3.2. Better transport http://www.ck12.org
Figure 20.16:With congestion like this, it’s faster to walk.
Congestion can be reduced by providing good alternatives (cycle lanes, public transport), and by charging road
users extra if they contribute to congestion. In this chapter’s notes I describe a fair and simple method for handling
congestion-charging.
Enhancing cars
Assuming that the developed world’s love-affair with the car is not about to be broken off, what are the technologies
that can deliver significant energy savings? Savings of 10% or 20% are easy – we’ve already discussed some ways
to achieve them, such as making cars smaller and lighter. Another option is to switch from petrol to diesel. Diesel
engines are more expensive to make, but they tend to be more fuel-efficient. But are there technologies that can
radically increase the efficiency of the energy-conversion chain? (Recall that in a standard petrol car, 75% of the
energy is turned into heat and blown out of the radiator!) And what about the goal of getting off fossil fuels?