Date: March 18, 2025 PDF: 354 KB
Regulations in the United States have taken multiple approaches and methodologies to evaluating emissions sources. Light duty vehicles are primarily regulated by the emissions that come from the vehicle tailpipe while liquid fuels are, in some cases, regulated based upon the emissions that are generated from the entire production cycle of the product, otherwise known as the “life cycle” or well-to-wheels.
This whitepaper provides an overview of how an LCA methodology could be applied. It covers:
- What is a life cycle assessment and how does it work?
- What are the main steps involved in defining an LCA?
- How can LCA be applied to the transportation sector holistically?
To reduce emissions, it is important to account for emissions wherever they are generated, apply reduction efforts where they can yield the greatest benefit and credit the transportation sector for all reductions, not only those generated from certain points of emissions in the life cycle. A life cycle approach enables organizations to strategically target their emissions reduction investments where they make the greatest economic and environmental sense, amplifying the benefits to the environment while providing an opportunity to generate a positive return. This will in turn encourage additional emissions reduction investments.
Please fill out the form below to download the full report.
