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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.
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.
Interstate Electrification Improvement Project Final Report
9/4/2015
This report provides an overview of the Shorepower Truck Electrification Project, which started in May 2011 and ended in March 2015. The project provided financial incentives on idle reduction equipment to 5,000 trucks, to install equipment compatible with shore power. It generated the largest dataset to date on shore power truck stop electrification utilization and use patterns. This report summarizes project data, which provided insight into driver behavior and acceptance, evidence of cost savings, experience with system operations and management; and data for guiding future development of shore power.
Authors: Puckette, M.; Kim, J.
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
Building a Business Case for Compressed Natural Gas in Fleet Applications
3/19/2015
Abstract: Natural gas is a clean-burning, abundant, and domestically produced source of energy. Compressed natural gas (CNG) has recently garnered interest as a transportation fuel because of these attributes and because of its cost savings and price stability compared to conventional petroleum fuels. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed the Vehicle Infrastructure and Cash-Flow Evaluation (VICE) model to help businesses and fleets evaluate the financial soundness of CNG vehicle and CNG fueling infrastructure projects.
Authors: Mitchell, G.
Supporting the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Market: Best Practices from State PEV Programs
1/14/2015
This paper captures best practices in state-sponsored plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) buyer incentive programs, DC fast charging programs, and PEV awareness initiatives, as presented at the Transportation and Climate Initiative's 2014 Plug-In Electric Vehicle Workshop.
Authors: Powers, C.
Notes: This copyrighted publication is available on the Georgetown Climate Center website
Geography of Existing and Potential Alternative Fuel Markets in the United States
11/3/2014
When deploying alternative fuels, it is paramount to match the right fuel with the right location, in accordance with local market conditions. We used six market indicators to evaluate the existing and potential regional market health for each of the five most commonly deployed alternative fuels: electricity (used by plug-in electric vehicles), biodiesel (blends of B20 and higher), E85 ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), and propane. Each market indicator was mapped, combined, and evaluated by industry experts. This process revealed the weight the market indicators should be given, with the proximity of fueling stations being the most important indicator, followed by alternative fuel vehicle density, gasoline prices, state incentives, nearby resources, and finally, environmental benefit. Though markets vary among states, no state received 'weak' potential for all five fuels, indicating that all states have an opportunity to use at least one alternative fuel. California, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Washington appear to have the best potential markets for alternative fuels in general, with each sporting strong markets for four of the fuels. Wyoming showed the least potential, with weak markets for all alternative fuels except for CNG, for which it has a patchy market. Of all the fuels, CNG is promising in the greatest number of states--largely because freight traffic provides potential demand for many far-reaching corridor markets and because the sources of CNG are so widespread geographically.
Authors: Johnson, C.; Hettinger, D.
Clean Cities 2013 Annual Metrics Report
10/20/2014
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 2013 Annual Metrics Report.
Authors: Johnson, C.; Singer, M.
Distributed Solar Photovoltaics for Electric Vehicle Charging: Regulatory and Policy Considerations
9/1/2014
Increasing demand for EV charging provides an opportunity for market expansion of distributed solar technology. A major barrier to the current deployment of solar technology for EV charging is a lack of clear information for policymakers, utilities, and potential adopters. This paper introduces regulatory and policy options available to policymakers and regulators wanting to incentivize solar EV charging. Additionally, it summarizes considerations regarding EV charging during the day versus at night and benefits and grid implications of combining solar and EV charging technologies.
Authors: McLaren, J.
Reliable Temperature Compensation is Critical to CNG Vehicle Safety
8/18/2014
This Technical Bulletin addresses the potential hazards created by failure of compressed natural gas (CNG) dispensers that do not accurately compensate for the temperature of the natural gas in vehicle storage containers as they are filled and the history of serious incidents as a result. Fueling requirements are included.
Planning and Installation Guide: North Carolina Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Stations
7/25/2014
This is a guide to planning and installing a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station for fleets. It includes contact information for resources in North Carolina and a checklist of important items to consider when planning for a CNG station. This Guide is part of the North Carolina State University Clean Energy Technology Center's Alternative Fuel Implementation Toolkit, an on-line resource for fleet vehicle and fuel purchasers, program managers, and organization leaders who are interested in using alternative fuel vehicles.
Refueling Behavior of Flexible Fuel Vehicle Drivers in the Federal Fleet
5/29/2014
Federal fleets are a frequent subject of legislative and executive efforts to lead a national transition to alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Section 701 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that all dual-fueled alternative fuel vehicles in the federal fleet be operated on alternative fuel 100% of the time when they have access to it. However, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, drivers of federal flex fuel vehicles (FFV) leased through the General Services Administration refueled with E85 24% of the time when it was available--falling well short of the mandate. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory completed a 2-year Laboratory Directed Research and Development project to identify the factors that influence the refueling behavior of federal FFV drivers. The project began with two primary hypotheses. First, information scarcity increases the tendency to miss opportunities to purchase E85. Second, even with perfect information, there are limits to how far drivers will go out of their way to purchase E85. This paper discusses the results of the project, which included a June 2012 survey of federal fleet drivers and an empirical analysis of actual refueling behavior from FY 2009 to 2012. This research will aid in the design and implementation of intervention programs aimed at increasing alternative fuel use and reducing petroleum consumption.
Authors: Daley, R.; Nangle, J.; Boeckman, G.; Miller, M.
