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The Contribution of Natural Gas Vehicles to Sustainable Transport 2010
1/1/2010
The number of natural gas vehicles and fuel stations has grown very strongly in the past decade and continues to do so, although it is still a niche market from the perspective of transport, representing less than 1% of the world road fuel consumption. Natural gas can play a significant role in cutting vehicle carbon dioxide emissions but over the long term there will need to be a commitment to transition to very low CO2 gas sources. Depending on the context, NGVs can have strong benefits in different countries by improving air quality, reducing noise in urban areas; diverting oil from domestic consumption to export; and improving energy security.
Authors: Nijboer, M.
Notes: Document available free of charge from Web
An Action Plan for Cars: The Policies Needed to Reduce U.S. Petroleum Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
12/1/2009
Reducing petroleum consumption and GHG emissions from cars and light?]duty trucks in the United States over the next several decades requires that we implement a clear and coordinated set of policies now. This report describes a portfolio of policies which, in the view of the authors, is needed to put personal vehicle transportation on the road to sustainability in the longer term. To incentivize adoption of more fuel efficient vehicles, we propose coupling existing near?]term fuel economy standards with a feebate incentive program and gradual increases in fuel taxes. We further propose driver education initiatives that would give vehicle owners information on how to maximize fuel savings in their purchase and driving decisions. Finally, we underscore the need for a long?]term strategy for fuels that evaluates fuels?]related programs based on their contribution to reducing life?]cycle petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Together, these policies offer a robust plan of action that will focus and streamline current efforts to achieve these two important national goals. Perhaps most importantly, this plan lays a much?]needed foundation for a comprehensive, adaptable long?]term policy effort. A more detailed summary of the recommended set of policy measures can be found in Section 2.
Authors: Heywood, J.; Baptista, P.; Berry, I.; Bhatt, K.; Cheah, L.; De Sisternes, F.; Karplus, V.; Keith, D.; Khusid, M.; MacKenzie, D.; McAulay, J.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2009
10/1/2009
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2009 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 16 and October 26, 2009, 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 1 reports that the nationwide average price for regular gasoline has risen 20 cents per gallon from $2.44 per gallon to $2.64 per gallon; CNG has risen 13 cents from $1.73 to $1.86; and ethanol (E85) has risen 14 cents from $2.13 to $2.27 per gallon. CNG is about 78 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 57 cents more per gallon than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Clean Cities Annual Metrics Report 2008
9/1/2009
Each year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) asks Clean Cities coordinators to submit an annual report of their activities and accomplishments for the previous calendar year. Approximately 412 million gallons of gasoline were displaced through the Clean Cities efforts in 2008?14% more than in 2007. This displacement represents the combined results of the activities reported by coalitions (as analyzed by NREL) and the impacts of the Fuel Economy Guide and related activities (as estimated by ORNL). Three major changes were made to the Clean Cities survey this year: E10 is no longer counted toward petroleum displacement goals, coordinators no longer relied on a default assumption for the percent of time flex-fueled vehicles used alternative fuel, and B20 was moved from the AFV to the blends category. The first of these changes substantially reduced the reported petroleum displacement by blends from what they otherwise would have been in 2008. AFVs still accounted for the largest share (48%) of the total 412-million-gallon displacement. Fuel economy impacts (combined impacts of coalition and ORNL activity) were responsible for displacing 129 million gallons. The use of biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) as fuels for AFVs and in low-level biodiesel blends displaced 100 million gallons, or 24% of the total, and idle reduction and HEV technologies combined to displace 20 million gallons. 2008 was the first year that greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions were estimated for Clean Cities activities. The program kept a total of 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from being emitted to the atmosphere?the equivalent of removing over 507,000 passenger cars from U.S. roads.
Authors: Bergeron, P.; Johnson, C.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2009
7/1/2009
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for July 2009 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 July 20 and July 31, 2009, 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 1 reports that the nationwide average price for regular gasoline has risen 42 cents per gallon from $2.02 per gallon to $2.44 per gallon; CNG has risen 9 cents from $1.64 to $1.73; and ethanol (E85) has risen 25 cents from $1.88 to $2.13 per gallon. CNG is about 71 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 31 cents less per gallon than gasoline.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2009
5/1/2009
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2009 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 and April 15, 2009, 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 1 reports that the nationwide average price for regular gasoline has risen 16 cents per gallon from $1.86 per gallon to $2.02 per gallon; CNG has risen one cent from $1.63 to $1.64; and ethanol (E85) has risen 7 cents from $1.81 to $1.88 per gallon. CNG is about 38 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 63 cents more per gallon than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Hybrid Taxis Give Fuel Economy a Lift
4/1/2009
Clean Cities helped Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and San Antonio, Texas, create hybrid taxi programs that cut gasoline use and air pollution while pleasing drivers and passengers alike.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2009
2/1/2009
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2009 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 12 and January 30, 2009, 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 1 reports that the nationwide average price for regular gasoline has dropped $1.18 from $3.04 per gallon to $1.86 per gallon; CNG has dropped 37 cents from $2.01 to $1.63; and ethanol (E85) has dropped $1.01 from $2.82 to $1.81 per gallon. CNG is about 23 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 5 cents less per gallon than gasoline.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Hydrogen Production Roadmap: Technology Pathways to the Future
1/1/2009
This Hydrogen Production roadmap was constructed by the Hydrogen Production Technical Team (HPTT) of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership to identify the key challenges and priority research and development (R&D) needs associated with various hydrogen fuel production technologies.
The goal of the roadmap is to facilitate development of commercial hydrogen production via various technology pathways in the near and long term. DOE?s current hydrogen cost targets are $3.00 per gallon of gasoline equivalent3 (gge) at fueling stations and $2.00 per gge at a central facility (also known as the ?plant? gate).
CNG Fuel System Inspector Study Guide
1/1/2009
The CSA test contains approximately sixty multiple choice questions. There may be additional test questions included that are for evaluation purposes only and will not be part of the final scoring. The questions are based on expert opinions from a cross section of the CNG industry after consideration of the skills and knowledge that a minimally qualified applicant should have. They are taken in proportion to their importance from a carefully constructed set of objectives or tasks that inspectors would be expected to perform.
In preparation for taking the exam, you should first evaluate yourself against these objectives. Honestly consider if you are confident that you know each specific task listed in the following Task List. Note the percentage of questions you can expect in each category and check Yes (Y) or No (N) as you grade yourself. This will form the basis for any additional study you need prior to taking the test.
Authors: Horne, D.
Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum
11/1/2008
The Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum (NGVTF) supports development and deployment of commercially competitive natural gas engines, vehicles, and infrastructure. Led by the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commissino, the NGVTF brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to share information and leverage resources.
Full Fuel-Cycle Comparison of Forklift Propulsion Systems
10/14/2008
This report examines forklift propulsion systems and addresses the potential energy and environmental implications of substituting fuel cell propulsion for existing technologies based on batteries and fossil fuels. Industry data and the Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model are used to estimate full fuel-cycle emissions and use of primary energy sources. Also considered are other environmental concerns at work locations. The benefits derived from using fuel cell propulsion are determined by the sources of electricity and hydrogen. In particular, fuel cell forklifts using hydrogen made from the reforming of natural gas had lower impacts than those using hydrogen from electrolysis.
Authors: Gaines, L.L.; Elgowainy, A.; Wang, M.Q.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2008
10/1/2008
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2008 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 2 and October 16, 2008, 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 1 reports that the nationwide average price for regular gasoline has dropped 87 cents from $3.91 per gallon to $3.04 per gallon; CNG has dropped 33 cents from $2.34 to $2.01; and ethanol (E85) has dropped 45 cents from $3.27 to $2.82 per gallon.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Clean Cities Annual Metrics Report 2007
9/1/2008
This report summarizes the Department of Energy's Clean Cities coalition accomplishments in 2007, including petroleum displacement data, membership, funding, sales of alternative fuel blends, deployment of AFVs and HEVs, idle reduction initiatives, and fuel economy activities.
Authors: Johnson, C.; Bergeron, P.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2008
7/1/2008
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for July 2008 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 July 21 and July 31, 2008, 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 1 reports that the nationwide average price for regular gasoline has risen 48 cents from $2.99 per gallon to $3.91 per gallon; CNG has risen 30 cents from $2.04 to $2.34; and ethanol (E85) has risen 40 cents from $2.87 to $3.27 per gallon.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.