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Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2016
6/8/2016
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2016 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 April 1, 2016 and April 15, 2016, 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 8 cents from $1.98 to $2.06; diesel decreased 10 cents from $2.23 to $2.13; CNG price decreased 7 cents from $2.09 to $2.02; ethanol (E85) decreased 2 cents from $1.86 to $1.84; propane decreased 8 cents from $2.85 to $2.77; and biodiesel (B20) has decreased 18 cents from $2.41 to 2.23.
According to Table 3, CNG is $.04 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.33 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
Case Study - Propane Bakery Delivery Step Vans
4/1/2016
A switch to propane from diesel by a major Midwest bakery fleet showed promising results, including a significant displacement of petroleum, a drop in greenhouse gases and a fuel cost savings of seven cents per mile, according to a study recently completed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory for the Clean Cities program.
Authors: Laughlin, M.; Burnham, A.
Workplace Charging: Charging Up University Campuses
3/4/2016
This case study features the experiences of university partners in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Workplace Charging Challenge with the installation and management of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging stations.
Authors: Giles, C.; Ryder, C.; Lommele, S.
Clean Cities Technical Assistance Project (Tiger Teams)
2/18/2016
This two-page fact sheet describes Clean Cities' technical assistance (Tiger Teams) capabilities and projects, both completed and ongoing. Tiger Teams are a critical element of the Clean Cities program, providing on-the-ground consultation to help inform program strategies. The knowledge Tiger Team experts gain from these experiences often helps inform other alternative fuels activities, such as needed research, codes and standards revisions, and new training resources.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2016
2/12/2016
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2016 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, 2016 and January 15, 2016, 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 decreased 37 cents from $2.35 to $1.98; diesel decreased 36 cents from $2.59 to $2.23; CNG price is unchanged at $2.09; ethanol (E85) decreased 32 cents from $2.18 to $1.86; propane decreased 5 cents from $2.90 to $2.85; and biodiesel (B20) has decreased 25 cents from $2.66 to 2.41.
According to Table 3, CNG is $.11 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.44 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
School Districts Move to the Head of the Class with Propane
1/12/2016
School districts across the country are under pressure to reduce their cost of operations and ensure their budgets are spent wisely. School bus fleets operate more than 675,000 buses in the United States, and many school districts have found the answer to their budget woes in the form of propane, or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Propane is a reliable, domestic fuel, and it's used in approximately 2% of school buses nationwide.
Clean Cities 2014 Annual Metrics Report
12/22/2015
Each year, the U.S. Department of Energy asks its Clean Cities program coordinators to submit annual reports of their activities and accomplishments for the previous calendar year. Data and information are submitted via an online database that is maintained as part of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Coordinators submit a range of data that characterize the membership, funding, projects, and activities of their coalitions. They also submit data about sales of alternative fuels, deployment of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), idle-reduction (IR) initiatives, fuel economy activities, and programs to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). NREL analyzes the data and translates them into petroleum-use reduction impacts, which are summarized in this 2014 Annual Metrics Report.
Authors: Johnson, C.; Singer, M.
High-Octane Mid-Level Ethanol Blend Market Assessment
12/16/2015
For years, the United States government has been promoting increased use of biofuels, including ethanol from non-food feedstocks. However, the country has reached the ethanol blend wall, where more ethanol is produced domestically than can be blended into standard gasoline.
This report evaluates the various paths toward adoption of high-octane ethanol blends in the United States. Modeling indicates the potential for a robust market and the study's findings prioritize barriers and propose associated solutions.
Authors: Johnson, C.; Newes, E.; Brooker, A.; McCormick, R.; Peterson, S.; Leiby, P.; Martinez, R.U.; Oladosu, G.; Brown, M.L.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2015
12/10/2015
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2015 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 October 1, 2015 and October 15, 2015, 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 decreased 47 cents from $2.82 to $2.35; diesel decreased 34 cents from $2.93 to $2.59; CNG price decreased 3 cents from $2.12 to $2.09; ethanol (E85) decreased 18 cents from $2.36 to $2.18; propane remained unchanged at $2.90; and biodiesel (B20) has decreased 27 cents from $2.93 to 2.66.
According to Table 3, CNG is $.26 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.49 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
Workplace Charging Challenge, Mid-Program Review: Employees Plug In
12/1/2015
This Program Review takes an unprecedented look at the state of workplace charging in the United States -- a report made possible by U.S. Department of Energy leadership and valuable support from our partners as they share their progress in developing robust workplace charging programs. Through the Workplace Charging Challenge, more than 250 participants are accelerating the development the nation's worksite PEV charging infrastructure and are supporting cleaner, more convenient transportation options within their communities. Challenge partners are currently providing access to PEV charging stations at more than 440 worksites across the country and are influencing countless other organizations to do the same.
Costs Associated with Non-Residential Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment
11/30/2015
As more drivers purchase plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), there is a growing need for a network of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to provide power to those vehicles. PEV drivers will primarily charge their vehicles using residential EVSE, but there is also a need for non-residential EVSE in workplace, public, and fleet settings. This report provides information about the costs associated with purchasing, installing, and owning non-residential EVSE.
Developing a Natural Gas-Powered Bus Rapid Transit Service: A Case Study
11/4/2015
The Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA) and its VelociRFTA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program are unique in many ways. For example, VelociRFTA was the first rural BRT system in the United States and the operational environment of the VelociRFTA BRT is one of the most severe in the country, with extreme winter temperatures and altitudes close to 8,000 feet. RFTA viewed high altitude operation as the most challenging characteristic when it began considering the use of natural gas. RFTA is the second-largest public transit system in Colorado behind Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD), and it is one of the largest rural public transit systems in the country. In 2013, RFTA accepted delivery of 22 new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses that went into service after completion of maintenance and refueling facilities earlier that year. This paper examines the lessons learned from RFTA's experience of investigating--and ultimately choosing--CNG for their new BRT program and focuses on the unique environment of RFTA's BRT application; the decision process to include CNG fueling in the project; unforeseen difficulties encountered in the operation of CNG buses; public perception; cost comparison to competing fuels; and considerations for indoor fueling facilities and project funding.
Authors: Mitchell, G.
Model Year 2016: Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles
10/21/2015
The fact sheet details the model, vehicle type, emission class, transmission type/speeds, engine size, and fuel economy of a variety of flexible fuel vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, all-electric, and extended range electric vehicles, as well as CNG and propane vehicles.
CNG and Fleets: Building Your Business Case
9/1/2015
Two online resources help fleets evaluate the economic soundness of a compressed natural gas program. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Vehicle Infrastructure and Cash-Flow Evaluation (VICE 2.0) model and the accompanying report, Building a Business Case for Compressed Natural Gas in Fleet Applications, are uniquely designed for fleet managers considering an investment in CNG and can help ensure wise investment decisions about CNG vehicles and infrastructure.
Primer on Motor Fuel Excise Taxes and the Role of Alternative Fuels and Energy Efficient Vehicles
8/24/2015
Motor fuel taxes were established to finance our nation's transportation infrastructure, yet evolving economic, political, and technological influences are constraining this ability. At the federal level, the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which is primarily funded by motor fuel taxes, has become increasingly dependent on general fund contributions and short-term reauthorizations to prevent insolvency. As a result, there are discussions at both the federal and state levels in which stakeholders are examining the future of motor fuel excise taxes as well as the role of electric and alternative fuel vehicles in that future.
This report intends to provide an overview of motor fuel taxation, review its specific relationship to alternative fuel use and vehicle efficiency, and outline approaches that a number of states have taken to address these issues. The specific focus is on motor fuels used in over-the-road transportation, which accounted for approximately 82% of all energy used for transportation in the United States in 2014 (EIA 2015a). The report primarily provides context around federal fuel tax rules and rates, but analogies can be drawn to individual state programs.
Authors: Schroeder, A
