Conservation and Efficiency - Energy Policy Analysis: A Conceptual Framework - page 171

Figure 10.1 Energy Consumed by Sector, 2010

Commercial
19%

Residential
23%

Transportation
28%

Industrial 31%

Source: USEIA 2011a.

TRANSPORTATION

The transportation sector includes all vehicles that transport people or goods, such as cars, trucks,
buses, motorcycles, trains, subways, aircraft, boats, barges, and even hot air balloons, accounting
for about 28 percent of total U.S. energy consumption in 2010 (USEIA 2011a, 38).
Of the energy used in this sector, approximately 63 percent is consumed by gasoline-powered
vehicles. Diesel-powered transport (trains, merchant ships, heavy trucks) consumes about 24
percent, and aircraft consume most of the remaining 13 percent (USEIA 2011b, 118).
Two measures have increased the energy efficiency of motor vehicles by boosting fuel economy
and hold some promise for further improvements: corporate average fuel economy (CAFE)
standards and greenhouse gas emissions standards. After the introduction of corporate CAFE
standards in 1978, the fuel economy for all light-duty vehicles increased from 19.9 miles per gal-
lon (mpg) in 1978 to 26.2 in 1987. However, increased sales of light trucks with lower miles per
gallon worked against this trend. Despite continued technological improvements, fuel economy
fell to between 24 and 26 mpg over the next two decades, as sales of light trucks increased from
about 20 percent of new light-duty vehicles sales in 1980 to 55 percent in 2004. From 2004 to
2008, fuel prices increased, sales of light trucks slowed, and tighter fuel economy standards for
light-duty trucks were introduced. As a result, average fuel economy for light-duty vehicles rose
to 28.0 mpg in 2008 (USEIA 2011b).