Transport in developing countries: Renewable energy versus energy reduction?

Transport consumes worldwide about one-fifth of global primary energy and is thus responsible for similar amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. In the future, it can be expected that with an increasing transport demand in the rapidly growing economies of the developing world, the problems will be even more severe. This paper gives an overview on the developments in the South and discusses options for renewable sources of energy in transportation, which are expected to be solutions for oil shortages and greenhouse effects. However, the analysis shows that with a few exceptions in the near future, most of the proposed energy sources are not viable in economic and technical terms. Rising fuel prices will make biofuels competitive and provide opportunities for developing countries. Nevertheless, 'traditional' transport approaches, such as inspection and maintenance or rapid bus services can have strong impacts in developing countries.