Miljøprojekt, 939 – Reduktion af partikelemissioner fra varebiler og taxier

Reduction of Particle Emissions from Light Duty Vehicles and from Taxies

Summary and conclusions

This project, "Reduction of particle emissions from light duty vehicles and from taxies", analyses different strategies to reduce the particle emission, their effect for particle emissions, and the resulting cost for the society and for the companies.

The project describes the EU regulation of emissions, the possibilities of reducing the emissions via special requirements in environmental zones and the Danish taxation of light duty vehicles. Further, the project includes interviews with owners of light duty vehicles and taxies and also with Danish producers of particle filters.

The strategies analysed in the scenarios include:

Promotion of particle filters
Shift from diesel to gasoline and
Downsizing

The effects for particle emissions and for mortality are described. Further, the costs and benefits for the society and the cost for the companies are evaluated. The effects of the scenarios are analysed, both for initiatives implemented at a national level and for implementation in an environmental zone in the municipality of Copenhagen.

The main results are that the socioeconomic benefits in the year 2012 are greater than the costs, if taxis and light duty vehicles have filters installed and if they are driving in the Copenhagen area. For light duty vehicles it is only profitable, if the prices of the filters fall to the price level that is expected in the future in the study. Further, the analysis shows that for light duty vehicles and taxies driving all over the country, the socioeconomic benefits achieved by installing particle filters are too small to cover the costs.

The analysis shows that it is also profitable socio-economically to change from diesel to petrol for light duty vehicles and for taxies (except taxies driving nationally). The analysis is based on the producer prices including the general net tax level, while the specific taxes are not included. From the point of view of the companies it is not profitable to change to petrol, because of the tax on petrol.

The study does not analyse specific instruments to implement the scenarios. When specific instruments are proposed, one must consider whether it is necessary to supplement the results in this report with additional analysis.