Fossil Fuels, Biofuels, and Electricity -- Well-to-Wheels Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analyses

To reduce national dependence on imported oil and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, research on alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies has gained increased support from governments and private organizations. In order to thoroughly compare the impact of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies on energy and environment, fuels and vehicles need to be examined throughout their life cycles. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) developed the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model to evaluate the full fuel cycle or well-to-wheels (WTW) energy use and GHG emissions of alternative fuels/vehicle technologies. The vehicle technologies considered in this analysis include internal combustion engine (ICE), regular hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and fuel cell vehicle (FCV). The investigated fuels include gasoline and diesel from conventional oil, ethanol from corn and cellulosic biomass, and hydrogen from natural gas, electrolysis and biomass. The impact of grid electricity generation mixes on WTW energy use and GHG emissions of PHEVs was also investigated.