Of all end-use sectors the transport sector accounts for more than a third of global CO2 emissions
Transportation, encompassing air, road, rail, and marine modes, is crucial to our society and economy. As economic growth drives up demand, the sector remains a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, heavily reliant on oil products like petrol and diesel. Transitioning to lower carbon fuels is challenging due to the current energy density needs that batteries and hydrogen can't fully meet. However, policies worldwide, including financial incentives for low-emission vehicles and future bans on petrol and diesel cars, are promoting change.
A transformation driven by electrification, shared mobility, and automation is underway. Electric vehicles, integrated with the energy system, offer smart charging opportunities to enhance grid management. This shift, supported by technological advances and market trends, presents chances for a more sustainable transport sector. Key changes include modal shift, behavioural adjustments, vehicle efficiency improvements, and the adoption of low carbon fuels and new business models.
Learn more about transport by exploring our Energy Insights.
For the latest news and articles on the transport sector read New Energy World.
View our dedicated Collection on Road Fuels.
0.0%
of new car registrations in the UK were electric vehicles by the end of 2024 (Zapmap)
0
electric vehicle charging points as of August 2025 across the UK (Zapmap)
0.0%
was the proportion of renewable fuels used for transport fuel in the UK in 2023 (Department of Transport)
0%
of UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 came from domestic transport (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
New Energy World stories
UK reports promote increasing biomethane production
11th August 2026
The report is very supportive of biomethane produced by anaerobic digestion (AD), a process usually based on agricultural land where organic matter su...
EV sales rebound as energy crisis drives global growth
11th August 2026
A new report finds that global car sales fell by around 5% year-on-year in 1H2026, as demand weakened in the two largest markets, China and the US, am...
Liverpool Bay CCS secures seabed lease for UK-first carbon storage project
4th August 2026
The lease enables Liverpool Bay CCS, part of Eni CCUS, to access the seabed and redeploy legacy offshore assets to transport and permanently store CO2...
Beijing announces three-year plan to reduce carbon emissions and expand clean energy
20th July 2026
The directive requires non-fossil energy consumption to increase by about 1% annually through 2028. It also mandates limiting coal use in power genera...
Power-to-X enters a new operational phase
7th July 2026
As one of Denmark’s earliest operational facilities begins hydrogen production, Germany’s ERA ONE plant has become the first Power-to-Liquid facility ...
Technical guidance publications
EI 3499
Research report: Application of life cycle assessment methodology to the understanding of the energy balance and efficiency of hydrogen derivative value chain building blocks
July 2026
This research report builds on the Energy Institute’s earlier publication, Research report: Application of life cycle assessment methodology to the un...
EI 3638
Vehicle future technology equipment in accordance with EU General Safety Regulations (GSR)
July 2026
In December 2019, the EU officially published the new General Safety Regulation (GSR), Regulation (EU) 2019/2144, amending the European Whole Vehicle ...
EI 3609
Guidance for management of change when repurposing existing natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen
February 2026
As the energy sector transitions toward net zero, repurposing existing natural gas infrastructure to safely transport hydrogen and hydrogen–natural ga...
EI 3589
Good plant design for CO2 stream impurity measurement
May 2025
As carbon capture and storage (CCS) moves from concept to large-scale deployment, ensuring the safe, efficient, and commercially viable operation of C...
EI 1535 Minimum criteria to determine acceptability of additives for use in multi-product pipelines co-transporting jet fuel
November 2024
The testing outlined in this publication is intended to provide risk management information for use in the assessment of new additives prior to their ...