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DOE OSTI2022

Inequality and the Future of Electric Mobility in 36 U.S. Cities: An Innovative Methodology and Comparative Assessment

Electric vehicles are seen as one of the technological solutions to transition our transportation systems away from carbon, and cities offer unique opportunities to electrify transportation. To be equitable, however, this transition will not merely require technological innovations. Acknowledging socio-spatial inequalities and creating strategies to address them are critical - yet relatively underexplored - dimensions of the transportation transition. This paper integrates relevant literature into a micro-urban social typology (MUST) approach that uses agglomerative clustering techniques to examine, first, the factors and attributes defining transportation inequities within 36 U.S. cities, and, second, the implications of these inequities for policies that foster a more equitable transportation transition. By combining socio-spatial and transportation data, we identified five MUSTs: Wealthy, Urban Disadvantaged, Urban Renters, Middle-Class Homeowners, and Rural/Exurban. Rather than being tied to any particular indicator (e.g., homeownership), these MUSTs contain intersecting factors and features of inequities. We compare transportation and health outcomes across MUSTs, and the results suggest that user-centric strategies and public investments are necessary to foster true transportation equity. These must go beyond the electrification of private vehicles and should be tailored to the specific characteristics of each MUST. These could include electric carpooling for the rural/exurban MUST and electrification of transit for the urban disadvantaged and renter MUSTs. Our typology offers a critical next step toward informing transportation transition policies to target critical sociodemographic, economic, and techno-infrastructural factors.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,ENERGY PLANNING, POLIC↗

DOE OSTI2021

Grid-Integrated Electric Mobility Model (GEM) v1.0

Transportation is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption globally. The convergence of shared mobility, vehicle automation, and electrification has the potential to drastically reduce transportation impacts, but requires careful integration with rapidly evolving electricity systems. We have developed the GEM Model (Grid-Integrated Electric Mobility) to examine these interactions with a U.S.-wide simulation framework encompassing private electric vehicles (EVs); shared automated EVs (SAEVs); charging infrastructure; controlled EV charging; and a grid economic dispatch model to simulate mobility futures exclusively using EVs. We find that an SAEV fleet 9% the size of today's active vehicles can satisfy trip demand with only 2.6 million chargers (0.2 per EV). Controlled EV charging can also reduce electricity demand variability, significantly reducing GHG emissions and decreasing solar curtailment by about one-third. While private EVs with uncontrolled charging would reduce GHG emissions by 53% compared to gasoline vehicles, SAEVs could achieve a 70% reduction.

Sheppard, Colin↗

DOE OSTI2025

Evolving Electricity Supply and Demand to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions: Insights from the EMF-37 Study

This paper explores the role of electricity in achieving economy-wide net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 in the United States based on results from 17 models as part of the 37th Stanford Energy Modeling Forum (EMF-37). In the study's Net-Zero scenario, the models use diverse pathways to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with gross energy-related residual emissions ranging from 17.2 to 66.6 % of 2020 levels. Electricity consistently emerges as central to achieving net-zero, with models projecting rapid electrification of end-uses and rapidly declining CO2 intensity of electricity. However, the extent of electrification and the technology mix to decarbonize the power sector vary considerably across models. In the Net-Zero scenario, electricity is projected to evolve from ~20 % of final energy in 2020 to 17-63 % in 2050 across the models driven by electrification in all sectors-buildings, industry, and transportation-and, to a lesser extent by direct air capture. By 2050, total electricity consumption increases by 24-176 % (relative to 2020), accompanied by significant expansion in renewable electricity production. Together, solar and wind generation grows by 175-834 %, supplying 45-90 % of total electricity in 2050, with wind achieving slightly higher shares than solar. Electricity storage technologies are deployed at scale to support wind and solar generation. The electricity generation mix varies across models: some project almost complete reliance on renewables, while others see a substantial role for natural gas, often with carbon capture and storage. This paper synthesizes the rich diversity of modeling approaches and results, highlighting differing views on how key drivers of electricity demand and supply might evolve.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Energy consumption and charging load profiles from long-haul truck electrification in the United States

Abstract The urgent need to decarbonize the transportation sector combined with falling battery prices has spurred industry and policy interest in long-haul truck electrification. The charging behavior and resulting loads from electrified long-haul freight trucks are crucial for the smooth operation of the electric grid and have far-reaching environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas and other air pollutant emissions). However, the aggregate energy impact of a fleetwide shift to electrified long-haul freight trucking has not been explored. This study combines electric truck design scenarios, bottom-up truck weight modeling, vehicle energy modeling, large-scale truck traffic data, and simulation of likely operation and charging behaviors to estimate end-use energy consumption and location-specific hourly charging loads for a national fleet of long-haul electric trucks. Relative to a fleet of future diesel trucks, electrification would reduce direct end-use energy consumption by 0.9 × 10 18 J (0.9 quadrillion BTU), but electrification might increase life cycle energy consumption depending on the electricity source. The electricity required to charge long-haul electric trucks is equivalent to five percent of annual electricity consumption in the United States (US). The simulated truck charging loads peak during the day across the US grid regions, but the charging peaks’ exact timing is sensitive to when trucks are dispatched for operation. The load shapes suggest that electric trucks’ charging loads can coincide with peaks in solar power generation, and planning could enable on- or off-site integration between truck charging stations and renewable electricity generation.

Tong, Fan (ORCID:0000000346613956)↗

DOE OSTI2020

The shape of electrified transportation

Transportation is currently the least-diversified energy demand sector, with over 90% of global transportation energy use coming from petroleum products [1]. For more than a century, petroleum fuels have been relied upon to move people and goods within and between towns and cities, and on roads, railways, farms, waterways, and in the air. These energy-dense fuels have unquestionably provided reliable and convenient mobility options to power the modern global economy. However, these benefits have also created challenges associated with geopolitics, energy security, price volatility, and environmental impacts.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Conversion of poplar biomass into high-energy density tricyclic sesquiterpene jet fuel blendstocks

In an effort to ensure future energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create domestic jobs, the US has invested in technologies to develop sustainable biofuels and bioproducts from renewable carbon sources such as lignocellulosic biomass. Bio-derived jet fuel is of particular interest as aviation is less amenable to electrification compared to other modes of transportation and synthetic biology provides the ability to tailor fuel properties to enhance performance. Specific energy and energy density are important properties in determining the attractiveness of potential bio-derived jet fuels. For example, increased energy content can give the industry options such as longer range, higher load or reduced takeoff weight. Energy-dense sesquiterpenes have been identified as potential next-generation jet fuels that can be renewably produced from lignocellulosic biomass. We developed a biomass deconstruction and conversion process that enabled the production of two tricyclic sesquiterpenes, epi-isozizaene and prespatane, from the woody biomass poplar using the versatile basidiomycete Rhodosporidium toruloides. We demonstrated terpene production at both bench and bioreactor scales, with prespatane titers reaching 1173.6 mg/L when grown in poplar hydrolysate in a 2 L bioreactor. Additionally, we examined the theoretical fuel properties of prespatane and epi-isozizaene in their hydrogenated states as blending options for jet fuel, and compared them to aviation fuel, Jet A. Our findings indicate that prespatane and epi-isozizaene in their hydrogenated states would be attractive blending options in Jet A or other lower density renewable jet fuels as they would improve viscosity and increase their energy density. Saturated epi-isozizaene and saturated prespatane have energy densities that are 16.6 and 18.8% higher than Jet A, respectively. These results highlight the potential of R. toruloides as a production host for the sustainable and scalable production of bio-derived jet fuel blends, and this is the first report of prespatane as an alternative jet fuel.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Fleet Electrification Framework [Slides]

The ZEV Ready Center provides a step-by-step process to plan for fleet electrification, design charging infrastructure, and support vehicle operators. This presentation describes how the ZEV Ready Center can be used by local communities and focuses particularly on the ZEV Planning and Charging (ZPAC) tool to identify good candidates for fleet electrification and charging station requirements.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Analysis Program (2023 Annual Progress Report)

This document summarizes the progress of VTO Analysis projects supported during the fiscal year 2023. The VTO Analysis Program supports mission-critical technological, economic, and interdisciplinary analyses to assist in prioritizing VTO technology investments and to inform research portfolio planning. These efforts provide essential vehicle and market data, modeling and simulation, and integrated and applied analyses, using the unique capabilities, analytical tools, and expertise resident in the DOE’s national laboratory system. VTO Analysis projects also demonstrate additional capabilities and expertise provided by research partnerships that may include academia, the private sector, and non-profit organizations.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Vehicle Automation Benefits and Challenges for Passenger Transport System Beyond Automated Driving

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been researching the implementation of fully automated passenger transport systems to be operated within dense urban settings, referred to as Automated Mobility Districts, based on roadway vehicle automation as opposed to track or train-based automation. This research, now in its third phase, is presently addressing the full spectrum of benefits and challenges of full automation of passenger transport systems with respect to fleet electrification and the associated multimodal, large fleet operational management, benefits beyond simply automating the driving tasks. The focal points summarized in the paper and presentation address the benefit-analysis of fleet automation to address added complexities imposed on the multi-fleet operational management when there is a simultaneous implementation of an on-demand service mode that connects with and optimizes the effectiveness of legacy transit systems and new sub-regional autonomous vehicle fleets, with specific emphasis on enhanced ability to better meet peak ridership demand. The research also begins to address challenges in operations arising from lack of personnel present to handle unexpected customer and system needs. Combined, this research articulates vehicle automation benefits and challenges beyond simply automating the driving tasks, addressing additional operational benefits automation provides to address the added complexities imposed by electrification and on-demand modes of operation.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Carbon neutrality in Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur: Insights from stakeholder-driven integrated assessment modeling

Several cities in Malaysia have established plans to reduce their CO2 emissions, in addition to Malaysia submitting a Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce its carbon intensity (against GDP) by 45% in 2030 compared to 2005. Meeting these emissions reduction goals will require a joint effort between governments, industries, and corporations at different scales and across sectors. In collaboration with national and sub-national stakeholders, we developed and used a global integrated assessment model to explore emissions mitigation pathways in Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur. Guided by current climate action plans, we created a suite of scenarios to reflect uncertainties in policy ambition, level of adoption, and implementation for reaching carbon neutrality. Through iterative engagement with all parties, we refined the scenarios and focus of the analysis to best meet the stakeholders’ needs. We found that Malaysia can reduce its carbon intensity and reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and that action in Kuala Lumpur can play a significant role. Decarbonization of the power sector paired with extensive electrification, energy efficiency improvements in buildings, transportation, and industry, and the use of advanced technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage will be major drivers to mitigate emissions, with carbon dioxide removal strategies being key to eliminate residual emissions. This study highlights the participatory process in which stakeholders contributed to the development of the model and guided the analysis, as well as insights into Malaysia’s decarbonization potential and the role of multilevel governance.

cities↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SUSAN Power/Propulsion System Emulation Test Predictions

The development of all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for transport aircraft presents an opportunity for new designs that can reduce fuel consumption and emissions from commercial aviation while enabling safer and more reliable aircraft. The SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) is a conceptual design for a single-aisle transport aircraft with a series/parallel partial-hybrid propulsion system that is being developed by NASA as a reference design for single-aisle transport with a high degree of electrification. The SUSAN aircraft incorporates multiple tightly coupled power, propulsion, and flight control systems. This coupling leads to challenges in the aircraft control design process, requiring a hierarchical and more coordinated control architecture. This presentation will summarize the plans for a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test performed in the Hybrid Propulsion Emulation Rig (HyPER) facility at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). During this test, a real-time reference model of the full-scale SUSAN powertrain and controllers will be run alongside a sub-scale electro-mechanical system representing a portion of the electrified components in the SUSAN hybrid powertrain. This test will allow the performance of the SUSAN controllers to be evaluated using real powertrain components and allows side-by-side comparison between the real and modeled subsystems. This presentation will summarize the full-scale system model, steps towards integration of representative hardware for future control testing, and predicted results.

Jonah J. Sachs-Wetstone↗

DOE OSTI2020

Solar Power + Electric Vehicle Charging: Capturing Synergies in Minnesota

Despite the state policy support, significant market barriers to decarbonization of transportation remain. Analysis conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and others confirm that without routine access to charging infrastructure, both at home and in non-residential locations, bullish market forecasts are unlikely to materialize. Similarly, the expansion of EV charging and variable renewable energy deployment each have potentially disruptive and costly effects on the distribution grid. Finally, electrification of passenger vehicles is not enough to decarbonize transportation without pathways to carbon-free electrification, linking EV charging and clean energy generation. This document examines the opportunity to jointly deploy solar energy and EV charging infrastructure to capture synergistic value, mitigate for risks associated with integrating and scaling both solar and EV charging, and accelerate their mutual deployment.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Batteries Annual Progress Report (FY2019)

The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) of the Department of Energy (DOE) conducts research and development (R&D) on advanced transportation technologies that would reduce the nation’s use of imported oil and would also lead to reductions in harmful emissions. Technologies supported by VTO include electric drive components such as advanced energy storage devices (primarily batteries), power electronics and electric drive motors, advanced structural materials, energy efficient mobility systems, advanced combustion engines, and fuels. VTO is focused on funding early-stage high-reward/high-risk research to improve critical components needed for more fuel efficient (and cleaner-operating) vehicles. One of the major VTO objectives is to enable U.S. innovators to rapidly develop the next generation of technologies that achieve the cost, range, and charging infrastructure necessary for the widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). An important prerequisite for the electrification of the nation’s light duty transportation sector is development of more cost-effective, longer lasting, and more abuse-tolerant PEV batteries. One of the ultimate goals of this research, consistent with the current vehicle electrification trend, is an EV which can provide the full driving performance, convenience, and price of an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. To achieve this, VTO has established the following overarching goal (Source: FY2021 Congressional Budget Justification1): …identify new battery chemistry and cell technologies with the potential to reduce the cost of electric vehicle battery packs by more than half, to less than $100/kWh (ultimate goal is $60/kWh battery cell cost), increase range to 300 miles, and decrease charge time to 15 minutes or less by 2028. VTO works with key U.S. automakers through the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) – an umbrella organization for collaborative research consisting of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the Ford Motor Company, and General Motors. Collaboration with automakers through the partnership known as U.S. Driving Research and Innovation for Vehicle Efficiency and Energy Sustainability (U.S. DRIVE) attempts to enhance the relevance and the success potential of its research portfolio. VTO competitively selects projects for funding through funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Directly-funded work at the national laboratories are awarded competitively through a lab-call process. During the past year, VTO continued R&D in support of PEVs. Stakeholders for VTO R&D include universities, national laboratories, other government agencies and industry (including automakers, battery manufacturers, material suppliers, component developers, private research firms, and small businesses). This document summarizes the progress of VTO battery R&D projects supported during the fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019).

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS2024

SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Power/Propulsion System Control Architecture Updates

The development of hybrid-electric propulsion technology for commercial transport aircraft presents opportunities for new designs that can reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and improve safety and reliability compared to modern aircraft. The SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan is a conceptual design for a transport aircraft with a series/parallel partial hybrid-electric propulsion system being developed by NASA as a reference design for a regional transport aircraft with a high degree of electrification. The SUSAN concept incorporates multiple tightly coupled power, propulsion, and flight control systems that introduce new challenges to the control design process, requiring a hierarchical and more coordinated control approach. This report summarizes updates to the SUSAN power/propulsion system (PPS) model and control architecture made in preparation for planned flight simulator and hardware-in-the-loop testing at the NASA Glenn Research Center. These updates include a new electrical power system model developed using the NASA-developed Electrical Modeling and Thermal Analysis Toolbox (EMTAT) and a new PPS control architecture that improves the operational flexibility and responsiveness of the propulsion system. The performance of the updated controller is demonstrated and discussed.

SUSAN↗

NASA NTRS2024

SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Power/Propulsion System Control Architecture Updates

The development of hybrid-electric propulsion technology for transport aircraft presents opportunities for new designs that can reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from commercial aviation and improve on safety and reliability when compared to modern aircraft. The SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan is a conceptual design for a transport aircraft with a series/parallel partial hybrid-electric propulsion system that is being developed by NASA as a reference design for a regional transport aircraft with a high degree of electrification. The SUSAN concept incorporates multiple tightly coupled power, propulsion, and flight control systems that introduce new challenges to the control design process, requiring a hierarchical and more coordinated control architecture. This paper summarizes updates to the SUSAN Power/Propulsion System (PPS) model and control architecture made in preparation for planned flight simulator and hardware-in-the-loop testing at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). These updates include a new electrical power system (EPS) model based on the NASA-developed Electrical Modeling and Thermal Analysis Toolbox (EMTAT), and a new PPS control architecture that improves the operational flexibility and responsiveness of the propulsion system. The performance of the upgraded control system is also demonstrated and discussed.

SUSAN↗

NASA NTRS2024

SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Power/Propulsion System Control Architecture Updates

SUSAN↗

DOE OSTI2021

The intrinsic value of bioblendstocks: Prenol as a case study

Decarbonizing the transportation sector is likely to require both electrification and increased incorporation of biofuels and/or bioblendstocks. While the social and environmental benefits of bioblendstocks are well understood, their real value for the fuel producers has not been established. As such, this work considers prenol as a bioblendstock case study to identify sources of intrinsic value to fuel blenders by studying the properties of binary mixtures with gasoline components. The considered refinery blendstocks were samples of full range naphthas from the distillation, fluidized catalytic cracking, isomerization, alkylation, and reforming units. Octane numbers, Reid vapor pressure, distillation curves, and sulfur content were evaluated. Our results indicate the need for adjusting the formulation of the base fuel, depending on the interplay among the properties of the bioblendstock and those of the base fuel. Prenol increased research octane number (RON) and octane sensitivity (OS) of the base fuel, by up to 25 and 10 octane numbers, respectively. Additionally, 10 vol% prenol reduced RVP up to 2.2 psi, for the more volatile blendstock. Thus, considering prenol as a low volatility, RON/OS boosting bioblendstock, the composition of the preferred base fuel was proposed as containing reduced olefins and aromatics, and increase light fractions. The potential impact of this new gasoline formulation on refining processes and products gives rise to direct sources of value to the refiners, such as exporting products to the chemicals market, increasing the value of intermediate refinery streams, decreasing operating severity of certain refinery units, and broadening of the product suite.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

NASA NTRS2016

Applications of Electrified Dust and Dust Devil Electrodynamics to Martian Atmospheric Electricity

Atmospheric transport and suspension of dust frequently brings electrification, which may be substantial. Electric fields of 10 kV m(exp. -1) to 100 kV m(exp. -1) have been observed at the surface beneath suspended dust in the terrestrial atmosphere, and some electrification has been observed to persist in dust at levels to 5 km, as well as in volcanic plumes. The interaction between individual particles which causes the electrification is incompletely understood, and multiple processes are thought to be acting. A variation in particle charge with particle size, and the effect of gravitational separation explains to, some extent, the charge structures observed in terrestrial dust storms. More extensive flow-based modelling demonstrates that bulk electric fields in excess of 10 kV m(exp. -1) can be obtained rapidly (in less than 10 s) from rotating dust systems (dust devils) and that terrestrial breakdown fields can be obtained. Modelled profiles of electrical conductivity in the Martian atmosphere suggest the possibility of dust electrification, and dust devils have been suggested as a mechanism of charge separation able to maintain current flow between one region of the atmosphere and another, through a global circuit. Fundamental new understanding of Martian atmospheric electricity will result from the ExoMars mission, which carries the DREAMS (Dust characterization, Risk Assessment, and Environment Analyser on the Martian Surface) MicroARES (Atmospheric Radiation and Electricity Sensor) Instrumentation to Mars in 2016 for the first in situ electrical measurements.

Lighting Discharge↗