A commission chaired by an automaker and a utility released a report outlining a strategy to cut U.S. transportation energy use by 50% by 2050.

The 50x50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency issued recommendations calling on policymakers to act in a coordinated manner to "lead a successful energy efficiency transformation of the transportation sector."

The group was chaired by Audi of America president Scott Keogh and National Grid U.S. president Dean Seavers. It included a coalition of vehicle manufacturers, utilities, environmental and consumer groups, unions, technology companies and public officials.

The report issued September 26 says that transportation represents roughly one-third of U.S. energy consumption. The sector recently displaced electricity generation as the leading source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation also represents the second biggest daily expense for American families, after housing.

According to the report, demand for transportation services is likely to rise "significantly" in the future, potentially increasing congestion on U.S. roads and putting more stress on public transportation systems.

The report recommends that policymakers should not only seek to enhance vehicle and component energy efficiency, but also to capitalize on new technologies to move to a “transportation services” model in which services are allocated efficiently, affordably and effectively according to geographic and service needs. Toward that end, the report recommends adopting policies that encourage consumers to select the most efficient transportation modes.

The report says that policymakers should focus on improving the efficiency of all vehicle types and accelerating vehicle turnover. Source: NissanThe report also recommends that the U.S. should prioritize its leadership in pursuing research, development, deployment and demonstration for efficient transportation innovation opportunities. It calls on Congress and federal agencies to continue to support the development of electric vehicles. And it says that federal agencies should maximize their impact through measures including public-private partnerships that stimulate research into market-transformational technologies.

As a final recommendation, the report says that policymakers should focus on improving the efficiency of all vehicle types by promoting fuel economy standards and accelerating vehicle turnover. It calls for incentives to encourage the deployment of and infrastructure for energy-efficient vehicles, especially electric vehicles, plug-in and non-plug-in hybrid vehicles and efficient vehicles running on "renewable" natural gas.

It calls on policymakers to support electric vehicles through standardization of adaptors and customer experience, the promotion of practices to ensure optimal grid stability and the redesign of the Highway Trust Fund to ensure the growth of efficient vehicles is balanced with infrastructure investments.

The 50x50 Commission includes Scott Keogh, President Audi of America (co-chair); Dean Seavers, President, National Grid, U.S. (co-chair); Melissa E. Adams, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, WGL Holdings/Washington Gas; John Di Stasio, President, Large Public Power Council; Bruce Edelston, Vice President, Energy Policy, Southern Company; Matt Enstice, President & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; Jack Gillis, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of America; Thomas R. Kuhn, President, Edison Electric Institute; Eric J. McCarthy, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Public Policy and Legal Affairs, Proterra; Arlen Orchard, CEO & GM, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Giovanni Palazzo, CEO, Electrify America; Thomas S. Passek, President, Copper Development Association; William Peduto, Mayor, Pittsburgh; Betsy Price, Mayor, Fort Worth; Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO, New York Power Authority; Norman Saari, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission; Kevin B. Self, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Business Develop and Government Relations, Schneider Electric; Paul Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association; Lonnie Stephenson, International President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Rhea Suh, President, Natural Resources Defense Council; Dan Turton, Vice President, North America Public Policy, General Motors; Bert Van Hoof, Partner — Group Program Manager, Microsoft; Ted Walker, Managing Director, Navigant; and Greg White, Executive Director, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

The Commission’s recommendations were informed by the work of more than 100 experts from across the country serving on technical committees. The committees issued five “sector baseline” reports evaluating a wide range of transportation sectors and technologies. The technical committees were chaired by Robert Chapman, Vice President, Energy and Environment, Electric Power Research Institute; Robert Horton, Vice President, Environmental Affairs, DFW International Airport; Roy Kuga, Vice President, Grid Integration & Innovation, PG&E Corporation; Dr. Philip Lavrich, Director, Strategy and Advanced Technologies, Ingersoll Rand; and Patricia Monahan, Program Director, Transportation, Energy Foundation.