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Effects of fuel change to electricity on PM2.5 local levels in the Bus Rapid Transit System of Bogota

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Abstract

The TransMilenio (TM) is a transport system. Twenty-year-old TM is a fast, highly efficient, and self-sufficient mode of passenger transport. This work aims to evaluate the effects of changing current TM diesel buses by electricity-powered buses (battery, wire-based), on the PM2.5 concentrations at surface level. Emissions calculations considering combustions and resuspension of TM and Non-TM were performed. A CFD model was implemented to estimate current PM2.5 concentrations at the roadside level, and the CFD results were validated using the statistic parameters: MB, RMSE, r, and IOA. Results from the emission calculations indicate that TM buses (30–50%) are one of the main sources of primary PM2.5 in all the considered urban sites in this study. Non-exhaust emissions from most vehicle categories were also identified as an important source of primary PM2.5 (40% of total emissions). The CFD model reproduced closely the trends and levels of PM2.5 concentrations measured at the roadside level in all the locations. Replacing TM diesel vehicles with electric vehicles reduces PM2.5 concentrations between 10 and 30% according to the CFD results obtained. Higher reductions can be achieved if policies are adopted to control other types of vehicles and non-exhaust emissions since they have a contribution of about 60%. Finally, this study shows that the combined use of emission calculations and advanced near-road dispersion models are useful tools to study and manage air quality in large cities.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Bogota Elektrika, TransMilenio S.A., Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Grupo de Investigación en Calidad del Aire, Grupo de Investigación En Combustibles Alternativos, Energía y Protección del Medio Ambiente, and S & S (Smart & Simple Engineering S.A.S) consulting company. Thanks to UNAD-ECAPMA and the PIE entitled “Evaluación y análisis del ruido Ambiental en las Instalaciones de los CEAD (Acacias, Yopal, Cumaral y San José del Guaviare) de la Zona Amazonia Orinoquia ZAO - UNAD” for supporting this study.

Funding

Direct economical founding by Bogota Elektriká, TransMilenio S.A., and the engineering company S & S. Indirect economical founding: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Grupo de Investigación en Calidad del Aire, COBIDES, and Grupo de Investigación En Combustibles Alternativos, Energía y Protección del Medio Ambiente.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental-Grupo de Investigación de Calidad del Aire (GICA), Universidad Nacional de Colombia; sede Bogota, Carrera 30 # 45-03; Edificio 453, Bogota, Colombia

    Luis Carlos Belalcazar-Cerón, Patricia Dávila, Aura Rojas & Néstor Rojas

  2. Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia; sede Bogota, Carrera 30 # 45-03; Edificio 453, Bogota, Colombia

    Helmer Acevedo

  3. Smart and Simple Engineering, Research Department, Bogota, Colombia

    Marco Andrés Guevara-Luna

  4. Conservación, Bioprospección y Desarrollo Sostenible (COBIDES), Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrícolas, Pecuarias y del Medio Ambiente (ECAPMA), Bogota, Colombia

    Marco Andrés Guevara-Luna

  5. LIVE-Laboratoire Image Ville Environnement, Université de Strasbourg, 3 rue de l’Argonne, F-67000, Strasbourg, France

    Marco Andrés Guevara-Luna

Authors
  1. Luis Carlos Belalcazar-Cerón
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  6. Néstor Rojas
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Contributions

LC directed the research and designed the project and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript.

PD developed the CFD modeling and monitoring campaign.

AR developed the CFD modeling and monitoring campaign.

MG performed the project management, modeling validation, and data analysis, and also contributed to the manuscript writing.

HA performed the research scheduling and supported the measuring campaign.

NR supported the data analysis and manuscript internal revision before submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Andrés Guevara-Luna.

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Not applicable since this manuscript does not contain data from any individual person.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Highlights

• Changes in the energy source of BRT vehicles in Bogota’s public transportation system have the potential to improve air quality by up to 30%.

• Emission estimations, PM2.5 monitoring, and CFD modeling were implemented.

• Implementation and validation of a CFD model to simulate PM2.5 roadside levels.

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Belalcazar-Cerón, L.C., Dávila, P., Rojas, A. et al. Effects of fuel change to electricity on PM2.5 local levels in the Bus Rapid Transit System of Bogota. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 68642–68656 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14978-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14978-0

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