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Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Trends from the Alternative Fueling Station Locator: Third Quarter 2020 (PDF)
5/1/2021
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fueling Station Locator contains information on public and private non-residential alternative fueling stations in the United States and Canada and currently tracks ethanol (E85), biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, and propane stations. Of these fuels, EV charging continues to experience rapidly changing technology and growing infrastructure. This report provides a snapshot of the state of EV charging infrastructure in the United States in the third calendar quarter of 2020. Using data from the Station Locator, this report breaks down the growth of public and private charging infrastructure by charging level, network, and location. Additionally, this report measures the current state of charging infrastructure compared with the amount projected to meet charging demand by 2030. This information is intended to help transportation planners, policymakers, researchers, infrastructure developers, and others understand the rapidly changing landscape for EV charging.
Authors: Brown, A.; Lommele, S.; Schayowitz, A.; Klotz, E.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2021 (PDF)
4/23/2021
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2021 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between January 1, 2021 and January 15, 2021, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.
Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 14 cents from $2.18 to $2.32; diesel increased 24 cents from $2.40 to $2.64; CNG increased 1 cent from $2.18 to $2.19; ethanol (E85) increased 8 cents from $1.96 to $2.04; propane increased 12 cents from $2.73 to $2.85; and biodiesel (B20) increased 13 cents from $2.29 to $2.42.
According to Table 3, CNG is 13 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.33 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
Electrifying Transit: A Guidebook for Implementing BEBs (PDF)
4/20/2021
The use of battery electric bus (BEBs) fleets is becoming more attractive to cities seeking to reduce emissions and traffic congestion. While BEB fleets may provide benefits such as lower fuel and maintenance costs, improved performance, lower emissions, and energy security, many challenges need to be overcome to support BEB deployment. These include upfront cost premiums, planning burdens, BEB range, and unfamiliarity with BEB technology. To assist stakeholders with interest in deploying BEBs, this guidebook describes the decisions and considerations required for successful BEB implementation.
Authors: Aamodt, A.; Cory, K.; Coney, K.
Charging Station Design Guidance Toolbox
4/1/2021
This resource provides information collected by the Island Regional Transportation Planning Organization on electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment to assist municipal fleet and facility managers with vehicle electrification. It provides an overview of EV charger types, key considerations to selecting EV charging equipment, and recommendations for EV charging equipment placement and installation.
Comprehensive Total Cost of Ownership Quantification for Vehicles with Different Size Classes and Powertrains (PDF)
4/1/2021
In order to accurately compare the costs of two vehicles, the total cost of ownership (TCO) should consist of all costs related to both purchasing and operating the vehicle. This TCO analysis builds on previous work to provide a comprehensive perspective of all relevant vehicle costs of ownership. This study considers vehicle cost and depreciation, financing, fuel costs, insurance costs, maintenance and repair costs, taxes and fees, and other operational costs to formulate a holistic total cost of ownership and operation of light- and heavy-duty vehicles. For each of the cost parameters, researchers performed extensive literature review and data analysis to find representative values to build a holistic TCO for vehicles of all size classes.
Authors: Burnham, A.; Gohlke, D.; Rush, L.; Stephens, T.; Zhou, Y.; Delucchi, M.; Birky, A.; Hunter, C.; Lin, Z.; Ou, S.; Xie, F.; Proctor, C,; Wiryadinata, S.; Liu, N.; Boloor, M.
Carbon Intensity of Corn Ethanol in the United States: State of the Science
3/10/2021
The carbon intensity of corn ethanol, the primary renewable fuel used in transportation, has been actively researched and quantified over the last three decades. Reliable estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for corn ethanol are important since these values help determine significant policy and market decisions on state, national, and international levels. This study reviews well-to-wheel GHG life cycle analyses for corn ethanol and evaluates models, input data, and results for farming, fuel production, co-product credit, land use change, transport of feedstock and fuel, tailpipe, and denaturant.
Authors: Scully, M.; Norris, G.; Falconi, T.; MacIntosh, D.
PTC and ITC for Aviation Fuel: Analysis Using the Biomass Scenario Model (PDF)
3/5/2021
This analysis uses the Biomass Scenario Model, a system dynamics model of the bioenergy supply chain, to explore different scenarios of implementation of a production tax credit (PTC) and investment tax credit (ITC) for sustainable aviation fuel.
Authors: Newes, E.; Vimmerstedt, L.; Haq, Z.; Lindauer, A.
Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2020 (PDF)
3/1/2021
This report, published annually, summarizes the progress of fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) development in the United States and discusses the achievements and challenges of introducing fuel cell propulsion in transit. The report provides a summary of results from evaluations performed by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This annual status report combines results from all FCEB demonstrations, tracks the progress of the FCEB industry toward meeting technical targets, documents the lessons learned, and discusses the path forward for commercial viability of fuel cell technology for transit buses. The data from these early FCEB deployments funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, state agencies, and the private sector help to guide future early-stage research and development. The 2020 summary results primarily focus on the most recent year from January 2020 through July 2020.
Authors: Eudy, L.; Post, M.
Assessment of Prospective Mileage-Based Fee System to Replace Fuel Taxes for Passenger Vehicles in Pennsylvania (PDF)
3/1/2021
Historically, transportation infrastructure in the United States has been funded through a per-gallon fuel tax levied at the state- and federal-levels. The federal fuel tax has remained constant over the last thirty years, even as road construction and maintenance costs have risen steeply in that time. This funding gap is widened by advances in hybrid and electric vehicle technology, which have significantly improved fleet fuel-economy and reduced revenue from fuel tax. To address this, an increasing number of jurisdictions are considering programs where vehicles are taxed per-mile traveled, rather than per-gallon of fuel consumed. These mileage-based user fees (MBUFs) could replace federal and state fuel taxes and reduce the deficit in transportation infrastructure funding. This report develops high-resolution estimates of annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per vehicle aggregated at the state, county, and zip code level. Based on these estimates of VMT and fuel economy, researchers estimate the annual cost to vehicle owners of the existing fuel tax, and compare this cost against the cost of MBUF’s, at various rates.
Authors: Matthews, H. S.; Fischbeck, P. S.; Yuan, C.; Fan, Z.; Lyu, L.; Acharya, P. S.
Fuel a Greener Future (PDF)
3/1/2021
This report outlines the importance of utilizing all available low-carbon heavy-duty transport options available today to dramatically lower overall transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and shares important information about the availability, resiliency, and sustainability of domestically sourced renewable natural gas vehicle and fueling technology.
U.S. Airport Infrastructure and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (PDF)
2/26/2021
Worldwide, aviation accounts for 2% of all manmade carbon dioxide emissions and 12% of all transportation CO2 emissions In 2018, the U.S. accounted for 25% of the world jet fuel consumption and 21% of global enplanements. Airports and airlines are considering alternative fuel to meet environmental and sustainability goals and mandates. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made from non-petroleum feedstocks, has the potential to significantly reduce emissions from air transportation. SAF must be blended with petroleum based jet fuel prior to its use in aircraft. This report explores background information on jet fuel use, quality standards and best practices, airport infrastructure, and options for delivering SAF to airports.
Authors: Moriarty, K. and Kvien A.
Essential Energy: 2021 Ethanol Industry Outlook (PDF)
2/17/2021
RFA's Ethanol Industry Outlook is an annual publication for information on America's ethanol industry. It provides thoughtful analysis of current issues facing the industry, along with current facts and statistics about the production and use of fuel ethanol.
Notes:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed on the Renewable Fuels Association website.
EV Charging Needs Assessment: Identifying Needs and Opportunities for EV Fast Charging in Rural and Underserved Areas of the Intermountain West (PDF)
2/1/2021
Corridors of the West (CORWest) is a three-year initiative to support plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) infrastructure investment and educational opportunities in rural and underserved areas of the intermountain west. A key first step under the project is to understand barriers to PEV adoption and, more specifically, direct current (DC) fast charger station deployment in rural and underserved areas of the intermountain west, and identify potential pathways for addressing these barriers. To understand barriers to EV adoption and station deployment in rural and underserved areas, the CORWest project team developed a questionnaire that was disseminated to select stakeholder groups to gather feedback. This report provides a summary of trends and typical issues being faced in the region and offers recommendations for ways to address high-priority needs and support PEV deployment and DC fast charger investment.
Authors: Powers, C.
