Amid the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, one bright spot emerged: a decline in greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. in 2020. A report by the Rhodium Group, a global research firm, found that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell 10.3 percent in 2020, largely attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. It was the largest drop in emissions in the post-World War II era. While it is likely to rebound to an extent, this monumental decrease will contribute to the United States’ pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 - 52 percent by 2030.
Georgia’s Clean Air Force, in partnership with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, highlights recent technological and innovative developments that will help to reduce our carbon footprint and the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.
“A large portion of the workforce will return to the office by the end of 2021, and because of the coronavirus pandemic, experts believe cars will change more in the next 10 years than they have in the last 100,” said Michael Odom, a Georgia EPD official. “Large contributors to this anticipated change are our carbon footprint and emissions as many companies and consumers are demanding innovations to reduce it.”
The following list highlights some of the innovations that Georgia's Clean Air Force cited in reducing emissions.
1. Auto Engine Shutdown. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that idling vehicles waste about six billion gallons of fuel and generate 30 million tons of CO2 a year. Current regulations call for 2021-2026 vehicles to decrease fuel consumption and emissions by 1.5 percent each year. New cars include auto engine shutdown, a feature activated every time the brakes are hit and the car comes to a stop. This technology boosts fuel efficiency by over 8%.
2. Biofuels. A biofuel is any liquid fuel derived from biological matter such as trees, agricultural wastes, crops or grass and can be replenished swiftly. As a renewable energy source, these fuels are zero net emitters since they release the same CO2 that plants absorb to grow. The more we utilize biofuels, the less we rely on diminishing and environmentally harmful fossil fuels.
3. Redesigned Engines. Global supply chains will never run properly without planes, cars, trains and trucks, but to meet the emissions regulations included in the Paris Agreement, researchers at Spain’s Polytechnic University of Valencia designed an engine that doesn’t emit damaging gases or CO2. Due to its size, it’s currently only being used for large vehicles, but redesigned engines for passenger use are in development.
4. Vibrating Foot Pedals. Harsh driving, such as hard braking or hard acceleration, significantly decreases a car’s fuel efficiency, sometimes by as much as 33 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. To correct these habits, a technology was developed to provide feedback to the driver through foot pedal vibrations. Studies have shown that this will help cut fuel consumption by seven percent.
