Abstract

CUELLAR, Yohen; BUITRAGO-TELLO, Rodrigo  and  BELALCAZAR-CERON, Luis-Carlos. LIFE CYCLE EMISSIONS FROM A BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM AND COMPARISON WITH OTHER MODES OF PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION. C.T.F Cienc. Tecnol. Futuro [online]. 2016, vol.6, n.3, pp.123-134. ISSN 0122-5383.

ABSTRACT This work presents Life Cycle Emissions from the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) TransMilenio compared to other modes of passenger transportation in Bogota, Colombia^®. We applied the life-cycle assessment (LCA) and the well-to-wheels approach. We used the OpenLCA software, the Ecoinvent database and all the information available in the city to perform this LCA. The impact category climate change (C0_2-eq) and emissions of PM_2.5, CO and NOx were considered. The functional unit is mass of pollutant per kilometer and per passenger transported (mass/km-passenger). Results of this work indicate that public transport buses including BRT produce the lowest emissions of CO_2-eq, CO and NOx. While the lowest emissions of PM_2.5 were achieved by an electric BRT and buses powered by natural gas. The highest emissions of PM_2.5 are given by motorcycles and private cars, and taxis present the highest emissions of NOx. Finally, if TransMilenio buses change from diesel to electricity, C02-_eq and PM_2.5 emissions would be reduced by 86% and 88%, respectively. However, these values are lowerthan reductions achieved when strategies are focused on controlling emissions from other vehicle categories.

Keywords : Bus rapid transit; Emissions; Climate change; Air quality; OpenLCA; Biofuels; Sustainable urban transport.

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