4.5 Transportation Sector

Socio-scientific Issues in Transportation

• Transportation is a main Green Technology sector and one of the largest contributors to air pollution.
• Vehicle exhaust contains gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
• These greenhouse gases cause the greenhouse effect and contribute to sudden climate change.
• 95% of motor vehicles use petrol and diesel, both obtained from petroleum.
• About 60% of the world’s petroleum is used in transportation; petroleum is a non-renewable energy resource and will be depleted.
• Harmful gases in vehicle exhaust can cause acid rain, which:
  • destroys plants; and
  • corrodes concrete, iron and vehicle tyres.
• Historical example: in July 1954, severe air pollution in Los Angeles covered the city with photochemical smog. It formed when nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust mixed with air in the presence of ultraviolet rays from the Sun.

Green Technology Applications

Green transportation

• Green transportation is any form of environmentally friendly transportation that emits greenhouse gases at a very low rate or does not emit greenhouse gases, such as vehicles using renewable-energy resources.
• Forms include:
  • walking;
  • cycling; and
  • using green vehicles.
• The green transportation mode ranges from individual vehicles and taxis to group passenger vehicles, service vehicles, public transportation, bicycles and walking.

Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV)

• Natural Gas Vehicles use either liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG).
• Petrol vehicles can be modified to use LNG or CNG.

Biofuel as a petroleum substitute

• Biofuel used in Malaysia is an alternative resource referring to fatty acid methyl esters produced from vegetable oils and animal fats.
• It is a renewable and more environmentally friendly energy resource.

Electric transportation

• Melaka introduced electric buses to transport passengers around the city as an application of Green Technology.

Issue-to-solution chain

More fossil-fuel vehicles → greater petroleum use and more harmful exhaust gases → depletion of a non-renewable resource, greenhouse effect, climate change and acid rain.

Green transportation + NGV + biofuel + electric buses → reduced dependence on petroleum and reduced air pollution → more sustainable living.