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Drop-in replacement biofuels and electrofuels can provide net-zero CO2 emissions with dramatic reductions in contrail formation. Biofuels must transition to second-generation cellulosic feedstocks while improving land and soil management. Electrofuels, or "e-fuels,” require aggressive cost reduction in hydrogen production, carbon capture, and fuel synthesis. Hydrogen has great potential for energy efficiency, cost reduction, and emissions reduction; however, its low density (even in liquid form) combined with it’s extremely low boiling temperature mean that bulky spherical tanks will consume considerable fuselage volume. Still, emerging direct-kerosene fuel cells may ultimately provide a superior zero-emission, energy-dense solution. Decarbonized Power Options for Civil Aviation discusses the current challenges with these power options and explores the economic incentives and levers vital to decarbonization.

A narrow focus on electrification and elimination of tailpipe emissions is unlikely to achieve decarbonization objectives. Renewable power generation is unlikely to keep up with increased demand for electricity. A focus on tailpipe emissions ignores the significant particulate pollution that “zero emission” vehicles still cause. It is therefore vital that energy efficiency is improved. Active travel is the key to green economic growth, clean cities, and unlocking the energy saving potential of public transport. The Challenges of Vehicle Decarbonization reviews the urgent need to prioritize active travel infrastructure, create compelling mass-market cycling options, and switch to hybrid powertrains and catenary electrification for long-haul heavy trucks. The report also warns of the potential increase in miles travelled with the advent of personal automated vehicles as well as the pitfalls of fossil-fuel derived hydrogen power.

Sustainable first/last/only-mile (FLO-mile) transport is the key to sustainable travel. It could directly replace private car use for short urban journeys, which account for 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. More importantly, it could enable public transport to be used for longer journeys, which account for 6% of emissions. Active travel, such as walking and cycling, has the lowest emissions and provides huge economic benefits that pay for the required infrastructure many times over. Unsettled Issues Regarding First- and Last-Mile Transport discusses the mass switch to more sustainable modes of transport and how to increase their perceived value to users. It also covers the prioritization of publicly owned cycles over rideshare options due to the latter’s higher lifecycle emissions, including manufacture, redistribution, and service operations and station construction. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio.

Power options for off-road vehicles differ substantially from other commercial vehicles. Battery electrification is suitable for urban construction and light agriculture, but remote mining, forestry, and road building operations will require alternative fuels. Decarbonized Power Options for Non-road Mobile Machinery discusses these domains as well as the potential benefits and challenges of implementing fuels and energy sources such as bioenergy, e-fuels, and alcohol, as well as hydrogen, hydrocarbon, and direct methanol fuel cells. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio.