Fueling a Clean Transportation Future

The report examines the lifecycle emissions of major transportation fuels, finding that while electricity and biofuels are becoming cleaner, oil is becoming more polluting due to the shift toward unconventional sources like tar sands and fracking. It advocates for the 'Half the Oil' plan to reduce U.S. oil use by 50% by 2035 and calls for greater corporate accountability, transparency in emissions reporting, and a shift toward renewable electricity and non-food biofuels.

• The carbon intensity of oil is increasing as the industry shifts from conventional sources to unconventional, energy-intensive resources and practices.
• Emissions from oil extraction and refining vary significantly by source, ranging from less than 50 kilograms to 250 kilograms of CO2e per barrel.
• Unconventional oil sources, specifically tar sands, are among the most carbon-intensive, with extraction and refining emissions between 180 and 250 kg CO2e per barrel.
• The practice of flaring natural gas during oil extraction is a major avoidable source of emissions, particularly in North Dakota where venting and flaring grew from less than 5% (2000-2005) to over 30% (2011-2013).
• Corn-based ethanol has caused negative environmental and social impacts, including pressure on global food prices and increased soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat loss in the U.S.
• Advanced biofuels derived from wastes, agricultural residues (such as corn stover), and perennial grasses offer a significantly lower-carbon alternative to food-based biofuels.
• Electric vehicles (EVs) generally produce lower global warming emissions than gasoline cars, but the extent of the benefit depends on the regional electricity grid; an EV on an 80% renewable grid can cut emissions by more than 80% compared to gasoline vehicles.
• The U.S. electricity sector is transitioning away from coal, with its share of generation falling from nearly 50% in 2007 to 39% in 2014, though overreliance on natural gas remains a risk.
• The 'Half the Oil' plan aims to reduce projected U.S. oil use by 50% by 2035 through vehicle efficiency and clean fuel adoption, though cumulative use would still reach approximately 100 billion barrels by then.

APA

Martin, J. (2017). Fueling a Clean Transportation Future. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/Fueling-Clean-Transportation-Future-full-report.pdf

Chicago

Martin, Jeremy. Fueling a Clean Transportation Future. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2017. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/Fueling-Clean-Transportation-Future-full-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Martin |first1=Jeremy |title=Fueling a Clean Transportation Future |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=February 2017 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/Fueling-Clean-Transportation-Future-full-report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{martin2017fueling, author = {Martin, Jeremy}, title = {{Fueling a Clean Transportation Future}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/Fueling-Clean-Transportation-Future-full-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }