1、www.theicct.org communicationstheicct.orgtheicct.org TECHNICAL BRIEFJUNE 2024Zero-emission locomotive technologies:Pathways for U.S.rail decarbonizationTanzila Khan and Zhenying ShaoINTRODUCTION The U.S.freight rail system is the largest in the world,and carries nearly 40%of the countrys long-distan

2、ce freight volume by tons per mile.1 U.S.freight railroads rely predominantly on diesel fuel,and they accounted for about 12%of particulate matter(PM2.5)emissions and 15%of nitrogen oxide(NOX)emissions from on-road and off-road mobile sources in 2020.2 These pollutants are widely recognized for asso

3、ciated impacts on climate,local air quality,and public health.Emissions from U.S.freight rail are estimated to contribute to about 1,000 premature deaths and$6.5 billion in health damage costs each year.3 Although the sectors contribution to total transportation-related greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions

4、was about 2%in 2020,the share is expected to increase as the United States has committed to 100%zero-emission truck and bus sales by 2040.4 This is primarily because locomotives typically have a long lifetime of about 50 years,during which they could be compliant with old standards for decades.5 1 A

5、ssociation of American Railroads,Freight Rail Facts&Figures,October 2023,https:/www.aar.org/facts-figures#2-fuel-efficiency.2 This excludes emissions from marine and aviation.U.S.Environmental Protection Agency,Online 2020 NEI Data Retrieval Tool,https:/awsedap.epa.gov/public/single/?appid=20230c40-

6、026d-494e-903f-3f112761a208&sheet=5d3fdda7-14bc-4284-a9bb-cfd856b9348d&opt=ctxmenu,currsel.3 Natalie D.Popovich,Deepak Rajagopal,Elif Tasar,and Amol Phadke,“Economic,Environmental and Grid-Resilience Benefits of Converting Diesel Trains to Battery-Electric,”Nature Energy,6(11):10171025,https:/ Jason