Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.

9, 2011

A Study on the Development of Carbon Neutral Roads

Youngin KWON Sungmin JANG

Research Fellow Research Assistant
Dept. of Advanced Transportation Research Dept. of Advanced Transportation Research
The Korea Transport Institute The Korea Transport Institute
1160 Simindaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si 1160 Simindaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si
411-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea 411-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Tel: +82-31-910-3032 Tel: +82-31-910-3219
Fax: +82-31-910-3241 Fax: +82-31-910-3241
Email: ykwon@koti.re.kr Email: mrcool21@koti.re.kr

Jutaek OH Taehyung KIM

Research Fellow Associate Research Fellow
Dept. of Advanced Transportation Research Dept. of Advanced Transportation Research
The Korea Transport Institute The Korea Transport Institute
1160 Simindaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si 1160 Simindaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si
411-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea 411-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Tel: +82-31-910-3174 Tel: +82-31-910-3027
Fax: +82-31-910-3235 Fax: +82-31-910-3228
Email: jutaek@koti.re.kr Email: thkim@koti.re.kr

Dongmin LEE Jaejoon LEE

Associate Research Fellow Associate Research Fellow
Dept. of Advanced Transportation Research Dept. of Advanced Transportation Research
The Korea Transport Institute The Korea Transport Institute
1160 Simindaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si 1160 Simindaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si
411-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea 411-701, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Tel: +82-31-910-3011 Tel: +82-31-910-3097
Fax: +82-31-910-3235 Fax: +82-31-910-3228
Email: dmlee@koti.re.kr Email: jjlee@koti.re.kr

Abstract: As global warming causes environmental problems around the world, international
discussions such as the Cancun Conference (2010) etc. are actively discussing issues
concerning such issues. Korea actively participates in confronting international climate
change. Korea is seeking specific ways of applying green technology development so as to
contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and energy consumption. There is a need for
the development of proprietary technology appropriate to the national condition and this fact
further emphasizes and confirms the need to develop “Carbon Neutral Road Technologies”. In
order to develop roads which have this carbon neutral state, there is a need to minimize the
emission of CO2 and environmental burden in the process of developing and maintaining
roads. There is also a need to use road facilities and unused areas of the road to construct
roads which are capable of energy production and techniques in order to maintain such
facilities.

Key Words: Carbon Neutral Road ,Low-Carbon Green Growth , Energy Harvesting

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Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.9, 2011

1. INTRODUCTION

As global warming causes environmental problems around the world, international

discussions such as the Bali Road Map (2007), Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
(2009), Cancun Conference (2010), etc. are actively discussing issues concerning such issues.
As a result, major countries around the world have been setting reduction targets for their
emission of greenhouse gases. In addition, they are actively investing and developing
environmental-friendly ways to tackle global warming. There is also fierce competition to
exercise further development in green technology.

Figure 1 Profress of Climate Convention among Countries

Korea actively participates in confronting international climate change. Accordingly, Korea is

seeking specific ways of applying green technology development so as to contribute to the
reduction of carbon emissions and energy consumption. In addition, under the policy stance
of “low-carbon green growth”, national plans such as “5-year green development plan”,
“green growth plan”, etc. have been developed. Also, Korea has been conducting a series of
policies and strategies to reduce 30% of the emission of greenhouse gases(BAU) in the year
of 2020.

In conjunction with “low-carbon green growth”, the Ministry of Land, Transport and
Maritime Affairs(MLTM), through the “MLTM R&D Development Strategy” is developing
plans to create results from factors such as the improvement of the level of technology,
reduction of social and economic costs and establishment of social environments. Through the
「 Green-up 30 future core technologies 」 , the early achievements of green technology
growth and reduction of greenhouse gases are happening. Such application of「Green-up 30
future core technologies」to aspects of road and transport is the idea and very existence of
Carbon Neutral Roads.

2. NECESSITY OF CARBON NEUTRAL ROADS

The majority of current road projects are key development projects carried out as government
investment projects. Despite this, there is a need to see beyond the idea that road construction
and traffic operation are simply having a negative effect upon our ecological environment. It
has come to a time where investment and focus are needed to fundamentally discipline the
destruction of natural resources and roads co-existing with the environment. Also, the
pollution produced on the roads takes up approximately 16.6% of Koreas entire CO2

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Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.9, 2011

emissions. Exhaust gases and the urban heat island phenomenon due to endothermic reactions
from the roads significantly contribute to the deterioration of global warming.

Figure 2 Greenhouse Gas Decreasing Plan

Thus, the current situation calls for an environmental improvement which will supply the
present road system with an environmental- friendly function. Particularly to confront global
warming and the convention on climate change, cars are being converted from current fossil
energy run cars to environmental- friendly cars. There is a need for the development of
proprietary technology appropriate to the national condition and this fact further emphasizes
and confirms the need to develop “Carbon Neutral Road Technologies.”

3. DEVELOPMENT OF CARBON NEUTRAL ROADS

„Carbon Neutral' refers to the state of having an overall zero carbon footprint after
carbon emissions trading has been taken into account. In order to develop roads which
have this carbon neutral state, there is a need to minimize the emission of CO2 and
environmental burden in the process of developing and maintaining roads. There is also a
need to use road facilities and unused areas of the road to construct roads which are capable of
energy production and techniques in order to maintain such facilities. These Techniques can
be categorized into 4 major research technologies. Through the following technology
development, the national greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020, which is to reduce 30%
of the emission of greenhouse gases(BAU) could be accomplished.

 Development of road construction and construction techniques in order to

minimize CO 2 emissions and environmental pollution: use of carbon neutral
construction materials and basic environmental-friendly car facilities, etc.
 Development of low-carbon road traffic management techniques in order to
reduce traffic congestion and CO 2 emissions: carbon emissions monitoring
and low-carbon traffic management system, etc.
 Promotion and development of energy harvesting techniques and the
production of energy using natural resources (solar, wind, water etc) around
areas of road facilities.
 Development of techniques to estimate greenhouse gas emissions during the
estimated life spans of roads and capture and store CO 2 produced on roads.
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4. RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The following research has 4 stages of operation. The first stage aims to establish the
technology development and thus find candidate projects through setting a focus momentum
field by establishing a momentum direction and vision based on current technology
movement and technology demand research. The technology direction uses the internet,
related books and articles to collect basic information. The patents and paper research are
redeemed through professional advice and the LandMarK(Land, transport and Maritime
Knowledge) operated by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs. In addition,
the macroscopic environmental factors which may affect the technology development are
analyzed using STEEP analysis. The direction and practicality of the technology development
is established through technology demand research. Additionally, a draft for the driven
direction of the technology development is established through SWOT analysis. Then, with
professional advice, the final technology development driven direction is established.
Through such a process, the specific candidate projects for the road technology development
of carbon neutral roads are developed.

Stage 2 intends to plan the research development projects in each focus momentum section.
The stage involves prioritizing the candidate projects and creating a research development
road map. By establishing aims and areas of the found research development project, it
proposes a direction of movement, personnel management and budget. The final momentum
direction is established through testing the redundancy of the research projects in relation to
the momentum areas of the candidate projects. The prioritized evaluation indicator is then
established through analysis of the success possibility of factors such as the technology
development, importance, urgency, market attractiveness, security status of the core
technology, critical success cases in developed countries and professional advice/opinions.
Thus, based on such evaluation indicators, the candidate projects of the focus areas are
evaluated and prioritized. Following this, the technology road map is created and core
technologies for 4 major research technologies and research development plan, time schedule,
etc. are proposed. STEEP analysis, SWOT analysis and critical success case analysis, used in
stage 2 are implemented in all 4 major research technologies and preceded.

Stage 3 is a prefeasibility research stage of the research development. Thus, it tests the
validity of the research development from technological, political and economical aspects.
The political validity test investigates road related policies and regulations and the current
growth engine and low-carbon green growth policy. Thus, the validity of the project is
analyzed from a government political point of view and thus justification of the business
promotion is attained. Technological validation evaluation tests the content of the carbon
neutral road plan. Through this process, the appropriateness of the technology development
plan and the success probability of the technology development, the probability of repeats are
tested with the existing project. Economic validities are distinguished between cases of
analysis when economic validity is straight forward and the conversion of money is easy to
when economic validity is indirect and it is difficult to convert money. The economic, social,
scientific and technological ripple effects of such fields are also analyzed.

Stage 4 involves devising the RFP and is the criteria establishment stage. Thus, it is the stage
where the RFP for the carbon neutral road technology development R&D project is created.
The RFP consists of research development objective proposals, the necessity of the research
development and technology movement summaries, content of research development, further
growth of the research development, hopeful effects and ripple effects etc. the evaluation

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criteria is set based on both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the evaluation.

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