The Future of Fuels for Commercial Transport

With the current boom in U.S. oil and natural gas production, it might be tempting to put aside the notion of shifting to more sustainable fuels for commercial transport. Why venture into this unknown area when traditional supplies are so plentiful? The answer: the current state of affairs can't last. Now is the time to begin exploring which kinds of alternative fuels have the greatest potential to power heavy trucks and other modes of transport in the years ahead. On this episode, we speak with Ryan Schuchard, associate director for climate change with BSR, a non-profit network of multinational companies dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and forging greener supply chains. He shares the results of a recent study by BSR's Future of Fuels initiative, laying out the various options and answering some key questions: Which alternative fuels are best? What will they cost? How effective will they be? And how will we cope with a 40-percent increase in energy consumption between 2012 and 2030?