Well-to-Wheels
EUCAR*, CONCAWE* and JRC* have performed a joint evaluation of the Well-to-Wheels energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for a wide range of potential future fuels and powertrains options. The first version was published in December 2003. The documents below present the results of the second version (May 2006). The objectives of the review remained the same:
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Establish, in a transparent and objective manner, a consensual well-to-wheels energy use and Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment of a wide range of automotive fuels and powertrains relevant to Europe in 2010 and beyond.
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Consider the viability of each fuel pathway and estimate the associated macro-economic costs.
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Have the outcome accepted as a reference by all relevant stakeholders.
New JEC-WTW results VERSION 3
Calculations of GHG and energy balances for a new version 3 have recently been completed. The main changes concern Biofuels with modified and new pathways for ethanol, bio-diesel and biogas. The full WTT and WTW reports are in preparation and will be posted here in due course but, because of the current interest in these pathways, we elected to publish the main results at this point. Accordingly the following documents are now available:
- A new version of WTT Appendix 2 giving the updated energy and GHG balance of all pathways
- A new WTT Appendix 4, consisting of 5 Excel workbooks detailing the input data for all pathways
- A new TTW report and TTW App 1 with updates regarding Diesel technologies
JEC INPUT DATA RELEVANT TO THE COMMISSION CALCULATIONS OF GHG EMISSIONS FROM BIOFUELS
A spreadsheet (see BioF Action at the Institute of Energy) contains the subset of the current JEC input-data database, which is relevant to the calculation of default emissions for Biofuels, using the methodology specified by the European Commission in the draft EU Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. The methodology used to account for co-products is significantly different, leading to different energy and GHG balances.
The database of input data is updated occasionally, when we find more accurate or up-to-date figures. Therefore the default greenhouse gas savings calculated from the latest data may not correspond to those quoted in Commission’s working documents using a "snapshot" of the database at some past date.
NEITHER JEC-WTW RESULTS NOR THE DEFAULT GHG SAVINGS IN THE R.E. DIRECTIVE INCLUDE LAND USE CHANGE
Increased demand for crops resulting from their use in Biofuels is likely to lead to an expansion of cropped area at the expense of other land uses, as well as to more intensive production on existing cropland. This can happen directly, by planting crops for Biofuels on pasture or natural land, or indirectly, by displacing food production ("Indirect Land Use Change). The change in land use and the intensification can be expected to increase GHG emissions. However, the scale of the increased emissions is very uncertain and controversial. Therefore JEC has not included them in any of the results presented here, which therefore represent only the "direct emissions" attributed to Biofuels production.
@COPYRIGHT CONDITIONS
The documents, tables and figures presented here can be freely used and reproduced provided:
1° The source is duly acknowledged as "JEC Well-to-Wheels study Version 3, year 2008”
2° The tables and figures, if copied from the original documents, are not altered in any way
WTW Version 2C – MARCH 2007
There are 10 documents available for download, offering various levels of detail:
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A slide pack summarizes the main results and messages.
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The Well-to-Wheels (WTW) report provides and integrated analysis of the complete pathways in terms of energy, GHG emissions, costs and potential availability of alternative fuels. Its two appendices cover in more detail:
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- Energy and greenhouse gas balances for all pathways;
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- Cost data and calculations.
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The Well-to-Tank (WTT) report details the WTT portion of the pathways, including cost and availability estimates. There are three WTT appendices covering:
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- Individual processes and input data;
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- Detailed energy and GHG balances for individual WTT pathways;
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- Energy requirement and GHG emissions for gasoline and diesel fuel production.
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The Tank-to-Wheels (TTW) report decribes the vehicle configurations and performance.The appendix gives details on vehicles retail price estimation.
For more information or questions please contact: infoWTW(at)jrc.it
Links to the 2006 WTW study files
This version 2c supersedes version 2b published in May 2006 and corrects a number of errors.
The most significant change in the cost data for the “ethanol from straw” pathway.
Other minor corrections affect the GHG balance of bio-diesel pathways and the cost data for the “ethanol from wood” and some hydrogen pathways.
Well-to-Wheels Slides
Well-to-Tank Reports
“Availability and Cost of Biomass for Road Fuels in EU”
The second edition of the well-to-wheels study was released in May 2006.
Compared with the first issue of the study, increased attention has been given to biofuel options.
Consequently, it was felt valuable to gain input and discussion from other expert groups, including authors of other recent studies, to compare information, test the reliability of the assumptions on the JEC study (JEC: JRC-EUCAR-CONCAWE), and find new information to reduce the existing areas of uncertainty
