Publications

BC Transit Fuel Cell Bus Project Evaluation Results: Second Report

9/1/2014

This is the second report evaluating a fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) demonstration led by British Columbia Transit (BC Transit) in Whistler, Canada. The FCEB fleet was introduced during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and operated through March 2014. BC Transit collaborated with the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory to evaluate the buses in revenue service. NREL published its first report on the demonstration in February 2014. This report is an update to the previous report; it covers 3 full years of revenue service data on the buses from April 2011 through March 2014 and focuses on the final experiences and lessons learned.

Authors: Eudy, L.; Post, M.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles & Fueling Infrastructure Deployment Barriers & the Potential Role or Private Sector Financial Solutions

5/14/2014

This paper examines how private financing can address the barriers to demand facing electric, natural gas, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and their related fueling infrastructure. Starting with a review of the state of the market, it covers significant barriers to market demand and barriers for private investors and concludes with a review of innovative finance options used in other sectors that could be applied to the alternative fuel vehicle market.

Authors: Dougherty, S.; Nigro, N.

EPAct State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleet Compliance Methods

3/25/2014

Fact sheet outlines the state and alternative fuel provider fleet compliance options. Under Standard Compliance, covered fleets must acquire a certain percentage of AFVs each year based on the number of light-duty vehicles they purchase. Alternative Compliance allows covered fleets to obtain a waiver from Standard Compliance to implement petroleum reduction measures in their vehicle fleets in lieu of the AFV acquisition requirements.

EPAct Standard Compliance: Guidelines to Help State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleets Meet Their Energy Policy Act Requirements, 10 CFR Part 490

3/1/2014

This guidebook addresses the primary requirements of the Alternative Fuel Transportation Program to help state and alternative fuel provider fleets comply with the Energy Policy Act via the Standard Compliance option. It also addresses the topics that covered fleets ask about most frequently.

Transitioning to Electric Drive Vehicles: Public Policy Implications of Uncertainty, Network Externalities,Tipping Points and Imperfect Markets

1/17/2014

As a follow up to a 2013 report, Analyzing the Transition to Electric Drive in California, this report provides additional analyses regarding the transition to electric drive light-duty vehicles in California and other states that have adopted California's zero emission vehicle standards. In particular, this study estimates the effects of technological and market uncertainty as well as the timing and intensity of policies on electric vehicle development. The analyses in this report were carried out using the Light-duty Alternative Vehicles and Energy Transitions (LAVE-Trans) model.

Authors: Greene, D.L.; Park, S.; Liu, C.

State Alternative Fuel and Advanced Vehicle Laws and Incentives: 2013 Year in Review

1/10/2014

Over the last year, state legislatures and agencies have been busy creating incentives, laws, and regulations that support the use of alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and other strategies that align with Clean Cities' mission to cut petroleum use in transportation.

A Guide to the Lessons Learned from the Clean Cities Community Electric Vehicle Readiness Projects

1/1/2014

This report summarizes the activities, outputs, and lessons of a series of projects that are intended to advance the deployment of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) that was launched by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2011.

Authors: Frades, M.

Clean Cities 2012 Annual Metrics Report

12/5/2013

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Clean Cities program advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to cut petroleum use in transportation. A national network of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions brings together stakeholders in the public and private sectors to deploy alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements, and new transportation technologies, as they emerge.

Each year DOE asks Clean Cities 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 characterizes 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 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 report.

Authors: Johnson, C.

Needs Assessment for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Training in California

12/1/2013

This report details the availability of safety and technical training in alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) for emergency personnel and transportation fleet staff in California and provides recommendations to improve it. AFVs, such as hybrid, electric, natural gas and biofuel vehicles, offer low emissions and fuel cost savings, but also present safety and technical issues unique to their technologies. Federal, state and local government energy and environmental policies have lead California to be at the forefront of AFV deployment, so it is imperative that first responders and fleet technicians know how to handle fuels, fueling and emergencies without harm. Projections of AFV deployment in California show dramatic growth. Safety and technical training for AFV fleet staff and emergency personnel is essential as this transportation market grows in California.

A Roadmap to Climate-Friendly Cars: 2013

9/1/2013

An electric car is only as good for the climate as the electricity used to power it. And in states that rely heavily on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas for their electricity there are many conventional and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that are better for the climate than all-electric cars today.

But that is just part of the story. Another critical factor is the carbon emissions generated when a car is manufactured. Emissions from producing the battery and other electrical components create a 10,000 to 40,000-pound carbon debt for electric cars that can only be overcome after tens, or even hundreds of thousands of miles of driving and recharging from clean energy sources.

This comprehensive state-by-state analysis of the climate impacts of the electric car, plug-in hybrid electrics, and high-mileage, gas-powered hybrid cars takes both of these factors into account - the source of energy used to power the car and carbon emissions from vehicle manufacturing.

Authors: Yawitz, D.; Kenward, A.; Larson, D.

Best Practices for Workplace Charging

9/1/2013

This document is a resource for employers and employees interested in launching a workplace charging program at their place of business.

Notes: This publication is copyrighted by Calstart and is accessed at on the Calstart publications page.

Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Workplace Charging Hosts

8/1/2013

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) have immense potential for increasing the country's energy, economic, and environmental security, and they will play a key role in the future of U.S. transportation. By providing PEV charging at the workplace, employers are perfectly positioned to contribute to and benefit from the electrification of transportation. This handbook answers basic questions about PEVs and charging equipment, helps employers assess whether to offer workplace charging for employees, and outlines important steps for implementation.

Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Different Light-Duty Vehicle and Fuel Pathways: A Synthesis of Recent Research

7/19/2013

Transitioning to a cleaner fleet of advanced vehicles powered by electricity, hydrogen, and advanced biofuels or petroleum products can yield a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum consumption. A meaningful assessment of the comparative merits of these alternate fuel pathways requires a solid understanding of their technological potential to reduce emissions. Available studies evaluating full lifecycle emissions rely on various assumptions of that potential and yield a wide range of results. This brief summarizes and synthesizes the results of several recent studies and presents the full range of greenhouse gas emission estimates for each type of advanced vehicle and fuel. It also explains the reasons these estimates vary so widely and identifies opportunities for future analyses that use a consistent set of scenarios with transparent assumptions in order to compare the greenhouse gas impacts of fuel and vehicle pathways.

Authors: Nigro, N.; Jiang, S.

A Tale of Renewed Cities: A Policy Guide on How to Transform Cities by Improving Energy Efficiency in Urban Transport Systems

7/9/2013

This report is part of the IEA Policy Pathway series and highlights lessons learned and examples of good practice from countries with experience implementing a wide range of measures to improve energy efficiency in urban transport systems.

Notes: This publication is copyrighted by the International Energy Agency and is accessed at www.iea.org.

Transportation Energy Futures Series: Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Expansion: Costs, Resources, Production Capacity, and Retail Availability for Low-Carbon Scenarios.

4/1/2013

Achieving the Department of Energy target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 depends on transportation-related strategies combining technology innovation, market adoption, and changes in consumer behavior. This study examines expanding low-carbon transportation fuel infrastructure to achieve deep GHG emissions reductions, with an emphasis on fuel production facilities and retail components serving light-duty vehicles. Three distinct low-carbon fuel supply scenarios are examined: Portfolio: Successful deployment of a range of advanced vehicle and fuel technologies; Combustion: Market dominance by hybridized internal combustion engine vehicles fueled by advanced biofuels and natural gas; Electrification: Market dominance by electric drive vehicles in the LDV sector, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles, that are fueled by low-carbon electricity and hydrogen. A range of possible low-carbon fuel demand outcomes are explored in terms of the scale and scope of infrastructure expansion requirements and evaluated based on fuel costs, energy resource utilization, fuel production infrastructure expansion, and retail infrastructure expansion for LDVs. This is one of a series of reports produced as a result of the Transportation Energy Futures (TEF) project, a Department of Energy-sponsored multi-agency project initiated to pinpoint underexplored transportation-related strategies for abating GHGs and reducing petroleum dependence.

Authors: Melaina, M. W.; Heath, G.; Sandor, D.; Steward, D.; Vimmerstedt, L.; Warner, E.; Webster, K. W.