Research: Over 5 years, fuel economy standards would save Malaysia 16.2 billion litres petrol, reduce emissions

SUZHOU,China,Oct. 4,2021 -- Introducing fuel economy standards would significantly contribute to fuel savings and emissions mitigation in Malaysia,according to new international publication by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

In the past 20 years,the transport sector in Malaysia consistently consumed more than 40 percent of the country's total energy use with land transport- mainly private cars- using the most.

In a recently published paper,UTS's Distinguished Professor Teuku Meurah Indra Mahlia,UTS's PhD student Ahmad Zuhairi Muzakir,and XJTLU's Professor Eng Hwa Yap reveal the significant benefits a fuel economy standards policy would bring Malaysia.

"Unlike many developed economies,fuel consumption by private cars in Malaysia isn't governed by a national policy on fuel economy standards," Muzakir says.

"We explored what the impact of adopting a fuel economy standards policy on passenger vehicles would be compared to what it might look like if the country continued business as usual.

"Our data shows that the lack of fuel economy standards has resulted in the loss of potentially tremendous savings in fuel consumption and emission mitigation."

Forecasting a five-year period from 2025 to 2030,thefindings suggest Malaysia would save 16.2 billion litres of petrol if fuel economy standards were implemented.

In addition,the standards would reduce at least 37.6 million tons CO2equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.

Muzakir says the research can help guide officials and policy makers in Malaysia to see the benefits of fuel economy standards.

"Transportation plays an important role in economic growth so in many countries," Muzakir says.

"Particularly for developing countries,in the Asian context for example,there is some reluctance to introduce policies that have a perceived economic risk.

"Our research highlights what countries like Malaysia can gain by putting in place fuel economy standards in real terms. We hope our modelling can also be adopted by other countries in the region to support them in deciding to implement similar standards."

Muzakir is supervised by Professor Yap,Dean of the School of Intelligent Manufacturing Ecosystem and the School of Robotics (Taicang) at XJTLU and Distinguished Professor Mahlia of UTS.

The paper 'The Way towards an Energy Efficient Transportation by Implementation of Fuel Economy Standards: Fuel Savings and Emissions Mitigation'was published in Sustainability.