2010 Renewable Energy Data Book
10/1/2011
This Renewable Energy Data Book for 2010 provides facts and figures on energy in general, renewable electricity in the United States, global renewable energy development, wind power, solar energy, geothermal power, biopower, hydropower, advanced water power, hydrogen, renewable fuels, and clean energy investments.
A Waste-to-Wheel Analysis of Anaerobic-Digestion-Based RNG Pathways with the GREET Model
9/1/2011
This study captures results from a life cycle analysis that was conducted to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of converting methane from animal manure into renewable natural gas (RNG) and utilizing the gas in vehicles. Several manure-based RNG pathways were characterized in the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model, and their fuel-cycle energy use and GHG emissions were compared to petroleum-based pathways as well as to conventional fossil natural gas pathways.
Authors: Han, J.; Mintz, M.; Wang, M.
Clean Cities Niche Market Overview: Refuse Haulers
9/1/2011
Many niche market fleets, which operate specially designed vehicles that serve very specific functions, are ideal for the adoption of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. One prime example is the refuse hauler sector, whose 136,000 trucks average only 2.8 miles per gallon, using more than 1.2 billion gallons of fuel annually in the United States. This sector could substantially decrease its petroleum consumption through the use of alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicles. Before adopting these technologies, a refuse hauler fleet should consider both the technologies' benefits and the fleet's individual needs.
Authors: Shea, S.
U.S. Virgin Islands Transportation Petroleum Reduction Plan
9/1/2011
The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) has set a goal to reduce petroleum use 60% by 2025 compared to the business-as-usual scenario. Ground-based transportation is responsible for 40% of USVI petroleum use, so the USVI and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) set up a Transportation working group (TWG) to devise a way to meet the 60% reduction goal in the transportation sector. This report lays out the TWG's plan.
Authors: Johnson, C.
Clean Cities Annual Metrics Report 2009 (Revised)
8/10/2011
Each year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) asks Clean Cities coordinators to submit an annual report of their activities and accomplishments for the previous calendar year. Data and information are submitted to an online database that is maintained as part of the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles 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), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), idle reduction initiatives, fuel economy activities, and programs to reduce vehicle miles driven. NREL analyzes the data and translates them into gasoline reduction impacts, which are summarized in this report.
Authors: Johnson, C.
Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration: First Results Report
8/1/2011
This report documents the early implementation experience for the Zero Emission Bay Area (ZEBA) Demonstration, the largest fleet of fuel cell electric buses in the United States. The ZEBA Demonstration group includes five participating transit agencies: AC Transit (lead transit agency), Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Golden Gate Transit (GGT), San Mateo County Transit District(SamTrans), and San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni). The ZEBA partners are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate the buses in revenue service.
Authors: Chandler, K.; Eudy, L.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2011
8/1/2011
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for July 2011 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 July 14, 2011 and July 29, 2011, 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 dropped 1 cent per gallon from $3.69 per gallon to $3.68 per gallon; CNG price has risen 1 cent from $2.06 to $2.07; ethanol (E85) has risen 6 cents from $3.20 to $3.26 per gallon; propane has dropped 10 cents from $3.19 to $3.09; and biodiesel has dropped 3 cents from $4.05 to $4.02 per gallon. CNG is about $1.61 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 92 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Babcock, S.
U.S. Billion-Ton Update: Biomass Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry
8/1/2011
This report, generally referred to as the Billion-Ton Study, is an estimate of "potential" biomass within the contiguous United States based on numerous assumptions about current and future inventory and production capacity, availability, and technology. In the 2005 BTS, a strategic analysis was undertaken to determine if U.S. agriculture and forest resources have the capability to potentially produce at least one billion dry tons of biomass annually, in a sustainable manner - enough to displace approximately 30% of the country's present petroleum consumption. To ensure reasonable confidence in the study results, an effort was made to use relatively conservative assumptions. However, for both agriculture and forestry, the resource potential was not restricted by price. That is, all identified biomass was potentially available, even though some potential feedstock would more than likely be too expensive to actually be economically available.
Authors: Perlack, R.; Stokes, B.
Ethanol Flexible Fuel Vehicle Conversions
7/29/2011
Rising gasoline prices and concerns about climate change have greatly increased public interest in ethanol use, including E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). Vehicle manufacturers currently offer E85-compatible flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) in a wide variety of makes and models at little or no extra cost. In spite of the availability of new and used FFVs, many consumers are curious about the prospects for converting their existing gasoline vehicles to operate on E85.
Blender Pump Fuel Survey: CRC Project E-95
7/1/2011
Approximately 10% of the fuel grade ethanol is blended into "E85," which is nominally 85 vol% fuel grade ethanol in a balance of gasoline or other hydrocarbons. To increase the number of ethanol blends available in the United States beyond these two markets, several states have provided incentives for the installation of so-called "blender pumps" that can blend gasoline with "E85." At the writing of this report, there is no specification or standard practice that governs the properties of these blended fuels and little information is available about the content or qualities of fuels sold at blender pumps. No labeling conventions exist for blender pumps. However, efforts are underway within ASTM to develop a standard guide for mid-level ethanol blends and the Federal Trade Commission has proposed regulations designed to improve the consistency and uniformity of blender pump labeling.
Authors: Alleman, T.
Idling: Cruising the Fuel Inefficiency Expressway
6/1/2011
The impacts of idling are substantial, with as much as 2 billion gallons of fuel burned unnecessarily each year in the United States at a cost of over $4 billion. The extra hours of engine operation also cost the owners money for more frequent maintenance and overhauls. In addition, idling vehicles emit particulates (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2). These emissions, along with noise from idling vehicles, have led to many local and state restrictions on idling.
This study presents the first comparison of IR technologies with each other and with idling on the basis of both costs and full fuel?]cycle emissions, for different locations, fuel prices, and idling patterns. The preferences described are for the technologies that reduce total emissions the most and cost truck owners the least. We also discuss how regulatory issues and legislation affect IR, what financial incentives help to promote IR, and how outreach and education approaches can be adopted to reduce the need to idle. Finally, we offer a prediction of how future research and development (R&D), regulations, and citizens can help to improve fuel economy and clean the air. This report focuses on heavy-duty vehicles.
Authors: Gaines, L.; Levinson, T.
Proposed Fuel Economy Standards for the Year 2025
6/1/2011
After decades of inaction in this critical area, President Obama has taken unprecedented steps to increase our vehicle efficiency, announcing fuel economy standards that will nearly double the efficiency of our fleet. In 2009 the President established aggressive fuel economy standards for cars and trucks built in 2011 and announced groundbreaking national fuel efficiency standards and greenhouse gas standards for cars and light-duty trucks built in 2012-2016. By Model Year 2016, those national standards will raise the average fuel economy of new cars and trucks to 35.5 miles per gallon (incorporating efficient gains from air conditioning improvements) and lower greenhouse gases emissions to 250 grams per mile (g/mi), while maintaining consumer choice. At the same time, the Administration established a harmonized program that allows manufacturers to build a single, light-duty national fleet that satisfies all federal requirements as well as those of California and other states.
On July 29, 2011, the President announced the next phase in the Administration?s program to increase fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. These new standards will cover cars and light trucks for Model Years 2017-2025, requiring performance equivalent to 54.5 mpg in 2025 while reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 163 grams per mile.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2011
5/1/2011
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2011 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 1, 2011 and April 15, 2011, 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 61 cents per gallon from $3.08 per gallon to $3.69 per gallon; CNG price has risen from $1.93 to $2.06; ethanol (E85) has risen 45 cents from 2.75 to $3.20 per gallon; and biodiesel has risen 55 cents from $3.50 to $4.05. CNG is about $1.63 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 83 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Babcock, S.
Process Design and Economics for Biochemical Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol; Dilute-Acid Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Corn Stover
5/1/2011
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) promotes the production of ethanol and other liquid fuels from lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks by funding fundamental and applied research that advances the state of technology in biomass collection, conversion, and sustainability. As part of its involvement in the program, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) investigates the production economics of these fuels.
This report describes in detail one potential biochemical ethanol conversion process, conceptually based upon core conversion and process integration research at NREL. The overarching process design converts corn stover to ethanol by dilute-acid pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and co-fermentation. Ancillary areas-feed handling, product recovery, wastewater treatment, lignin combustion, and utilities-are also included in the design. Detailed material and energy balances and capital and operating costs were developed for theentire process, and they are documented in this report.
Authors: Humbird, D.; Davis, R.; Tao, L.; Kinchin, C.; Hsu, D.; Aden, A.;Schoen, P.; Lukas, J.; Olthof, B.; Worley, M.; Sexton, D.; Dudgeon, D.