Hydrogen Production Roadmap: Technology Pathways to the Future
1/1/2009
This Hydrogen Production roadmap was constructed by the Hydrogen Production Technical Team (HPTT) of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership to identify the key challenges and priority research and development (R&D) needs associated with various hydrogen fuel production technologies.
The goal of the roadmap is to facilitate development of commercial hydrogen production via various technology pathways in the near and long term. DOE?s current hydrogen cost targets are $3.00 per gallon of gasoline equivalent3 (gge) at fueling stations and $2.00 per gge at a central facility (also known as the ?plant? gate).
CNG Fuel System Inspector Study Guide
1/1/2009
The CSA test contains approximately sixty multiple choice questions. There may be additional test questions included that are for evaluation purposes only and will not be part of the final scoring. The questions are based on expert opinions from a cross section of the CNG industry after consideration of the skills and knowledge that a minimally qualified applicant should have. They are taken in proportion to their importance from a carefully constructed set of objectives or tasks that inspectors would be expected to perform.
In preparation for taking the exam, you should first evaluate yourself against these objectives. Honestly consider if you are confident that you know each specific task listed in the following Task List. Note the percentage of questions you can expect in each category and check Yes (Y) or No (N) as you grade yourself. This will form the basis for any additional study you need prior to taking the test.
Authors: Horne, D.
Biofuels, Land Use Change, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Some Unexplored Variables
1/1/2009
Greenhouse gas release from land use change (the so-called ?carbon debt?) has been identified as a potentially significant contributor to the environmental profile of biofuels. The time required for biofuels to overcome this carbon debt due to land use change and begin providing cumulative greenhouse gas benefits is referred to as the ?payback period? and has been estimated to be 100−1000 years depending on the specific ecosystem involved in the land use change event. Two mechanisms for land use change exist: ?direct? land use change, in which the land use change occurs as part of a specific supply chain for a specific biofuel production facility, and ?indirect? land use change, in which market forces act to produce land use change in land that is not part of a specific biofuel supply chain, including, for example, hypothetical land use change on another continent. Existing land use change studies did not consider many of the potentially important variables that might affect the greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels. We examine here several variables that have not yet been addressed in land use change studies. Our analysis shows that cropping management is a key factor in estimating greenhouse gas emissions associated with land use change. Sustainable cropping management practices (no-till and no-till plus cover crops) reduce the payback period to 3 years for the grassland conversion case and to 14 years for the forest conversion case. It is significant that no-till and cover crop practices also yield higher soil organic carbon (SOC) levels in corn fields derived from former grasslands or forests than the SOC levels that result if these grasslands or forests are allowed to continue undisturbed. The United States currently does not hold any of its domestic industries responsible for its greenhouse gas emissions. Thus the greenhouse gas standards established for renewable fuels such as corn ethanol in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 set a
Authors: Kim, H.; Kim, S; Dale, B.E.
School Bus Idling Reduction: Project Report and Implementation Guide for Oklahoma School Districts
1/1/2009
School bus idling wastes fuel and financial resources while producing exhaust emissions that are harmful to human health and the environment. Beginning in late 2006, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools, and the Oklahomas Department of Environmental Quality undertook a two-year project to determine the extend of fuel and emissions savings that Oklahoma school district might expect by instituting a maximum five-minute school bus idling policy. This report offers the study's findings to public school districts in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Results indicate that for every five minutes of daily idling time reduced over the course of a school year, 7.5 gallons of fuel per bus can be saved for a collective savings of more than 58,000 gallons of diesel fuel saved annually.
Energy Use and Emissions Comparison of Idling Reduction Options for Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks
11/15/2008
Pollution and energy analyses of different idling reduction (IR) technologies have been limited to localized vehicle emissions and neglected upstream energy use and regional emissions. In light of increasing regulation and government incentives for IR, we analyzed the full-fuel-cycle effects of contemporary approaches. Our analysis incorporates direct impacts at the truck and upstream energy use and emissions estimates from the GREET model with published climate and vehicle operation data. We compared emissions, energy use, and proximity to urban populations for nine alternatives, including idling, electrified parking spaces, auxiliary power units, and several combinations of these.
Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum
11/1/2008
The Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum (NGVTF) supports development and deployment of commercially competitive natural gas engines, vehicles, and infrastructure. Led by the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commissino, the NGVTF brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to share information and leverage resources.
PHEV Technology Analysis at Argonne
11/1/2008
To estimate the impact of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the U.S., Argonne National Laboratory is analyzing typical travel behavior, new technology penetration patterns, and pathways for vehicle fuels.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Review
11/1/2008
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are under evaluation by the U.S.Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Program?s Advanced VehicleTesting Activity and other various stakeholders to better understand theircapability and potential petroleum reduction benefits. PHEVs could allow usersto significantly improve fuel economy over a standard hybrid electric vehicle,and in some cases, depending on daily driving requirements and vehicle design,PHEVs may have the ability to eliminate fuel consumption entirely for dailyvehicle trips. The cost associated with providing charging infrastructure forPHEVs, along with costs for onboard power electronics and the batteriesassociated with PHEV technology, will be key factors in the success of PHEVs.This report analyzes the infrastructure requirements for PHEVs in singlefamily residential, multi-family residential, and commercial situations. Costsassociated with this infrastructure are tabulated, providing an estimate of theinfrastructure costs associated with PHEV deployment.
Authors: Morrow, K.; Karner, D.; Francfort, J.
Two Billion Cars: Transforming a Culture
11/1/2008
Can the planet sustain two billion vehicles? The answer is no-at least not as they exist today. The transportation community needs to summon its ingenuity to transform the vehicles and fuels commonly used today, introduce new mobility options, and alter unsustainable travel behaviors to accommodate both a growing population and a need for a sustainable planet.
Authors: Sperling, D.; Gordon, Deborah
Petroleum Reduction Planning Tool
11/1/2008
The Petroleum Reduction Planning Tool helps fleets, consumers, and business owners create a strategy to reudce conventional fuel use in fleet and personal vehicles. This interactive tool allows users to evaluate and calculate petroleum reductions by choosing one or a combination of methods.
Environmental Laws Applicable to Construction and Operation of Biodiesel Production Facilities
11/1/2008
This document discusses the various federal environmental requirements that may apply to commercial biodiesel production facilities located in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, or Nebraska that use the transesterification process. It also provides information on specific environmental laws including the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Renewable Fuel Standard, and the Clean Air Act. Note that state or local requirements may be more stringent than federal requirements and are outside the scope of this document.
Clean Cities 2009 Vehicle Buyer's Guide
11/1/2008
This 32-page booklet offers information about available 2009 alternative fuel vehicles including natural gas, propane, electric, hybrid, ethanol and biodiesel vehicles.
Full Fuel-Cycle Comparison of Forklift Propulsion Systems
10/14/2008
This report examines forklift propulsion systems and addresses the potential energy and environmental implications of substituting fuel cell propulsion for existing technologies based on batteries and fossil fuels. Industry data and the Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model are used to estimate full fuel-cycle emissions and use of primary energy sources. Also considered are other environmental concerns at work locations. The benefits derived from using fuel cell propulsion are determined by the sources of electricity and hydrogen. In particular, fuel cell forklifts using hydrogen made from the reforming of natural gas had lower impacts than those using hydrogen from electrolysis.
Authors: Gaines, L.L.; Elgowainy, A.; Wang, M.Q.
National Biofuels Action Plan
10/1/2008
The Biomass Research and Development Board was created by Congress in the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000, "to coordinate programs within and among departments and agencies of the Federal Government for the purpose of promoting the use of bio-based fuels and bio-based products by (1) maximizing the benefits deriving from Federal grants and assistance; and (2) bringing coherence to Federal strategic planning." This National Biofuels Action Plan is the result of that effort at coordination among Federal departments and agencies.
An Experimental and Modeling Study of the Flammability of Fuel Tank Headspace Vapors from High Ethanol Content Fuels
10/1/2008
An experimental and modeling study was done to determine the flammability of fuel tank headspace vapors as a function of ambient temperature for seven E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) fuel blends, two types of gasoline, and denatured ethanol at a low tank fill level. Samples in small, closed chambers were tested simultaneously in a cold chamber to determine flammability and pressure rise when ignited by a strong electric spark. Gasoline and E85 fuels were flammable below a critical temperature; above it, the vapor was too rich to burn. Denatured ethanol was flammable at room temperature and colder, down to a critical temperature; below it, the vapor was too lean to burn. The flammability limit temperature of the E85 and gasoline fuels related to the dry vapor pressure equivalent (DVPE), but DVPE did not reliably rank the low-temperature flammability hazards of fuel tank headspace vapors when conventional gasolines were compared with alcohol blends.
Authors: Gardiner, D.; Bardon, M.; Pucher, G.