HOW ELECTRIC VEHICLES WILL REDUCE TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS IN WASHINGTON DC

Abstract

Advanced energy storage technologies have progressed at a rapid pace, as the range of battery chemistries evolve and significant increases in capacity continue to transform the market. By 2030, energy storage markets are estimated to grow “2.5 – 4 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, approximately three to five times the current 800-gigawatt-hour (GWh) market,” driven mainly by the near-term market demand for light-duty electric vehicles (EVs). 1 Currently, the most powerful and relevant application of energy storage technologies is EV adoption, as the convergence of electrified transportation, rapid decrease in battery storage costs, and increased renewable energy generation has led to surges in deployment across the global electric and transportation sectors. This report will examine EV adoption within the city of Washington, DC in the medium-term (2030) and long-term (2050) future under a range of different scenarios and will evaluate the extent to which EV growth will contribute towards greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.