Connected buses in CuritibaToday, more people live in cities than in rural areas, and while cities consume the majority of our planet’s resources, they are also centers of innovation, where new ways to more effectively use those resources are explored. One of Brazil’s largest cities, Curitiba, is transforming its public-transportation system by connecting city buses to a high-speed mobile-broadband network. This could mean a significant reduction of the city’s energy consumption and total carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions.

assessment of CO2e emissions related to Curitiba’s BRT systemBy 2050, an estimated 70 percent of the world’s population will reside in urban areas. Our planet’s cities are faced with the challenge of becoming more sustainable while also continuing to be drivers of prosperity. Here, connectivity is playing a major role. The city of Curitiba in Brazil was the first in the world to connect public buses to a 3G mobile-broadband network. While providing better and safer services to millions of passengers each day, a connected public-transport system makes for more efficient fuel usage and a corresponding reduction in CO2e emissions.

The big pictureIn 1974, the city of Curitiba in Brazil was faced with rising traffic congestion, poor air quality and limited infrastructure. The aim was to improve its public transit system despite a lack of funds. Because constructing a metro system was beyond the city’s capabilities and the bus system was plagued by lengthy travel times and too many stops, the plan was to incorporate the positive elements of both systems.

A decision was made to invest in a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Curitiba that included dedicated bus lanes, platforms to enable level boarding, payment before travel, fewer stops, communication with a central transit authority and coordination with traffic signals. Several of these features required ICT solutions, including automated scheduling and traffic-signal communication.

Fast forward to today, where we are in the first transformational phase leading to a society where everything that can benefit from a connection will be connected. Curitiba, one of Brazil’s largest cities, is now transforming its BRT system by embedding mobile-broadband modules in city buses and bus stops,

connecting them directly to an HSPA network.

These broadband solutions could potentially have a transformative impact on energy consumption and CO2e emissions for the entire city, and are therefore interesting to assess from a sustainability perspective.

Our approachAs part of our series of studies that explore ICT solutions and their potential CO2e emissions reductions, we have conducted a life-cycle-based analysis of CO2e emissions related to the BRT system in Curitiba.

The assessment considers both the environmental impact of the ICT-based service, as well as the service it potentially replaces. This study includes an analysis of the impact of the ICT solutions (including equipment manufacturing) as well as the use of the conventional systems. It also introduces a figure called the “potential reduction ratio.” This is a calculation of direct and embodied emissions of a new ICT-based solution (measured in tonnes of CO2e) set in relation to the potential savings in direct and embodied fuel-related emissions which are enabled by

STAKEHOLDER

Urban Development Authority

of Curitiba

ENABLING EFFECT

Transportation efficiency and

reduction of CO2e emissions

AREA

Public transportation

the ICT solutions (also measured in tonnes of CO2e).

For more information on Ericsson’s work with enabling ICT solutions, please visit: http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_ a_low_carbon_economy

The solution The BRT system in Curitiba, Brazil’s eighth-largest city with 1.8 million inhabitants, has been a success story. It is estimated that commuters there complete on average 2.3 million trips per working day, riding on one of the 1,928 BRT buses that are in operation. The environmental impact has been significant too. Earlier evaluations looking as far back as1991 have indicated that around 27 million automobile trips have been avoided each year, representing about 27 millionliters in fuel savings annually.

Our new assessment of Curitiba’s BRT examined the CO2e emissions related to the entire ICT-system architecture, as well as the fuel- related emissions of traditional transportation types (specifically car travel). The analysis thus included the impact of the ICT modules located on each bus and in bus stop equipment, as well as in a centrally located ICT system.

The operation of these vehicles produces approximately 100 tonnes of CO2e annually per bus. Based on the 1,928 buses in operation, this is equal to about 200,000 tonnes of direct CO2e per year based on the total of fuel purchased per year, and about 30,000 tonnes of embodied CO2e from fuel extraction, production and distribution. The cars driven in Curitiba (there are about 850,000 of them), produce about 1,500,000 tonnes of direct CO2e each year, and their fuel supply is estimated at 300,000 tonnes of CO2e. The embodied emissions of buses, cars and road infrastructure were not considered in the assessment. If

such emissions had been included the break even would move in favor of the ICT solution.

The ICT solution on each bus, which includes a computer, reader, validator and a console, consumes an average of about 20 watts (0-40W). The central ICT solution, including employees, data centers, servers and so on, consumes an average of about 4,750W. The central ICT solution operates on low-carbon (mainly hydro) electricity, but the ICT module in each bus operates on diesel-generated electricity. The ICT equipment at each bus stop has also been examined, and the total ICT solution is estimated to emit about 500 tonnes of CO2e annually including both direct and embodied emissions.

The bottom lineIn general, bus systems provide a versatile form of public transportation with the flexibility to serve a variety of access needs and locations throughout a metropolitan area. For Curitiba, the BRT system has been a great success. The results have been an improved quality of life in the city, as well as significant environmental progress. In the future, however, reducing car travel in Curitiba will be central to achieving continued environmental benefits.

Despite the success of the BRT system, the number of cars and total emissions per capita are increasing in Curitiba. This is a challenge – but also an opportunity to reverse the trend through ICT-enabled solutions. The BRT system for example, which is used for 70 percent of all types of commuting (including by private car), produces approximately 200,000 tonnes of direct CO2e emissions per year compared with 1,500,000 tonnes related to annual car travel in the city. The ICT portion of the BRT system adds about 500 tonnes of CO2e per year.

Although it is hard to predict the exact impact of ICT-enabled efficiencies, there are indications

POTENTIAL REDUCTION SCENARIO for CO2e

> 1:4 if the bus operation can be made 1 percent more efficient (1percent less fuel used for the same amount of passengers)

> 1:3 if car travel can be reduced by 0.1 percent

> 1:30 if car travel can be reduced by 1 percent

The potential reduction ratio

represents the direct and embodied

ICT emissions, 500 tonnes of CO2e

for the BRT system, set in relation

to the potential savings in direct

and embodied fuel-related

emissions that the ICT solutions

enable.

The ICT solution has just been

introduced and its effects can

therefore not be measured at this

stage, but more efficient bus

operation or reduced car travel will

be measured. At this stage the

question is how large the enabling

effects need to be to safely say that

the reduced fuel-related emissions

clearly exceed the total ICT-related

emissions.

Bus operation: a saving of 1 percent

or 2,300 tonnes of CO2e. If the bus

operation can be made 1 percent

more efficient with respect to

fuel-related emissions, this saving

will exceed the emissions related to

the ICT solution by a factor 4. The

potential reduction can then be

expressed as 1:4.

Car travel: a saving of 0.1 percent

or 1,800 tonnes of CO2e. If car

travel can be reduced by 0.1

percent, this saving will exceed the

emissions related to the ICT

solution by a factor 3. The potential

reduction can then be expressed as

1:3. If 1 percent of car travel can be

reduced, the potential reduction

can then be expressed as 1:30.

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that ICT solutions like those described here could increase the amount of bus travel, while also improving real-time planning. These developments will in turn make bus travel more attractive, thereby reducing the amount of car travel.

The figure above shows the CO2e impact of the total ICT solution and the potential overall savings for the reduction scenarios related to bus operation and car travel. The table shows the emission levels without these savings taking place. For example, if the bus operation can be made 1 percent more efficient in terms of fuel use (and CO2e), the potential direct CO2e savings would be about 2,000 tonnes of CO2e per year or 2,300 tonnes of CO2e per year if also considering embodied emissions. This will far exceed the amount of CO2e that

is added as a result of ICT-enabled efficiency measures. Furthermore, if car travel can be reduced by only 0.1 percent, the potential related direct reduction of CO2e would be about 1,500 tonnes per year or about 1,800 tonnes of CO2e if embodied fuel-supply emissions were also considered.

What about the case of reduced car-travel emissions being countered by increased bus operations and, as a result, increased bus emissions? Taking the bus is much more efficient in the first place, and in this study it is assumed that the BRT system can easily include 1 percent of all car travellers without needing to increase operations. Non-commuting trips in particular could be targeted when there is overcapacity in the BRT system.

Curitiba What if? scenarios