NRC report sets ambitious goal for reducing car emissions

Ars Technica : According to a National Research Council report , the US may be able to reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050. The report proposes a series of steps to achieve that ambitious goal: the development of more efficient vehicles; the use of alternative fuels such as biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen; and the enactment of strong government policies. Although the 2050 goal is possible, the report says, it cannot be achieved through any single technology, so more than one type of vehicle will need to be produced. In addition to car manufacturers introducing new technologies, the electric grid will need to be modified to be more heavily powered by renewables and a hydrogen production and distribution network will need to be developed. The government will also need to step in and focus on policies that favor efficiency, encourage development of all the potential technologies, and sustain that effort over decades.