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Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Transit Bus Experience Survey
9/1/2010
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) commissioned this survey to collect and analyze experiential data from U.S. transit agencies with varying degrees of compressed natural gas (CNG) bus and station experience. This information helps DOE and NREL determine areas of CNG transit bus success and priority areas for which further technical or other assistance might be required to enable success.This survey was intended to focus on the problems, mistakes, and lessons learned the hard way. By focusing on and reporting the negative experiences, it is hoped that others can avoid these pitfalls and learn from the experience of the pioneers in the industry.
Authors: Adams, R.; Horne, D.
Natural Gas Vehicles: Status, Barriers, and Opportunities
8/1/2010
In the United States, recent shale gas discoveries have generated renewed interest in using natural gas as a vehicular fuel, primarily in fleet applications, while outside the United States, natural gas vehicle use has expanded significantly in the past decade. In this report for the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program we have examined the state ofnatural gas vehicle technology, current market status, energy and environmentalbenefits, implications regarding advancements in European natural gas vehicletechnologies, research and development efforts, and current market barriers andopportunities for greater market penetration. The authors contend that commercial intracity trucks are a prime area for advancement of this fuel. Therefore, we examined an aggressive future market penetration of natural gas heavy-duty vehicles that could be seen as a long-term goal.
Authors: Rood-Werpy, M; Santini, D.; Burnham, A.; Mintz, M.
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: A Guide for Local Governments in Washington State
7/1/2010
In 2009 the Washington State Legislature enacted a new law designed to encourage electric vehicles. To create a consistent regulatory framework that would help this industry grow across Washington State, the legislature required the Puget Sound Regional Council and Department of Commerce to develop guidance for local governments. To meet this requirement, a broad-based technical advisory committee made up of local governments, charging equipment vendors, utilities, ports, state agencies, and consumer interests was formed. The state's new electric vehicle law requires that all local governments in Washington State allow electric vehicle charging stations in most of their zoning categories. Allowing charging stations creates the need to address a number of issues beyond zoning. These include on-street and off-street signage, charging station design standards, parking enforcement, accessibility for all users, SEPA exemptions, and more. These issues are addressed in this document.
Authors: Technical Advisory Committee
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Value Proposition Study
7/1/2010
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have been the subject of growing interest in recent years because of their potential for reduced operating costs, oil displacement, national security, and environmental benefits. The primary value of PHEVs to the consumer is their likelihood to markedly reduce fuel costs by substituting gasoline with electricity. However, PHEVs are expected to cost more to purchase than comparable internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), in large part because of the cost of batteries. Despite the potential, long-term savings to consumers and value to stakeholders, the initial cost of PHEVs presents a major market barrier to their widespread commercialization. The purpose of the PHEV Value Proposition Study (VPS) is to identify and evaluate value-added propositions for PHEVs that will help overcome this market barrier.
Authors: Cleary, T.; McGill, R.; Sikes, K.; Hadley, S.; Marano, V.; Ungar, E.; Gross, T.
Propane Tank Overfill Safety Advisory
6/24/2010
Seven propane fleets, of varying sizes, were included in the LPG tank fueling evaluation. At each of these fleets a sampling of vehicles were observed during fueling (105 vehicles total). Vehicles were noted when their overfill prevention device (OPD) failed to activate and stop the fueling process. This was done to quantify the frequency of such an occurrence in practice in the field, which could lead to safety and environmental issues.
NREL's PHEV/EV Li-ion Battery Secondary-Use Project
6/1/2010
Accelerated development and market penetration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) is restricted at present by the high cost of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. One way to address this problem is to recover a fraction of the battery's cost via reuse in other applications after it is retired from service in the vehicle, when the battery may still have sufficient performance to meet the requirements of other energy storage applications.
Authors: Neubauer, J.; Pesaran, A.
Hybrid Electric Systems: Goals, Strategies, and Top Accomplishments
6/1/2010
The Vehicle Technologies Program at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, is focused on enabling large-scale production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that are cost-competitive with conventional vehicles. They endeavor to reduce the cost of electrochemical energy storage and low cost advanced power electronics and electric motor components by developing simulation tools and modeling capabilities.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2010
6/1/2010
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2010 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 April 2 and April 12, 2010, 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 for regular gasoline has risen 19 cents per gallon from $2.65 per gallon to $2.84 per gallon; CNG price has risen 5 cents from $1.85 to $1.90; and ethanol (E85) has risen 4 cents from $2.38 to $2.42 per gallon. CNG is about 94 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 58 cents more per gallon than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Smart Travel Options
5/21/2010
An Employee Transportation survey was conducted in the fall of 2009 to collect information on the commuting habits of employees in order to gain an understanding of the commute changes they would be willing to make as part of the Sustainable Campus Initiative at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This report describes the data collected, analysis and recommendations resulting from the survey.
Propane Vehicles: Status, Challenges, and Opportunities
5/1/2010
This report discusses the potential increase in the number of on-road propane vehicles. It outlines the state of propane technology, the current market status, available federal and state incentives, emission benefits, carbon benefits, barriers and opportunities in the marketplace for propane vehicles.
Authors: Rood-Werpy, M.; Burnham, A.; Bertram, K.
Plug-in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: A Foundation for Electrified Transportation
4/8/2010
new opportunity for reducing oil consumption by drawing power from the electric grid. To maximize the benefits of PEVs, the emerging PEV infrastructure?from battery manufacturing to communication and control between the vehicle and the grid?must provide access to clean electricity, satisfy stakeholder expectations, and ensure safety. Currently, codes and standards organizations are collaborating on a PEV infrastructure plan. Establishing a PEV infrastructure framework will create new opportunities for business and job development initiating the move toward electrified transportation. This paper summarizes the components of the PEV infrastructure, challenges and opportunities related to the design and deployment of the infrastructure, and the potential benefits.
Authors: Markel, T.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2010
4/1/2010
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2010 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 Jan. 19 and Jan. 29, 2010, 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 for regular gasoline has risen 1 cent per gallon from $2.64 per gallon to $2.65 per gallon; CNG price has dropped 1 cent from $1.86 to $1.85; and ethanol (E85) has risen 11 cents from $2.27 to $2.38 per gallon. CNG is about 80 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 71 cents more per gallon than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Flexible Fuel Vehicles: Providing a Renewable Fuel Choice
3/1/2010
Flexible Fuel vehicles can be fueled with unleaded gasoline, E85, or any combination of the two. Today almost 8 million vehicles on U.S. highways are flexible fuel vehicles. The fact sheet discusses how E85 affects vehicle performance, the costs and benefits of using E85, and how to find E85 station locations.
