Publications

Transportation

The following publications and presentations released by the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project related to Transportation:

• Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) position on clean hydrogen
  January 2023 -

  With the passage of federal legislation in 2022, there is significant funding and renewed interest in the potential for clean hydrogen to contribute to climate solutions. In SWEEP's work to promote energy efficiency, electrification, and other clean energy solutions to climate change in the Southwest states, we will be involved in decisions regarding potential new hydrogen projects in the region, and investments in the Department of Energy’s proposed clean hydrogen hubs. SWEEP sees the potential of green hydrogen to contribute to the United States and regional climate goals, if its production and use are prioritized properly. We think it is important to maximize the wise use of renewable electricity resources — for direct use as electricity, or to produce green hydrogen for difficult to decarbonize fuel uses. SWEEP does not support the production of other colors of hydrogen, including blue, with some potential caveats discussed in this position paper.
• Transportation and land use planning equity in Colorado
  June 2022 - SWEEP collaborated with two students at the University of Colorado Boulder to develop a report on equity in transportation and land use planning throughout Colorado. The white paper and accompanying presentation highlight existing inequities and community-informed best practices to improve transportation equity throughout Colorado. These recommendations prioritize community equity, and range from accessibility for all mobility levels, geographic equity, racial justice, and differing needs across socio-economic statuses. The presentation on this report can be found here.
• Equity, Emissions, & Electric MHDVs
  January 2022 - SWEEP worked with two graduate students at the University of Colorado-Boulder on a clean trucking report. Reducing pollution from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) is critical to achieving Colorado’s climate, environmental justice, equity, and public health goals, but these vehicles face unique electrification challenges. This report details existing electric MHDV initiatives across the U.S. and proposes policy and program recommendations to accelerate MHDV electrification, charging infrastructure deployment, and associated emissions reductions in Colorado.
• Colorado Electric Vehicle Fact Sheets for Businesses and Local Governments
  Businesses and local governments around Colorado are saving money and reducing their carbon footprint by electrifying their vehicle fleets and providing workplace EV charging for their employees. Read our EV Fact Sheets to learn more about the economic and environmental benefits of fleet electrification, find examples of electric fleets in Colorado, and explore actions your organization can take to support transportation electrification.
  • Business Electric Vehicle Fact Sheet
    August 2020 -
    1. The Benefits of Electric Vehicles for Businesses
    2. Businesses Around Colorado are Transitioning their Fleets to Electric Vehicles
    3. What Can my Business Do to Support Transportation Electrification?
  • Local Government Electric Vehicle Fact Sheet
    August 2020 -
    1. The Benefits of Electric Vehicles for Local Governments
    2. Colorado Governments Are Leading the Way in Fleet Electrification
    3. What Can my Government Do to Support Transportation Electrification?
• Colorado Pathways to Reducing Carbon Pollution from the Transportation Sector
  July 2020 - To meet the state’s climate goals, Colorado must rapidly clean up transportation-related GHG pollution. Transportation is now surpassing electricity generation as the largest source of climate-changing pollution in Colorado and without bold policy action, it will continue to be the largest emitter. To hit the GHG targets, Colorado must reduce transportation emissions by 40% by 2030 through a combination of vehicle electrification, low-carbon fuels, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and reductions in vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT).
• Sustainable Transportation Funding for Colorado: Modernizing the Gas Tax to Improve Air Quality, Protect the Climate, and Save Money
  March 2020 - Colorado is grappling with a long-term shortfall in transportation funding. At the same time, the state faces a range of transportation-related problems, including unhealthy air quality, a worsening climate crisis, increasing traffic, and the growing unaffordability of modern life for many residents. To address these problems comprehensively, Colorado should modernize the gas tax. This paper describes how the state can and should raise additional revenue and stabilize funding by reforming the gas tax to automatically account for trends in inflation, fuel efficiency, and vehicle electrification; while avoiding policies (such as raising EV fees) that would slow progress toward a clean and efficient transportation system.
• Growing Greener: The Environmental Benefits of a Compact and Connected Boulder
  August 2019 - Boulder, Colorado is an environmentally conscious city with a problem. The lack of housing in Boulder has caused most of its workforce to live in surrounding communities – exacerbating global warming and air pollution with their long commutes and fueling regional sprawl. By enabling compact development, Boulder can create neighborhoods where homes, jobs, and recreational opportunities co-exist – enabling residents to walk, bike and take transit to where they are going. Decades of studies show that compact development is the right choice for the environment. This is the next step for Boulder to take to be a true environmental and climate leader.
• Economic and Emissions Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Nevada
  January 2019 - With continued investment and supportive policies, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as the most promising clean transportation alternative to gas-powered vehicles. As automakers introduce more diverse and affordable EV models, and as the network of charging stations expands, the market for electric vehicles will continue to grow. This paper analyzes the true societal value of electric vehicles.
  • Electric Vehicles in Nevada: Economic Benefits - Fact Sheet
    January 2019
• Arizona Electric Vehicle Cost-Benefit Analysis
  December 2018 - Today, the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) and Western Resource Advocates (WRA) released a report estimating the impacts of greater plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) use in Arizona. The report, conducted by the independent consulting firm M.J. Bradley & Associates, found that increased adoption of clean PEVs would reduce utility costs for Arizona families, reduce transportation costs for drivers, support the local economy, and improve air quality for all Arizonans, among other benefits.
  • Electric Vehicles in Arizona: Economic Benefits - Fact Sheet
    March 2019
  • Electric Vehicle Cost-Benefit Analysis - Executive Summary
    December 2018
  • Methodology and Assumptions
    December 2016
• Transportation Electrification in Nevada
  November 2018 - Transportation is now the largest source of greenhouse gasses in U.S. Getting EVs on the road benefits all utility customers and help states realize both environmental and economic benefits.
• EV-Ready Building Codes: Preparing new buildings for EV charging stations. How to put electric vehicle charging in your residential building code:
  
  • How to put electric vehicle charging in your residential building code
    October 2018
  • How to put electric vehicle charging in your commercial building code
    October 2018
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Cost-Effectiveness
    October 2018
  • Sample EV-Ready Building Code: Residential
    October 2018
  • Sample EV-Ready Building Code: Commercial
    October 2018
• Shared, Electric, and Self-Driving: How states and municipalities can encourage autonomous vehicles to be shared and electric
  September 2018 - The transportation sector is now the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. economy. Without high levels of vehicle electrification and an accelerated decarbonization of the electricity sector, it is unlikely that the transportation sector, and thus the entire US economy, will be able to attain the significant GHG reductions necessary to reduce the impacts of climate change.
• GoEVCity Colorado
  September 2018 - This document is a local policy toolkit for electric transportation. The GoEVCity Policy Toolkit is a catalog of local policies, strategies, and programs designed to advance the transition to EVs in Colorado communities. The toolkit takes a holistic approach to the transportation electrification, with specific policy recommendations for public transit, municipal fleets, taxis, ride-hail services, and personal car ownership. Most of these tools have been implemented in cities, counties, states, and utilites in Colorado and across the country.
• Economic Benefits Provided by The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority: 2011-2018
  August 2018 - While the public may realize that transit systems offer tangible economic benefits to large metropolitan areas, Coloradans also should know that smaller communities can receive significant economic benefits, too, based on their own investments in local transit systems. Read the report to see how RFTA's innovative transit system development has benefited several Colorado communities.
• Electric Vehicle Group Buy Programs: Handbook & Case Studies
  July 2018 - An evaluation of EV group buy programs and toolkit for developing new opportunities with regional stakeholders.
• Electrifying Transportation: Boulder County's Clean Future
  February 2018 - As part of its commitment to sustainability, Boulder County is investigating the potential to electrify its own vehicle fleet and increase plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption by its own employees and the general public. Vehicle electrification offers one of the best opportunities to significantly reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the County’s fleets and its employees, which is a necessary step to achieve the County’s goal of carbon neutrality in its operations.
• Denver's Opportunity for Vehicle Electrification
  August 2017 - This non-technical summary is a companion pieces to SWEEP’s longer engineering and economics study "Denver’s Opportunity for Vehicle Electrification,” which appears as the next entry on this page, below.
• Opportunities for Vehicle Electrification in the Denver Metro area and Across Colorado
  August 2017 - This in-depth report examines how electric vehicles can help the City and County of Denver, CO, meet the aims articulated in the city’s Climate Action Plan and Sustainability 2020 Goals, and how the vehicles also can help the surrounding metropolitan area improve regional air quality. To do so, however, the city and metro area must overcome several challenges, which the report also describes, along with possible ways to overcome the obstacles.
• Improving Mobility Without Building More Lanes
  July 2017 - Non-technical overview and companion pieces to longer engineering study "Managed Lanes and Other Strategies to Improve Mobility on the I - 25 South Corridor"
• Managed Lanes and Other Strategies to Improve Mobility on the I-25 South Corridor
  July 2017 - To improve mobility on this corridor, transportation planners should consider the conversion of one lane in each direction to a managed lane, providing drivers a congestion-free option. Revenues from the managed lane would be focused on aggressive transportation demand management (TDM) efforts to provide transportation alternatives to travelers in the corridor.
• The Potential for Electric Vehicles to Reduce Vehicle Emissions and Provide Economic Benefits in the Wasatch Front
  January 2017 - This report shows electric vehicles – both plug-in hybrids and fully battery-powered cars – will substantially help improve air quality along Utah's Wasatch Front. In addition, the study explains why the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) will bring economic benefits, too. The estimated 2,500 PEVs on the road in Utah at the end of 2016 saved Utahans around $800,000 in fuel costs in 2016 alone.
• Colorado’s Transit, Biking & Walking Needs Over The Next 25 Years
  August 2016 - This report analyzes the level of funding required to provide improved infrastructure for walking, bicycling and public transit in Colorado and discusses policy options to both reallocate existing funds and generate new revenue for multimodal transportation.
• Evaluation of Colorado Electric Vehicle Group Purchase Programs
  March 2016 - This report provides results and analysis of a four-month group purchase program for electric vehicles and solar photovoltaic hosted by Boulder County, Adams County and the City and County of Denver.
• The Electric Vehicle and Photovoltaic Power Purchase Handbook: A toolkit for developing electric vehicle and rooftop solar group purchase programs
  March 2016 - This is a handbook for local governments, utilities, or other agencies interested in launching an electric vehicle or solar group buy program, including information on program benefits, sample RFPs, and sample outreach materials.
• How Leading Utilities are Embracing Electric Vehicles
  February 2016 - This report describes the opportunities and challenges that electric vehicles present to utilities and reviews what leading utilities across the country are doing to increase adoption of electric vehicles.
• Transportation Toolkit
  October 2015 - This guide, coauthored by SWEEP and COPIRG staff, describes a range of options for making our communities better places -- places where residents can safely and comfortably get around by walking, riding a bike, or riding transit, in addition to driving.
• Driving Trends and Transportation Funding in the Southwest: Budgets Can Support Further Reductions in Driving
  September 2015 - This report makes the case for realigning transportation funding to serve the new reality of less driving and more demand for safe, energy-efficient alternatives.
• Boulder Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Adoption Assessment
  April 2015 - The research presented in this report was undertaken to provide recommendations on steps that local governments and other institutions in Boulder County can take to promote electric vehicles among their employees and residents. The report includes summary and discussion of best practices and cutting edge ideas for supporting electric vehicle charging in the workplace, residence and the public.
• Considering a Regional Network of Bus Rapid Transit in the Denver Metro Area
  October 2014 - SWEEP proposes that the region’s transportation planning entities (CDOT, RTD and DRCOG) collaborate on an initial high level study of potential BRT corridors as a step towards developing a regional vision for future BRT lines.
• Economic and Air Quality Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Nevada
  September 2014 - Electric vehicles help create jobs and provide economic and air quality benefits to Clark and Washoe Counties and the state of Nevada overall. In order to maximize these potential benefits for all Nevada residents, the state should consider adoption of policies that overcome barriers to greater numbers of people acquiring them.
• NV Energy: Leading the Way on Electric Vehicles
  August 2014 - This case study shows that NV Energy has demonstrated strong leadership and foresight in supporting EVs.
• Policies to Promote Electric Vehicles in the Southwest: A State Government Report Card (2014 edition)
  April 2014 - A 2014 update includes significant legislation adopted in Colorado and Utah in 2013 and 2014. Those states now lead the region in EV policies.
• Managed Highway Lanes in Colorado: Everyone Benefits from Including Carpools and Public Transit
  April 2014 - This SWEEP Paper examines the rationale behind Colorado's new policy of focusing on managed lanes rather than adding new capacity, and proposes legislative initiatives to further define and support it.
• Air Quality and Economic Benefits of Electric Vehicles in New Mexico
  January 2014 - SWEEP's analysis shows that electric vehicles provide significant air quality and economic benefits to residents in New Mexico. State policies can help to overcome barriers to more widespread use of the vehicles.
• Economic Benefits of Transit Systems: Colorado Case Studies
  September 2013 - Because of the significant local economic benefits generated by transit sytems, and because many of these benefits accrue to the entire population (not only transit users), communities’ expenditures on transit service should be seen as wise investments in the local economy.
• Air Quality and Economic Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Arizona
  September 2013 - Analysis shows that electric vehicles provide air quality and economic benefits to residents in Phoenix and Arizona. State policies can help to overcome barriers to more widespread use of the vehicles.
• Air Quality Benefits of Electric Vehicles in the Denver Metro and North Front Range Area
  September 2013 - An air quality and emissions analysis for the Denver metro and North Front Range region shows that electric vehicles can reduce emissions of air pollutants compared to gasoline-fueled vehicles.
• The Potential for Electric Vehicles to Reduce Emissions and Improve Air Quality on the Wasatch Front
  August 2013 - This report shows that in the Wasatch Front region of Utah, electric vehicles significantly reduce air pollution compared to gas-fueled cars.
• Comments Submitted to Utah Public Service Commission
  July 2013 - The PSC is required to investigate and report to the legislature under S.B. 275 options for cleaner urban air through enhanced use of alternative fuel vehicles. SWEEP and Utah Clean Energy submitted analysis and comments.
• Transportation Fuels for the Southwest: Life-cycle Energy Use & Environmental Impacts of Electric, CNG and Gas Vehicles
  July 2013 - This report for policymakers provides comparative analysis to determine the cleanest car in the six southwestern states of AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT and WY. Comparable performance of electric vehicles improves as renewables & natural gas increase their share of electricity generation over coal.
• Policies to Promote Electric Vehicles in the Southwest: A State Government Report Card
  May 2013 - More widespread adoption of electric vehicles in southwestern states will bring important public benefits, including cleaner air and lower fuel costs. This report issues "report card" grades for six states for state government policies that advance EVs.
• Transportation Fuels for Colorado's Future: Life-cycle Energy Use and Environmental Impacts of Electric, Compressed Natural Gas, and Gasoline Vehicles
  February 2013 - SWEEP Report: Due to planned improvements in Colorado's electricity generation, electric vehicles will become more efficient and less polluting every year. By 2020 they will significantly outperform gasoline and CNG vehicles.
• Electric Vehicles Can Buffer Arizona from the Economic Shocks of Rising Fuel Prices, Creat Jobs, and Reduce Pollution Control Costs
  July 2011 - SWEEP Report
• Protecting Arizona from the Economic Shocks of Rising Fuel Prices
  June 2011 - SWEEP Report submitted AZ Dept of Environmental Quality
• Comments by SWEEP on the Proposed Revocation of Arizona Clean Car Standards
  June 2011 - SWEEP Comments
• Transportation Policies to Protect the DRCOG Region from the Economic Shocks of Rising Fuel Prices
  April 2011 - SWEEP / EDF Report
• Ozone Precursor and GHG Emissions from Light Duty Vehicles: Comparing Electricity and Natural Gas as Transportation Fuels
  April 2011 - SWEEP Report for presentation to Denver Regional Air Quality Council
• What Can Cities and Counties Do to Promote the Deployment of Electric Vehicles?
  March 2011 - SWEEP Report
• Nevada Transportation Blueprint
  February 2011 - SWEEP Report
• Colorodo Transportation Blueprint - Presentation
  August 2010 - Presentation to Denver Regional Air Quality Council
• Colorado Transportation Blueprint
  July 2009 - SWEEP Report