Assessment of the energy balances and economic consequences of the reduction and elimination of lead in gasoline

Report no. 11/83R: This report gives details of a study carried out at the request of the EEC working Group: Evolution of Regulations - Global Approach (ERGA). The study assesses the impact of reducing or eliminating lead in gasoline and considers the ultimate situation, ten to fifteen years after the introduction of unleaded gasoline, when only unleaded gasoline$are being manufactured.

Computer models of refineries incorporating the latest refining technology are used to predict the optimum octane number far unleaded gasoline which will minimise total energy consumption. The report explores the variation of this optimum is the parameters of the base case are varied. The report also comments an the accompanying changes in gasoline composition and the way this will influence automotive exhaust emissions.