# Presentation: 800204

## Alternative Fuels Overview

- Sample Presentation
- 1/11/07

## U.S. Energy Consumption

- Source:_  Annual Energy Outlook 2006_, Energy Information Administration.

## U.S. Energy by Sector

- Source:_  Annual Energy Outlook 2006_, Energy Information Administration.

## U.S. Oil Consumption

- Source:_Transportation Energy Data Book Edition 24_, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Transportation Analysis, http://cta.ornl.gov/data and _Annual Energy Outlook 2005_, Energy Information Administration.

## Alternative Fuels—One Solution

- Domestically produced.
- Derived from renewable sources.
- Reduces harmful pollutants, exhaust emissions, and CO2  emissions.

## Ethanol Properties

- Alcohol-based fuel produced from starch crops or cellulosic biomass (trees and grasses). Currently, corn is primary feedstock.
- High octane (100+); enhances octane properties of gasoline and used as oxygenate to reduce CO emissions.
- 27% - 36% less energy content than gasoline. OEM’s estimate 15% - 30% decrease in mileage.
- E85 vehicles demonstrate a 25% reduction in ozone-forming emissions compared to gasoline.
- As an alternative fuel, most commonly used in a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline (E85).

## Ethanol Uses

- Mostly used in light-duty vehicles called flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).  FFVs can use 100% unleaded fuel or any mixture of E85 and unleaded fuel.
- Several manufacturers offer FFVs in car and pickup configurations. See the AFDC Web:
- 	_[www.eere.energy.gov/afdc](http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc)_
- .

## Ethanol Considerations 

- Decreased mileage.
- High level of fuel pricing volatility until demand and supply balance.
- Refueling infrastructure not in place in all areas (1003 stations in the U.S. offered E85 in 2006).
- Ongoing debate: energy balance, land mass, food vs. fuel, and water required.

## Natural Gas Properties

- Recovered from underground reserves.
- Used in two forms: CNG (compressed natural gas) and LNG (liquefied natural gas).
- CNG and LNG vehicles can demonstrate reduced ozone-forming emissions compared to gasoline. May have increased  hydrocarbon emissions.
- Contains 59% - 69% less energy content per gallon at 3000 - 3600 psig than gasoline.
- Widespread distribution infrastructure (737 CNG and 32 LNG refueling stations in operation in 2006).

## CNG/LNG  Uses 

- CNG used in light- and medium-duty vehicles.
- LNG used in heavy-duty trucks and all natural gas fueled locomotives.
- CNG stored onboard at 3000 - 3600 psig.
- LNG stored at 50 psig and fuel temperature at -2200F.

## CNG/LNG  Considerations

- CNG refueling stations are either slow-fill (several hours to fill) or fast-fill (2 - 5 minutes).
- Additional safety modification for maintenance facilities required by NEC (National Electrical Code) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).
- Higher vehicle costs because of required tank
- configuration.
- Shorter vehicle range for CNG vehicles.
- Availability of refueling stations.

## Biodiesel Properties

- Manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases; reacted with alcohol to produce fatty acid alkyl ester.
- Nontoxic, biodegradable, and reduces serious air pollutants.
- B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel) can generally be used in unmodified diesel engines.
- Can be used in pure form (B100), but may require engine modifications.
- Has a higher cetane number and provides more lubricity.
- B20 contains 9% less energy content per gallon than #2 diesel.

## Biodiesel Uses

- B20 can generally be used in all unmodified diesel engines.
- Using biodiesel maintains the same payload capacity and range and provides similar horsepower, torque, and fuel economy.

## Biodiesel Considerations

- Potential issues with cold starting.  Also, cold weather storage requires additional steps to keep biodiesel usable.
- Fuel related failures may not be covered by some OEM warranties if greater than B5 is used.
- Limited production and availability.  At the end of 2006 there were 635 stations offering biodiesel.

## Propane (LPG) Properties

- By-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining.
- HD5, the automotive propane standard, a mixture of 90% propane and other hydrocarbons.
- Contains 33% - 41% less energy content per gallon than gasoline.
- LPG vehicles can demonstrate a 60% reduction in ozone-forming emissions compared to gasoline.
- High octane properties (~104) allow LPG vehicles to operate with higher compression ratios; leads to higher efficiency/fuel economy.

## Propane (LPG) Uses 

- Used in light- and medium-duty vehicles, heavy-duty trucks and buses.
- Popular choice for non-road vehicles such as forklifts and agricultural and construction vehicles.
- Many propane vehicles are converted gasoline vehicles. (Conversion kits include regulator/vaporizer, air/fuel mixer, oxygen-monitoring closed-loop feedback system, and special fuel tank.)

## Propane (LPG) Considerations

- Widespread infrastructure of pipelines, processing facilities, and storage (2,499 stations in U.S. offered LPG in 2006).
- For vehicles, need to balance range vs. payload reduction caused by larger fuel tanks.
- Increased vehicle costs.

## Electricity Properties

- Recharges batteries in electric vehicles.
- Electricity sources for battery recharging (electrical outlet, gasoline engine on-board vehicle, regenerative braking).
- Electricity sources for power outlets (coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, other renewables).

## Electricity Uses

- Two categories include EVs or plug-ins (externally charged) and HEVs or hybrid vehicles (self-charged). Both use battery storage.
- Available in neighborhood electric vehicles, bicycles, light-duty vehicles, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses.
- Hybrids use an electric motor or a combination of a gasoline engine and electric motor to drive the wheels.  Hybrids use batteries to store electricity produced by regenerative braking and the onboard generator.
- Range of a dedicated electric is typically 50-130 miles.

## Electricity Considerations

- Fuel savings (10% - 100% depending on application and vehicle).
- Payback on investment.
- Possible federal and state tax credits for purchase of hybrid.

## Hydrogen Properties

- Does not occur to any significant extent on earth in its free, elemental form.
- Found in chemical compositions such as water and hydrocarbons, and dry coal.
- Pure hydrogen contains no carbon thus burns to form water with no CO2 or CO emissions.
- One kg of hydrogen contains roughly equivalent energy to one gallon of gasoline.
- Can be stored as compressed hydrogen at 5,000 – 10,000 psi or liquid hydrogen (cooled to -4230F).

## Hydrogen Uses

- Emerging fuel for transportation fuel cells.
- Used in modified internal combustion engines.
- Fuel cells use a direct electrochemical reaction to produce electricity on board the vehicle.  This electricity is used to power electric motors.
- Ongoing demonstration projects in select U.S. areas.

## Hydrogen Considerations

- Vehicles not available for commercial sale.
- Infrastructure extremely limited (31 demonstration-level refueling stations in the U.S in 2006).

## October 2006 Average Fuel Prices 

*	**	**	**       ***Nationwide Average Price       Nationwide Average Price ****	****Change in****	**** Units of **
**	****	****	****                   ****This Report****	****	****Last Report (6/06)  ****	****     Price ****	****Measurement **
- Gasoline (Regular) 	$2.22 		$2.84 		($0.62) 	per gallon
- Diesel 			$2.62 		$2.98 		($0.36) 	per gallon
- CNG 			$1.77 		$1.90 		($0.13) 	per GGE
- Ethanol (E85) 		$2.11 		$2.43 		($0.32) 	per gallon
- Propane 		$2.33 		$2.08 		$0.25 	per gallon
- Biodiesel (B20) 		$2.66 		$2.92 		($0.26) 	per gallon
- Biodiesel (B2-B5) 	$2.75 		$2.97 		($0.22) 	per gallon
- Biodiesel (B99-B100) 	$3.31 		$3.76 		($0.45) 	per gallon
*Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report *
*October 2006*