Emergence of Renewable Energy in Vehicles
- Lukas Takvor and Brady Hyland
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
As the world continues to industrialize and deplete our planet's natural resources, countries and private corporations continue to take steps to utilize renewable supplies. There are many industries taking their first step in reducing their carbon footprint and other greenhouse gases. Electric cars offer a wide range of benefits that continue to prove their worth as an alternative to traditional gas vehicles. One of the first steps toward a greener planet is the advent of renewable energy seen in vehicles by many commercial companies. Motorsports, in addition to mass corporations, are leading this movement for cleaner energy.
Electric Fuel Benefits
As companies like Tesla and BMW continue to implement electric fuel into their vehicles, the benefits of the renewable resource are undeniable. Primarily, electric vehicles release no tailpipe emissions, which means they don’t produce any exhaust gases or pollutants. Additionally, while the initial price may be slightly higher than a gas-powered vehicle, electric vehicles dramatically reduce fuel prices. The electric vehicles of today can exceed 130 miles per gallon equivalent (the number of miles a vehicle can travel using a quantity of fuel with the same energy content as a gallon of gasoline), while the average car can only travel about 26 miles per gallon. Moreover, fuel replenishment is substantially easier, as owners can charge overnight in their home, at a public charging station, or anywhere else chargers may be available, including many owners’ workplaces. Overall, the growing adoption of electric vehicles is vital to building a cleaner and more sustainable future of transportation.
Low-Carbon Fuels in Aviation
Commercial aviation has recently expanded tremendously to nearly 40 million flights a year. Even with immense increases in fuel efficiency, fuel consumption is still monstrously high and has increased CO2 emissions nearly fifteenfold from 1960. While fuel efficiency has increased, the carbon intensity of fossil-derived jet fuel remains stagnant. To combat this, airlines have begun to incorporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate pollution. SAF can be produced from renewable materials, like agricultural waste, renewable electricity, and waste fats. While there are options to move away from fossil-derived fuel, SAF could be the most direct replacement for conventional jet fuel.
Renewable Energy in Racing
The racing industry is a multibillion-dollar industry filled with hundreds of technological pieces. What do these pieces use to power them, and what do they produce? They use fossil fuels and produce a large quantity of greenhouse gases. Formula 1, the leading motorsport league, is said to have emitted 228,793 tons of carbon dioxide in 2018. This production of greenhouse gas is extremely harmful to the environment, which is why there has been a major push to decrease the use of fossil fuels and to replace them with renewable energy.
Formula 1 has had an immense crackdown on greenhouse gas emissions since 2018, as their carbon dioxide emissions were down to 168,720 tons in 2024. The sport claims to be 50% of the way to achieving its goal of a minimum 50% reduction in emissions in its “net zero by 2030” campaign. The amazing results being shown from Formula 1 are setting the standard for renewable energy and showing what it's capable of.
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