2006 B100 Quality Survey Results: Milestone Report
5/1/2007
In 2006 NREL conducted a nationwide quality survey of pure biodiesel (B100) intended to be used as a blendstock. The study collected random samples throughout the United States and analyzed them for quality against the current and proposed ASTM D6751 fuel quality specifications. The survey revealed the increasing prevalence of B99.9 in the marketplace. As a group, the samples had a failure rate of 59% compared to the specifications. The B100 samples as a subset had an identical failure rate. Most often, the samples failed by exceeding the allowable total glycerin or by not meeting the minimum flash point specification. Several samples failed to meet requirements for multiple properties. The individual failure rtes for total glycerin and flash point were 33% and 30% respectively. The results of this study were not production volume weighted, but do show a significant fuel quality concern for B100 produced and distributed during 2006.
Authors: Alleman, T.L.; McCormick, R.L.; Deutch, S.
Thermochemical Ethanol via Indirect Gasification and Mixed Alcohol Synthese of Lignocellulosic Biomass
4/30/2007
This work addresses a policy initiative by the Federal Administration to apply United States Department of Energy (DOE) research to broadening the country?s domestic production of economic, flexible, and secure sources of energy fuels. President Bush stated in his 2006 State of the Union Address: ?America is addicted to oil.? To reduce the Nation?s future demand for oil, the President has proposed the Advanced Energy Initiative which outlines significant newinvestments and policies to change the way we fuel our vehicles and change the way we power our homes and businesses. The specific goal for biomass in the Advanced Energy Initiative is to foster the breakthrough technologies needed to make cellulosic ethanol cost-competitive with corn-based ethanol by 2012.
Authors: Phillips, Steve;Aden, Andy;Jechura, John;Dayton, David (NREL);Eggeman, Tim (Neoterics, International, Inc.)
Permit Pending
4/1/2007
The process of obtaining the proper permits to build and operate a biodiesel plant can be complicated and confusing. This article provides a list of common permits and approvals required and suggests that some projects may need to rely on regulatory professionals who can offer experience in the process.
Authors: McElroy, A.K.
Fact Sheet: Sequestering Greenhouse Gases from Landfills, Animal Waste, Sewage, and Other Sources Via Biomethane Production
3/21/2007
Biogas, a mixture of methane and other gases produced from the decomposition of organic materials, is produced naturally in landfills and from processing of animal waste, sewage, crop waste, and cellulosic and non-cellulosic crops. If biomethane made from recovered biogas were used in vehicles, it is estimated that it would reduce greenhouse gases by 500 million metric tons of CO2 per year, or the emissions equivalent of removing 90 million light-duty gasoline vehicles from the roads.
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.
Tackling Climate Change in the U.S.: Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions from Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 2030
1/1/2007
Energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies have the potential to provide most, if not all, of the U.S. carbon emissions reductions that will be needed to help limit the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide to 450 to 500 ppm. The document includes a section on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. This section focuses on plug-in hybrid electric vehicle technology, which adds additional battery capacity and charging capability to current hybrid electric vehicle technology. Plug-in vehicles thereby make possible substantial vehicle operation on energy derived from the electrical grid rather than from gasoline.
Authors: Kutscher, C., Editor; Lilienthal,P.; Brown, H.
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.
Effects of Biodiesel Blends on Vehicle Emissions
10/1/2006
Biodiesel is a fuel-blending component produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or waste grease by reaction with methanol or ethanol to produce methyl or ethyl esters. Engine dynamometer studies reviewed in a 2002 report from EPA show a 2% increase in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissinos for B20. This perceived small increase in NOx is leading some state regulatory agencies to consider banning the use of biodiesel. This study was a reassessment of the impact of B20 on NOx emissions. Based on the studies reviewed and new data reported in the present report, there does not appear to be a discrepancy between engine and chassis testing studies for the effect of B20 on NOx emissions. Individual engines may show NOx increasing or decreasing, but on average there appears to be no net effect, or at most a very small effect on the order of +/-0.5%. We have concluded, considering all the data available, that B20 has no net impact on NOx.
Authors: McCormick, R.L.; Williams, A.; Ireland, J.; Brimhall, M.; Hayes, R.R.
100,000 Mile Evaluation of Transit Buses Operated on Biodiesel Blends (B20)
10/1/2006
Report evaluates the emissions, fuel economy, and maintenance of five 40-foot transit buses operated on B20 compared to four buses operated on petroleum diesel.
Authors: Proc, K.; Barnitt, R.; Hayes, R.; Ratcliff, M.; McCormick, R.; Ha, L.; Fang, H.
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.
Gasification Research Center
9/30/2006
Gas Technology Institute (GTI) is leading an effort to integrate and evaluate syngas cleanup and treatment technologies for syngas from biomass gasification processes. Researchers will screen and evaluate gas cleanup and processing technologies and process monitoring instrumentation for potential implementation in integrated biorefineries based on the thermochemical production of syngas.
Authors: U.S. DOE Biomass Program
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.
Effect of Biodiesel Blends on Diesel Particulate Filter Performance
6/1/2006
Tests of ultra-low sulfur diesel blended with soy-biodiesel at 5% and 20% were conducted using a 2002 model year Cummins ISB engine (with exhaust gas recirculation) that had been retrofitted with a passively regenerated catalyzed diesel particulate filter (DPF). Results show that on average, the DPF balance point temperature is 45 degrees C. and 112 degrees C lower for B20 blends and neat biodiesel, respectively, than for 2007 certification diesel fuel. Biodiesel causes a measurable increase in regeneration rate at a fixed steady-state condition, even at the 5% blending level. The data showed no significant differences in NOx emissions for these fuels at the steady-state regeneration conditions.
Authors: Williams, A.; McCormick, R.L.; Hayes, R.R.; Ireland, J.; Fang, H.L.
Oil Bypass Filter Technology Evaluation Final Report
3/1/2006
This report is the final of 12 Oil Bypass Filter Technology Evaluation reports that document the feasibility of using oil bypass filter technologies on 17 vehicles in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) fleet. This evaluation was conducted by INL for the U.S. Department of Energy FreedomCAR & Vehicle Technologies Program.
Almost 1.3 million test miles were accumulated, with the four-cycle diesel engine buses accumulating 982,548 test miles and the gasoline filter systems were tested onboard 11 of the buses and the six Chevrolet Tahoes for 1,173,552 miles. Refined Global Solutions (RGS) oil bypass filter systems were tested onboard three buses for 112,168 miles. The performance of the puraDYN and RGS oil bypass filter systems are not compared; both were used as test mules to support the goal of reducing petroleum consumption by using oil bypass filter systems in government fleets.
Depending on the assumptions employed, INL found that oil bypass filter systems for diesel engine-equipped buses have a positive payback between 72,000 and 144,000 miles. The positive payback period for the gasoline engine Tahoes is between 66,000 and 69,000 miles.
Authors: Zirker, L.; Francfort, J.; Fielding, J.