Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and San Mateo County Transit District Fuel Cell Transit Buses: Evaluation Results
11/1/2006
This report provides evaluation results of prototype fuel cell transit buses operating at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in San Jose, California. VTA has been operating three fuel cell transit buses in extra revenue service since February 28, 2005. The report includes 17 months of performance data on three 40-ft. Gillig buses with a fuel cell system by Ballard Power Systems. The report also outlines the overall experience for the transit agency and its project partners in demonstrating these zero-emission buses. The analysis in this report reflects the prototype status of these vehicles. There is no intent to consider the implementation of these fuel cell buses as commercial (or full revenue transit service. The evaluation focuses on documenting progress and opportunities for improving the vehicles, infrastructure, and procedures.
Authors: Chandler, K.; Eudy, L.
Natural Gas Engine Development
11/1/2006
This report outlines the subcontract program undertaken by John Deere & Co. for the laboratory development of natural gas engines that would be certifiable to emission levels below the 2004 federal standards (2.5 g/bhp-hr NOx + NMHC) and be commercially viable. Following lab development, the engines were field-tested on New Flyer model CF-40 buses.
Authors: Lekar, T.C.; Martin, T.J.
New York City Transit (NYCT) Hybrid (125 Order) and CNG Transit Buses: Final Evaluation Results
11/1/2006
This report is one of a series of evaluations by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), that track and evaluate new propulsion systems in transit buses and trucks using established and documented evaluation protocol. DOE/NREL evaluated the original 10 prototype diesel-hybrid buses from Orion and BAE Systems (model Orion VI buses) operated by New York City Transit (NYCT). That evaluation was reported in July 2002 and provided results from the prototype buses from 1998 through 2001. This report focuses on 10 new compressed natural gas (CNG) and next generation diesel hybrid electric bus propulsion systems in NYCT's transit buses.
Authors: Barnitt, R., Chandler, K.
The Long-Run Impact of Corn-Based Ethanol on the Grain, Oilseed, and Livestock Sectors: A Preliminary Assessment
11/1/2006
The ongoing growth of corn-based ethanol production raises some fundamental questions about the impact of continued growth on U.S. and world agricultural markets. Estimates of the long-run potential for ethanol production can be made by calculating the corn price at which the incentive to expand ethanol production disappears. Under current ethanol tax policy, if the prices of crude oil, natural gas, and distillers grains stay at current levels, then the break-even corn price is $4.05 per bushel.At this price, corn-based ethanol production would reach 31.5 billion gallons per year, or about 20% of projected U.S. fuel consumption in 2015. Supporting this level of production would require 95.6 million acres of corn to be planted. Total corn production would be approximately 15.6 billion bushels, compared to 11.0 billion bushels today. Most of the additional corn acres come from reduced soybean acreage. Corn exports and production of pork and poultry would all be reduced in response to higher corn prices and increased utilization of corn by ethanol plants. These results are not to be viewed as a prediction of what will eventually happen. Rather, they indicate a logical end point to the current incentives to invest in corn-based ethanol plants.
Authors: Elobeid, A.; Tokgoz, S.; Hayes, D.J.; Babcock, B.A.; Hart, C.E.
Geographically Based Hydrogen Consumer Demand and Infrastructure Analysis Final Report
10/1/2006
In fiscal 2004 and 2005, the National Renewable Energy Lab developed a proposed minimal infrastructure to support nationwide deployment of hydrogen vehicles by offering infrastructure scenarios that facilitated interstate travel. The current (FY06) project aims to identify key metropolitan areas and regions on which to focus infrastruce efforts during the early hydrogen transition. The objectives of this analysis are to (1) quantify projected hydrogen vehicle demand across the U.S. and in targeted metropolitan areas; and, (2) quantify the projected hydrogen fuel demands corresponding with different levels of hydrogen vehicle demand to inform infrastructure analyses such as siting hydrogen fueling stations and selecting between centralized and distributed hydrogen production.
Authors: Melendez, M.; Milbrandt, A.
Effects of Biodiesel Blends on Vehicle Emissions
10/1/2006
Biodiesel is a fuel-blending component produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or waste grease by reaction with methanol or ethanol to produce methyl or ethyl esters. Engine dynamometer studies reviewed in a 2002 report from EPA show a 2% increase in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissinos for B20. This perceived small increase in NOx is leading some state regulatory agencies to consider banning the use of biodiesel. This study was a reassessment of the impact of B20 on NOx emissions. Based on the studies reviewed and new data reported in the present report, there does not appear to be a discrepancy between engine and chassis testing studies for the effect of B20 on NOx emissions. Individual engines may show NOx increasing or decreasing, but on average there appears to be no net effect, or at most a very small effect on the order of +/-0.5%. We have concluded, considering all the data available, that B20 has no net impact on NOx.
Authors: McCormick, R.L.; Williams, A.; Ireland, J.; Brimhall, M.; Hayes, R.R.
100,000 Mile Evaluation of Transit Buses Operated on Biodiesel Blends (B20)
10/1/2006
Report evaluates the emissions, fuel economy, and maintenance of five 40-foot transit buses operated on B20 compared to four buses operated on petroleum diesel.
Authors: Proc, K.; Barnitt, R.; Hayes, R.; Ratcliff, M.; McCormick, R.; Ha, L.; Fang, H.
US10 Capable Prototype Volvo MG11 Natural Gas Engine Development: Final Report
10/1/2006
This project was designed to develop a low emissions natural gas engine. The emission targets for this project were 0.27 g/kW-hr (0.2 g/bhp-hr) of NOx and 0.013 g/kW-hr (0.01 g/bhp-hr) of particulate matter. To meet the objective, a chemically correct (stoichiometric) combustion, natural gas engine with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a three-way catalyst was development. In addition to low emissions, diesel-like efficiencies were targeted trough the use of a Sturman camless Hydraulic Actuated Valve (HVA) system.
Authors: Tai, C.; Reppert, T.; Chiu, J.; Christensen, L.; Knoll, K.; Stewart, J.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2006
10/1/2006
The October 2006 Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report keeping you up to date on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue discusses prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders in September and October 2006, 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 illustrates that alternative fuel prices relative to conventional fuels vary, with some (propane and biodiesel) higher and some (E85 and CNG) lower. CNG is about 45 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is about 11 cents less per gallon than gasoline.
Authors: Laughlin, M.D.
Development of a Cummins Westport SI-EGR Natural Gas Engine at 0.2 g/bhp-hr
10/1/2006
This report outlines a program initiated to develop and demonstrate advanced technologies and methods for controlling exhaust emissions in a medium-duty natural gas engine to meet 2010 Federal emission standards. The goals specifically were to develop a natural gas engine capable of emission standards (g/bhp*h) of 0.2 NOx, 0.14 nmHC, 0.01 PM and 15.5 CO with engine ratings of 320 h.p. and 1000 lbs.*ft.
Authors: Kamel, M.