A Multi-Tier Approach to Estimate Energy Efficiency in Urban Passenger Mobility

Abstract

Background: Recent studies evidence a lack of accurate methods to estimate energy efficiency in urban areas. This is due to the complex nature of obtaining wide range of activity and energy data from a single municipality, especially from developing countries, where data is usually scarce. Under these circumstances, this paper develops a method for estimating the energy efficiency in urban passenger mobility, considering three different levels of detail. The innovative factor is the use of a multi-tier approach to compare and adjust outputs. The method was applied in Sorocaba, Brazil, estimating a baseline of energy efficiency in this city. Results: Results show that energy efficiency varied from 0.67 passenger per kilometer/Mega Joule in 2013 to 0.70 passenger per kilometer /Mega Joule in 2017, which are consistent with the Brazilian passenger transport energy efficiency. Conclusions: The method proved to be an important mechanism for benchmarking purposes and for the decision-making process on transport investments. Moreover, it can be applied in cities from countries with different cultural and economic contexts.