Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2007
7/1/2007
The July 2007 Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report keeping you up to date on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue discusses prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between July 3, 2007 and July 13, 2007, 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 illustrates that all fuel prices except propane and biodiesel have risen but the price increases are well below the increase in the price of regular gasoline. CNG is almost a dollar less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, March 2007
3/1/2007
The March 2007 Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report keeping you up to date on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue discusses prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between February 21, 2007 and March 2, 2007, 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 illustrates that alternative fuel prices relative to conventional fuels vary, with some (propane and biodiesel) higher and some (E85 and CNG) lower. CNG is about 36 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 20 cents less per gallon than gasoline.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas emission impacts of different corn ethanol plant types
1/1/2007
Virtually all of the ethanol used for transportation has been produced from corn. During the period of fuel ethanol growth, corn farming productivity has increased dramatically, and energy use in ethanol production plants has been reduced by almost half. The majority of corn ethanol plants are powered by natural gas. In this paper, we examine nine corn ethanol plant types--categorized according to the type of process fuels employed, use of combined heat and power, and production of wet distiller grains and solubles. We found that these ethanol plant types can have distinctly different energy and greenhouse gas emission effects on a full fuel-cycle basis. Our results show that in order to achieve energy and greenhouse gas emission benefits, researchers need to closely examine and differentiate among the types of production plants used to produce corn ethanol.
Authors: Wang, M.; Wu, M.; Huo, Hong
New York City Transit (NYCT) Hybrid (125 Order) and CNG Transit Buses: Final Evaluation Results
11/1/2006
This report is one of a series of evaluations by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), that track and evaluate new propulsion systems in transit buses and trucks using established and documented evaluation protocol. DOE/NREL evaluated the original 10 prototype diesel-hybrid buses from Orion and BAE Systems (model Orion VI buses) operated by New York City Transit (NYCT). That evaluation was reported in July 2002 and provided results from the prototype buses from 1998 through 2001. This report focuses on 10 new compressed natural gas (CNG) and next generation diesel hybrid electric bus propulsion systems in NYCT's transit buses.
Authors: Barnitt, R., Chandler, K.
Natural Gas Engine Development
11/1/2006
This report outlines the subcontract program undertaken by John Deere & Co. for the laboratory development of natural gas engines that would be certifiable to emission levels below the 2004 federal standards (2.5 g/bhp-hr NOx + NMHC) and be commercially viable. Following lab development, the engines were field-tested on New Flyer model CF-40 buses.
Authors: Lekar, T.C.; Martin, T.J.
The Long-Run Impact of Corn-Based Ethanol on the Grain, Oilseed, and Livestock Sectors: A Preliminary Assessment
11/1/2006
The ongoing growth of corn-based ethanol production raises some fundamental questions about the impact of continued growth on U.S. and world agricultural markets. Estimates of the long-run potential for ethanol production can be made by calculating the corn price at which the incentive to expand ethanol production disappears. Under current ethanol tax policy, if the prices of crude oil, natural gas, and distillers grains stay at current levels, then the break-even corn price is $4.05 per bushel.At this price, corn-based ethanol production would reach 31.5 billion gallons per year, or about 20% of projected U.S. fuel consumption in 2015. Supporting this level of production would require 95.6 million acres of corn to be planted. Total corn production would be approximately 15.6 billion bushels, compared to 11.0 billion bushels today. Most of the additional corn acres come from reduced soybean acreage. Corn exports and production of pork and poultry would all be reduced in response to higher corn prices and increased utilization of corn by ethanol plants. These results are not to be viewed as a prediction of what will eventually happen. Rather, they indicate a logical end point to the current incentives to invest in corn-based ethanol plants.
Authors: Elobeid, A.; Tokgoz, S.; Hayes, D.J.; Babcock, B.A.; Hart, C.E.
Development of a Cummins Westport SI-EGR Natural Gas Engine at 0.2 g/bhp-hr
10/1/2006
This report outlines a program initiated to develop and demonstrate advanced technologies and methods for controlling exhaust emissions in a medium-duty natural gas engine to meet 2010 Federal emission standards. The goals specifically were to develop a natural gas engine capable of emission standards (g/bhp*h) of 0.2 NOx, 0.14 nmHC, 0.01 PM and 15.5 CO with engine ratings of 320 h.p. and 1000 lbs.*ft.
Authors: Kamel, M.
US10 Capable Prototype Volvo MG11 Natural Gas Engine Development: Final Report
10/1/2006
This project was designed to develop a low emissions natural gas engine. The emission targets for this project were 0.27 g/kW-hr (0.2 g/bhp-hr) of NOx and 0.013 g/kW-hr (0.01 g/bhp-hr) of particulate matter. To meet the objective, a chemically correct (stoichiometric) combustion, natural gas engine with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a three-way catalyst was development. In addition to low emissions, diesel-like efficiencies were targeted trough the use of a Sturman camless Hydraulic Actuated Valve (HVA) system.
Authors: Tai, C.; Reppert, T.; Chiu, J.; Christensen, L.; Knoll, K.; Stewart, J.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2006
10/1/2006
The October 2006 Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report keeping you up to date on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue discusses prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders in September and October 2006, 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 illustrates that alternative fuel prices relative to conventional fuels vary, with some (propane and biodiesel) higher and some (E85 and CNG) lower. CNG is about 45 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 11 cents less per gallon than gasoline.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, June 2006
6/1/2006
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report designed to keep you up to date on the prices of alternative fuels and conventional fuels in the U.S. Prices were collected during May and June of 2006.
Designing New Transit Bus Garages to be Fuel Flexible
5/12/2006
The basic differences between the properties of gaseous and liquid fuels influence building design requirements for transit bus garages. Leaks, flammability range, and ignition temperatures must be considered when designing the structure, utilities, ventilation, and safety equipment.
Authors: Adams, R.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority: Compressed Natural Gas Transit Bus Evaluation
4/1/2006
The objective of this report is to provide a reasonable comparison between currently available compressed natural gas and standard diesel transit buses. The report includes operational, maintenance, and performance data for each study fleet operating from the same depot. The evaluation was conducted in 2004. Transit agencies considering use of alternative fuel and advanced propulsion technology transit buses are the primary audience for this information.
Authors: K.Chandler; E.Eberts; M.Melendez
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report - February 2006
2/1/2006
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report provides regional alternative and conventional fuel prices for biodiesel, compressed natural gas, ethanol, hydrogen, propane, gasoline, and diesel. The Alternative Fuel Price Report is a snapshot in time of retail fuel prices.
Lessons Learned from Alternative Transportation Fuels: Modeling Transition Dynamics
2/1/2006
Much attention has been given to the use of hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel, but hydrogen was certainly not the first fuel considered as an alternative to gasoline for transportation applications. Options ranging from all-electric vehicles to those running on natural gas, propane, ethanol, and biodiesel have also received both industry and government attention. Unfortunately, previous government efforts to encourage widespread adoption of alternative fuel vehicles have been largely unsuccessful. The National Academy of Engineering suggested that 'DOE might have its greatest impact by leading the private economy toward transition strategies rather than to ultimate visions of an energy infrastructure markedly different from the one now in place.'
This report focuses on understanding how analytical system modeling coupled with actual data from previous alternative-fuel experiences could improve our understanding of the dynamic forces governing the transition to an alternative-fueled vehicle system.
Authors: Welch, Cory