Vocabulary

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – співдружність незалежних держав (СНД)

rough – ускладнений

revenue – прибуток, надходження, дохід

strengthen – укріплювати, зміцнювати

Assignments

1. Read, translate and give the gist of text 13.

2. Put 7 key questions to the text.

3. Speak on:

- The purpose of the Ukraine’s energy market optimization;

- The role of Ukraine’s Power Grid for European energy markets;

- The main pipelines strategically important for Ukraine;

- The ways of improvement of the Ukraine’s gas transit system.

Text 14. Energy conservation in transportation

Transportation system includes all vehicles used for public or freight transportation. Approximately 65 % of the energy used in this sector, is consumed by gasoline-powered vehicles. Diesel-powered transport (trains, merchant ships, heavy trucks, etc.) consumes about 20 %, and air traffic consumes most of the remaining 15 %.

Two oil supply crises of the 1970s spurred the creation of the federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) programs in 1975, that forced auto manufacturers to meet progressively higher fleet fuel economy targets. The next decade saw feasible improvements in fuel economy, mostly as a result of reductions in vehicle size and weight originated in the late 1970s, along with transition to front wheel drive. These gains eroded somewhat after 1990 due to the growing popularity of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans that fall under the more lenient ‘light truck’ CAFE standard.

In addition to the CAFE program, the U.S. government has tried to encourage better vehicle efficiency through tax policy. Since 2002, taxpayers have been eligible for income tax credits for gas / electric hybrid vehicles. A ‘gas-guzzler’ tax has been assessed on manufacturers since 1978 for cars with exceptionally poor fuel economy. The “gas-guzzler” tax ended the reign of large cubic-inched engines.

Another focus in gasoline conservation is reducing the number of miles driven. An estimated 40% of American automobile use is associated with daily commuting. Many urban areas offer subsidized public transportation to reduce commuting traffic, and encourage carpooling by providing designated high-occupancy vehicle lanes and lower tolls for cars with multiple riders.

Fuel economy maximizing behaviour also helps reduce fuel consumption. Among the most effective are moderate (as opposed to aggressive) driving, driving at lower speeds, using cruise control, and turning off a vehicle’s engine at stop rather than idling. Vehicle gas mileage decreases rapidly highway speeds, normally above 55 miles per hour (though the exact number varies by vehicle). This is because aerodynamic forces are proportionally related to the square of an object speed (when the speed is doubled, drag quadruples). According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as a rule of thumb, each 5 mph (8.0 km/h) you drive over 60 mph (97 km/h) is similar to paying an additional $0.30 per gallon of gas. The exact speed at which a vehicle achieves the highest efficiency varies based on the vehicle drag coefficient, frontal area, ambient air speed, and the efficiency and gearing of a vehicle’s drive train and transmission.