Well-to-wheel emissions
Well-to-wheel (WTW) emissions are the total greenhouse gas emissions generated across the entire energy lifecycle of a vehicle, from producing the fuel or electricity that powers the vehicle to using it for transport. It combines both upstream and downstream emissions to give a complete picture of a vehicle’s environmental impact.
What do well-to-wheel emissions include?
WTW emissions are typically broken down into two stages:
- Well-to-tank (WTT): Emissions from extracting, refining, producing, and delivering fuel or electricity.
- Tank-to-wheel (TTW): Emissions from using that fuel or electricity to power the vehicle (e.g. burning diesel or charging and discharging a battery)
For electric vehicles, WTW emissions include the carbon intensity of the electricity used. For diesel trucks, it includes both the fuel production process and tailpipe emissions.
Does carbon accounting include well-to-wheel emissions?
Well-to-wheel emissions are commonly used in carbon accounting tools to give a complete and standardized view of transport emissions. Using WTW data helps ensure that emission reductions are real, not just shifted from one part of the supply chain to another.
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Well-to-wheel emissions
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