ATRI Cites Greenhouse Gas Calculation Concerns

The American Transportation Research Institute released results of its study on greenhouse gas reporting tools and emissions models.

“While the reporting tools are generally similar,” ATRI said, “there are differences between accounting methods which can impact the reported level of emissions.”

Small differences in emissions calculations affect the trucking industry, which uses the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Partnership truck model to account for greenhouse gas emissions.

That model, which accounts only for a company’s on-road vehicle fleet, discounts other factors considered in the industry’s carbon footprint, ATRI said.

The group also found that emissions factors for biodiesel were inconsistent, and leakage rates among refrigerants varied by a factor of five. Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity were found to vary across the country, dependent upon region.

“Refinements to these methodologies could improve their applicability to the trucking industry,” ATRI said.