How Electric Vehicles Affect the Carbon Footprint

 

The carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that enter the atmosphere because of human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, food production, product manufacturing and other industrial processes. These greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The carbon footprint is measured in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) to express the relative contribution of each gas to global warming. 

    

    Carbon footprint calculation can be used at an individual, local or even national level. Some of the activities that create a carbon footprint include energy consumption, transportation, food production, waste management, and others.

    Reducing the CO2 footprint is an important objective in the fight against climate change since greenhouse gas emissions are directly related to global warming and its negative effects on the climate and the environment. Individuals, companies, and governments can and should adopt strategies to improve energy efficiency, switch to renewable energy, reduce waste, promote reforestation practices, use clean technologies, and adapt current legislation to reduce their carbon footprint; Consequently, quantifying this environmental parameter implies that we can monitor to evaluate how the strategies applied are impacting the reduction of the impact of human activities on the environment.

    One of the human activities that generate a significant contribution to the increase in the carbon footprint comes from the circulation of internal combustion vehicles, planes, trains, automobiles, etc. 

The carbon footprint of gasoline, gas or diesel vehicles refers to the amount of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), released into the atmosphere because of burning fuels for ignition and operation. thereof. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change. The carbon footprint of a car is affected by many factors, such as the type of fuel used (gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc.), the efficiency of the vehicle, the distance traveled, driving habits and polluting gas emissions.

    In 2021, the number of internal combustion vehicles fueled by different petroleum derivatives in the United States represented around 250 million units circulating on its different land routes and sales for 2022 increased by 15%, which It represented more than 6 million new units, placing the total projection for 2023 at more than 280 million registered vehicles. The magnitude of this figure suggests that replacing them with cars with renewable energy sources will not be possible in the short time, perhaps decades.

    Currently the United States is implementing cleaner technologies, such as electric, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, to reduce carbon emissions in this type of land transportation, where the demand for electric vehicles is gradually increasing, but it is still not enough to displace to the combustion vehicle; In this sense, some countries are already legislating or taking measures within their legal regulations to restrict and/or abolish internal combustion vehicles as a policy of environmental preservation; as well as the introduction of new technologies to produce electrical energy from renewable sources. In the United States, specifically in the state of California, the sale of gasoline-powered cars was banned starting in 2035.

    Nearly 300,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) (fully battery electric vehicles) were sold in the United States in the second quarter of 2023, a record for any quarter and an increase of 48.4% over the second quarter of 2022. 

    Electric vehicles generally have a much smaller carbon footprint compared to combustion engine vehicles, but the size of the reduction depends on factors such as the source of electricity and the life cycle.

    This type of vehicle and the use of renewable energy for electricity generation are important measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Reducing the carbon footprint resulting from the increasing use of electric vehicles will only be possible when the electrical energy they require for their operation comes from renewable energy sources.

    Electrical energy in the United States comes from four sources: fossil fuels, renewable energy, hydroelectric and nuclear. The percentage of electricity generation grew from 22% in 2022 to 23% in 2023 and 25% is projected for 2024. Of the different types of renewable energy, the one that shows the greatest growth is wind energy and at the same time it is the one with the lowest cost.

Currently, wind and solar energy are the ideal options when it comes to clean and sustainable energy sources. They are the fastest growing, the cheapest and generate the least damage to the environment, in addition to the above, they do not depend on a series of factors associated with the fossil fuel and nuclear industries; Consequently, they are renewable energy sources in the future, without ruling out others that are in the research phase; In this sense, the United States Department of Energy, through the Department of Energy, 2023, reports wind energy as one of the cheapest energy sources nationwide, providing 10% of the total electricity throughout the world. country, more than 60% of the energy in Iowa and more than 40% of the energy in South Dakota, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

    Fourteen states installed new utility-scale onshore wind turbines in 2022. Texas installed the largest capacity, at 4,028 MW. Other leading states included Oklahoma and Nebraska, each adding more than 600 MW of capacity in 202.

    Wind turbines continue growing in size and power. As can be seen, as described above, in the United States the partial replacement of some polluting energy sources with renewable ones has already begun. Of course, other sources remain to be considered, such as solar, tidal and others, as well as those that are in the experimentation and/or research phase, such as green hydrogen, mini flying wind power plants, energy potential of rain, etc.

    As fossil fuels are resources whose future production and consumption compromise the quality of life of all living beings on this only planet we inhabit, there is no alternative but to invest and implement both the technologies currently available, as well as in new projects to obtaining cleaner and more sustainable energy, which also represents new business opportunities; . In such a way that the production and use of electric vehicles is expected to increase as more electricity becomes available from renewable energy sources, which would probably occur in a shorter time than initially estimated, resulting in the carbon footprint will also be gradually reduced as a result of the implementation of the use of new materials and technologies. 

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