National Renewable Energy Laboratory

New Fuels Technology Impacts

Health Effects

At NREL, we are working to better understand the relationship between emissions from new vehicle technologies and human health. Our goal is to identify and quantify the potential health hazards that might be associated with alternative and advanced fuels, engines, operating conditions, or drive cycles.

Air Toxics and Source Apportionment

In a 1999 report, South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) reported that the carcinogenic risk from air pollution in the Los Angeles area is about 1,400 per million people. About 70% of the total risk was attributed to diesel emissions. Missing from this attribution were emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles. A new study proposed by SCAQMD will help address deficiencies from the previous study. The U.S. Department of Energy will collaborate with SCAQMD and others to begin the study.

For more information, see our Publications page.