine the GHG emissions associated with electric vehicles. They are specified in kg CO2e/MJ of electricity consumed. The factors are province- and territory-specific based on the mix of electricity generation methods in each region. These factors were determined from the electricity GHG emission factors reported in the 1990-2008 National Inventory Report (Table A-13) by province and territory. Forecasts of electrical emission factors are not available so the factors do not change over the model years.
UTEC v.3.0 includes a Canada-wide emission factor, which was not available in previous versions of the Tool.
CAC emission factors are used to determine the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), total particulate matter (TPM), particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) from vehicle operation. Direct CAC emission factors have the units of g/km as they are better estimated by distance travelled than by amount of fuel consumed.
Vehicle Operation CAC Emission Factors for Conventional Vehicles
Direct CAC emission factors for conventional vehicles were developed from forecasts of CAC emission factors from MOBILE6.2C developed by Environment Canada. These factors were estimated based on national speed profiles developed from urban and inter-urban travel (Average Speed Estimates for MOBILE6C Forecasting, Environment Canada, 2003). CAC emission factors are very sensitive to driving conditions and driving speed, in particular. As such, if the speed profile of the fleet under consideration is substantially different from the national average, CAC emission estimations will be less accurate.
For conventional vehicles, MOBILE6.2C estimates emission factors for CO, NOx, SO2, VOC, as well as particulate matter (TPM, PM10, and PM2.5) from fuel combustion and brake and tire wear. Emission factors were provided by Environment Canada for all the model years for the 27 vehicle classifications shown in Exhibit B.1. Substantial improvements in CAC emission factors are forecast over time. CAC emission factors were further reduced by 0.5% per year, corresponding to the annual improvement factor applied to MOBILE6.2C fuel efficiencies.
Since VKT values were provided for each of the 27 MOBILE6.2C vehicle classes considered, emission factors for each vehicle type could be calculated as a weighted average of the related MOBILE6.2C vehicle classes.
Vehicle Operation CAC Emission Factors for Alternative Technology Vehicles
CAC emission factors for alternative technology vehicles were determined using relative emission factors derived from GHGenius. GHGenius uses relative CAC emission factors, which provide a basis to determine CO, NOx, SO2, VOCs, and TPM emission factors for alternative technology vehicles from known gasoline- and diesel-powered emission factors of the same vehicle type. GHGenius provides relative emission factors for light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles / transit buses. Relative emission factors for light-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to light-duty passenger and light-duty commercial vehicles. Relative emission factors for light-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to light-duty passenger and light-duty commercial vehicles. Relative efficiency factors for heavy-duty vehicles were assumed to apply to medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial vehicles as well as buses.
The approach and sources used in determining these relative emission factors are described in Chapter 40 of Documentation for Natural Resources Canada’s GHGenius Model 3.0 (NRCan, 2005), available at www.ghgenius.ca.
The particulate matter multiplication factor was assumed to apply to all particulate emission factors (TPM, PM10, and PM2.5).
For electric road vehicles, the CO, NOx, SO2, and VOC emissions were assumed to be zero; however, even though these vehicles have no exhaust, they do generate particulate matter emissions from brake and tire wear. Based on MOBILE6.2C factors for gas and diesel vehicles, the average proportion of TPM, PM10, and PM2.5 emissions from brake and tire wear was determined for each vehicle type. These values were used as multiplication factors to determine particulate matter emissions from road-based electric vehicles.
UTEC v.3.0 relative CAC emission factors for alternative technology vehicles are based on outputs of GHGenius v.3.19 and are shown in Exhibit B.6.
Vehicle Type |
CAC |
Vehicle Technology |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P |
CNG |
LNG |
E10 |
E85 |
M85 |
ED10 |
B100 |
HYB-G |
HYB-D |
PHEV |
EV |
FC |
||
LDPV |
CO |
0.60 |
0.27 |
- |
0.97 |
0.68 |
0.70 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
- |
- |
NOx |
0.90 |
1.53 |
- |
0.99 |
0.92 |
0.93 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
- |
- |
|
SO2 |
0.28 |
0.13 |
- |
0.97 |
0.67 |
0.51 |
- |
- |
0.62 |
- |
0.31 |
- |
- |
|
VOC |
0.16 |
0.11 |
- |
0.25 |
0.02 |
0.23 |
- |
- |
0.14 |
- |
0.07 |
- |
- |
|
TPM |
0.25 |
1.61 |
- |
0.96 |
0.52 |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
0.60 |
0.60 |
|
PM10 |
0.25 |
1.61 |
- |
0.96 |
0.52 |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
0.60 |
0.60 |
|
PM2.5 |
0.25 |
1.61 |
- |
0.96 |
0.52 |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
0.42 |
0.42 |
|
LDCV |
CO |
0.60 |
0.27 |
- |
0.97 |
0.68 |
0.70 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
- |
- |
NOx |
0.90 |
1.53 |
- |
0.99 |
0.92 |
0.93 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
- |
- |
|
SO2 |
0.28 |
0.13 |
- |
0.97 |
0.67 |
0.51 |
- |
- |
0.62 |
- |
0.31 |
- |
- |
|
VOC |
0.16 |
0.11 |
- |
0.25 |
0.02 |
0.23 |
- |
- |
0.14 |
- |
0.07 |
- |
- |
|
TPM |
0.25 |
1.61 |
- |
0.96 |
0.52 |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
0.40 |
0.40 |
|
PM10 |
0.25 |
1.61 |
- |
0.96 |
0.52 |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
0.40 |
0.40 |
|
PM2.5 |
0.25 |
1.61 |
- |
0.96 |
0.52 |
0.55 |
- |
- |
0.56 |
- |
0.28 |
0.28 |
0.28 |
|
MDCV/ HDCV |
CO |
0.10 |
0.10 |
0.10 |
- |
- |
- |
0.85 |
0.50 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NOx |
1.00 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.10 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
SO2 |
3.09 |
0.99 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.13 |
0.31 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
VOC |
0.72 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
- |
- |
- |
0.90 |
0.85 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
TPM |
1.00 |
0.45 |
0.45 |
- |
- |
- |
0.80 |
0.50 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.29 |
|
PM10 |
1.00 |
0.45 |
0.45 |
- |
- |
- |
0.80 |
0.50 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.29 |
|
PM2.5 |
1.00 |
0.45 |
0.45 |
- |
- |
- |
0.80 |
0.50 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
0.14 |
|
BUS |
CO |
0.10 |
0.10 |
0.10 |
- |
- |
- |
0.85 |
0.50 |
- |
0.67 |
- |
- |
- |
NOx |
1.00 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
- |
- |
- |
1.00 |
1.10 |
- |
0.67 |
- |
- |
- |
|
SO2 |
3.09 |
0.99 |
0.99 |
- |
- |
- |
1.13 |
0.31 |
- |
0.67 |
- |
- |
- |
|
VOC |
0.72 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
- |
- |
- |
0.90 |
0.85 |
- |
0.66 |
- |
- |
- |
|
TPM |
1.00 |
0.45 |
0.45 |
- |
- |
- |
0.80 |
0.50 |
- |
0.67 |
- |
- |
0.29 |
|
PM10 |
1.00 |
0.45 |
0.45 |
- |
- |
- |
0.80 |
0.50 |
- |
0.67 |
- |
- |
0.29 |
|
PM2.5 |
1.00 |
0.45 |
0.45 |
- |
- |
- |
0.80 |
0.50 |
- |
0.67 |
- |
- |
0.14 |
|
Note: Factors for LDPV/LDCV are relative to gasoline emission factors of the same vehicle type, factors for MDCV/HDCV/BUS are relative to diesel emission factors of the same vehicle type.
Vehicle Operation CAC Emission Factors for Diesel Rail Vehicles
CAC emission factors for diesel-powered rail (light rail, heavy rail and freight rail) are based on the railway operations CAC emissions reported in the Locomotive Emissions Monitoring (LEM) Program (Railway Association of Canada). Emission factors reported in LEM Program are provided for CO, NOx, SO2, VOC, and TPM in grams per litre. Fuel efficiencies for each rail mode are used to convert the estimate emissions to grams per passenger-kilometre.
For UTEC v.3.0, diesel light rail and heavy rail factors are based on 2005 data while freight rail factors are based on 2008 data reported in the LEM Program 2008 report.