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.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2015
3/17/2015
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2015 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 1, 2015 and January 15, 2015, 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 (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has decreased $1.04 from $3.34 to $2.30; diesel decreased 71 cents from $3.77 to $3.06; CNG price decreased 5 cents from $2.16 to $2.11; ethanol (E85) decreased 67 cents from $2.88 to $2.21; propane decreased 16 cents from $3.08 to $2.92; and biodiesel (B20) has decreased 63 cents from $3.81 to 3.18.
According to Table 2, CNG is $.19 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.82 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
Business Models for Financially Sustainable EV Charging Networks
3/3/2015
In May 2014, the Washington State Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee commissioned a study to develop new business models that will foster private sector commercialization of publicly available EV charging services and expand the role of private sector investment in EV charging throughout the state.
The results of this new study demonstrate that, with continued public support and EV market growth in the near term, it is reasonable to expect the private sector to be able to be the predominant source of funding for publicly available commercial charging stations within approximately five years.
Authors: Nigro, N.; Frades, M.
Sample Workplace Charging Policy
3/2/2015
A sample workplace charging policy developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Workplace Charging Challenge.
Authors: Workplace Charging Challenge
Clean Cities 2015 Vehicle Buyer's Guide
2/11/2015
Drivers and fleets are increasingly turning to the hundreds of light-duty, alternative fuel, and advanced technology vehicle models that reduce petroleum use, save on fuel costs, and cut emissions. This guide provides a comprehensive list of the 2015 light-duty models that use alternative fuels or advanced fuel-saving technologies.
Effects of Regional Temperature on Electric Vehicle Efficiency, Range, and Emissions in the United States
2/11/2015
We characterize the effect of regional temperature differences on battery electric vehicle (BEV) efficiency, range, and use-phase power plant CO2 emissions in the U.S. The efficiency of a BEV varies with ambient temperature due to battery efficiency and cabin climate control. We find that annual energy consumption of BEVs can increase by an average of 15% in the Upper Midwest or in the Southwest compared to the Pacific Coast due to temperature differences. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from BEVs vary primarily with marginal regional grid mix, which has three times the GHG intensity in the Upper Midwest as on the Pacific Coast. However, even within a grid region, BEV emissions vary by up to 22% due to spatial and temporal ambient temperature variation and its implications for vehicle efficiency and charging duration and timing. Cold climate regions also encounter days with substantial reduction in EV range: the average range of a Nissan Leaf on the coldest day of the year drops from 70 miles on the Pacific Coast to less than 45 miles in the Upper Midwest. These regional differences are large enough to affect adoption patterns and energy and environmental implications of BEVs relative to alternatives.
Authors: Yuksel, T.; Michalek, J. J.
Notes: This Environmental Science & Technology article is copyrighted by the American Chemical Society and only available by accessing it through ACS Publications.
Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Consumers
2/9/2015
This handbook is designed to answer a consumer's basic questions, as well as point them to additional information they need, to make the best decision about whether an electric-drive vehicle is right for them.
Accelerating the Development and Deployment of Advanced Technology Vehicles, including Battery Electric and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
2/1/2015
This fact sheet, a summary or the proposed changes to tax credits for the production of advanced technology vehicles, is from the US Department of the Treasury's General Explanations of the Administrations Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue Proposals. The proposal would replace the credit for plug-in electric drive motor vehicles with a credit for advanced technology vehicles. The credit would be available for a vehicle that meets the following criteria: (1) the vehicle operates primarily on an alternative to petroleum; (2) as of January 1, 2014, there are few vehicles in operation in the U.S. using the same technology as such vehicle; and (3) the technology used by the vehicle exceeds the footprint based target miles per gallon by at least 25 percent.
Electric Vehicle Charging Technology Analysis and Standards
2/1/2015
This report accesses the technologies and standards associated with plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), and the related infrastructure. It provides a review of the current and emerging EVSE technologies and an assessment of the common codes and standards associated with EVSE. The report also evaluates the barriers and challenges of deploying an expanded network of PEV charging stations in the United States and makes recommendations to mitigate the challenges of deploying the infrastructure.
Authors: Kettles, D.
Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2014
1/29/2015
This report, published annually, summarizes the progress of fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) development in the United States and discusses the achievements and challenges of introducing fuel cell propulsion in transit. Various stakeholders, including FCEB developers, transit agencies, and system integrators, have expressed the value of this annual status report, which provides a summary of results from evaluations performed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The annual status report tracks the progress of the FCEB industry toward meeting technical targets, documents the lessons learned, and discusses the path forward for commercial viability of fuel cell technology for transit buses.
Authors: Eudy, L.; Post, M.; Gikakis, C.
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
Alternative Transportation Refueling Infrastructure in the United States 2014: Status and Challenges
1/13/2015
Lack of adequate refueling infrastructure is a major barrier to the success of alternative motor fuels. A transition from fossil petroleum to alternative, low-carbon transportation fuels appears to be necessary to mitigate the adverse impacts of global warming, strengthen energy security and meet air quality standards. Finding effective combinations of business models and public policies to accomplish a transition to alternative fuels poses a new and difficult challenge. Focusing on highway vehicles, this paper reviews the motivation for transition to alternative fuels, the current status of alternative fuel refueling infrastructure in the U.S., the costs of such infrastructure and business models and policies that have been proposed to achieve a successful transition. The goal of this paper is to serve as a basis for innovative thinking and discussion rather than as a comprehensive analysis of the issue. Infrastructure for producing and delivering fuels to refueling stations is equally important but is outside the scope of this paper.
Authors: Greene, D.L.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2014
12/23/2014
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2014 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 1, 2014 and October 15, 2014, 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 (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has decreased 36 cents from $3.70 to $3.34; diesel decreased 14 cents from $3.91 to $3.77; CNG price decreased 1 cent from $2.17 to $2.16; ethanol (E85) decreased 35 cents from $3.23 to $2.88; propane increased 1 cent from $3.07 to $3.08; and biodiesel (B20) has decreased 17 cents from $3.98 to 3.81.
According to Table 2, CNG is $1.18 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.73 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
Increasing Biofuel Deployment and Utilization through Development of Renewable Super Premium: Infrastructure Assessment
11/25/2014
A high octane fuel and specialized vehicle are under consideration as a market opportunity to meet federal requirements for renewable fuel use and fuel economy. Infrastructure is often cited as a barrier for the introduction of a new fuel. This report assesses infrastructure readiness for E25 (25% ethanol; 75% gasoline) and E25+ (more than 25% ethanol). Both above-ground and below-ground equipment are considered as are the current state of stations, codes and regulations, and materials compatibility.
Authors: Moriarty, K.; Kass, M.; Theiss, T.
Workplace Charging: Comparison of Sustainable Commuting Options
11/18/2014
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from employees' commutes, also known as Scope 3 emissions, is a top priority for many organizations interested in minimizing their carbon footprint. Scope 3 emissions are indirect GHG emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by the organization but are related to their activities, including emissions from an employee's commute. Employers interested in investing in GHG emissions reduction efforts may want to compare the benefits of workplace charging to other commuter emission reduction investments such as subsidized public transportation or carpooling. The GHG emissions reduction benefit of workplace charging per dollar is comparable to, and in some cases greater than, other commuting options.
Authors: Brown, A.