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At least 505 records · Page 28

AC Transit Fuel Cell Electric Bus Progress Report (Data Period Focus: Jan. 2020 through Dec. 2020) [Slides]

This report presents early results from a deployment of fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) operated by Alameda Contra-Costa Transit (AC Transit) in the east bay area of California. The ten FCEBs, produced by New Flyer, feature an electric drive propulsion system powered by a Ballard fuel cell system. The project team is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate the buses in revenue service. The goal of this evaluation is to compare the FCEB performance to that of conventional technology and to track progress over time toward meeting the technical targets set by DOE and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The FCEBs were delivered beginning in late-2019. The data period covers January 2020 through July 2020. NREL collects data on two different baseline bus fleets for comparison: five 2017 model year diesel buses and five 2016 model year diesel hybrid buses.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Isotopic and Fuel Lattice Parameter Trends in Extended Enrichment and Higher Burnup LWR Fuel Vol I: PWR fuel

Commercial light water reactor (LWR) operators and fuel vendors in the United States are pursuing changes to nuclear fuel that include extended enrichment (EE) and accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) designs. The term EE (8% > 235 U > 5%) is used in this report to refer to a subset of high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) that is considered usable in commercial US LWRs in the near term. ATF features are designed to improve fuel system performance under accident conditions. One goal of EE is to improve fuel cycle economy by enabling fuel to be depleted to higher burnup than the typical current maximum pin burnup limits (62 gigawatt-days per metric ton of uranium [GWd/MTU]). Adoption of EE, ATF, and high burnup (HBU) fuels in the US commercial fleet requires a clear understanding of the effects on core physics parameters and used fuel isotopic content, as well as confidence in the accuracy of computer code predictions over an expanded range of materials, enrichment, and burnup. A thorough understanding of the applicability and adequacy of benchmark data (e.g., criticality, decay heat, isotopic content) for computer code validation is necessary to ensure that appropriate safety margins are maintained. To prepare for and support these potential changes, the effects of EE, ATF, and HBU are being assessed for selected representative LWR fuel designs. The project is divided into phases: this report summarizes the findings of Phase 1, which focuses on the lattice physics parameter and used fuel isotopic changes for a conventional Westinghouse 17×17 pressurized water reactor (PWR) design. The primary investigation tool is the SCALE Polaris code using the SCALE 56-group Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)/B-VII.1 cross sections. The goal of the current work is to (1) identify and explain important effects of EE and HBU (reactivity, lattice physics, and isotopic effects) assuming that PWR fuel design and usage remain similar to those for current enrichment fuel, (2) provide limited code-to-code comparisons with higher order cross section libraries and/or codes, and (3) identify any apparent anomalous trends in the results for further investigation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

A Community Energy Operations and Planning System: Concept, Use cases, Metrics, and Benefits

Community and city leaders are interested in achieving sustainability goals, providing resilient energy infrastructure, and improving economic competitiveness. Community-level data acquisition and analysis can provide energy and associated benefits that are not possible at the single building level. However, there is a lack of organizational structure, common semantic data models, interoperable systems, and methods to support data-driven decision-making for community-scale energy supply and demand systems. We explored the need and opportunity for a Community Energy Operations and Planning System (Community EOPS), a potential data exchange platform. We conducted “customer discovery” interviews, and reviewed literature, public tools, and technology platforms to identify key energy data “users” and use cases in communities. The key users of the Community EOPS could be developers of mixed-use districts, corporate, defense and university campus energy managers, and city managers of cities that own their energy utility. The value could be for community planning and reporting (for energy data-integrated land use planning and community infrastructure investments in microgrids, storage, district heating and cooling), energy efficiency (leveraging optimizations for community scale energy supply and demand), flexible load management (grid-edge load management to offset, shift, and flatten loads for multiple buildings and EV fleets), cost savings and revenue generation (participating in grid services), and social benefits such as energy resilience, equity, and awareness. We developed a conceptual Community EOPS architecture with recommendations for streamlined and prioritized data acquisition, sharing, and integration driven by prioritized use cases, common metrics, and actionable visualizations that can provide value to a community’s users.

Singh, Reshma↗

Machine learning models for maintenance cost estimation in delivery trucks using diesel and natural gas fuels

The maintenance costs can represent about 15%–60% of the cost of produced goods depending on the type of goods transported. To comply with stringent emissions regulations, diesel engines are incorporated with complex after-treatment systems that demand increased maintenance. The availability of alternative fuels such as natural gas and propane has fostered the natural gas and propane powertrain systems as well as electrification options for heavy- and medium-duty vehicles. A critical barrier to adopting alternative fuel vehicles has been the lack of knowledge on comparative vehicle maintenance/repair costs with conventional diesel. Moreover, the region of operation, the type of vehicle operation, and seasonal temperature changes also affect the duty cycle which impacts the maintenance and repair costs. This study focuses on estimating the cost-per-mile for heavy-duty vehicles using machine learning models such as random forest, xgboost, neural networks, and a super-learner model. The super-learner model achieved an error as low as 0.0068 $/mile for mean absolute error and 0.0086 $/mile for root mean square error with a coefficient of determination/R-Squared of 97.28%. Specifically, the paper investigates the data collected from the maintenance and repair costs associated with delivery trucks using diesel and natural gas fuels. Since the availability of data is the major constraint, we leveraged the data collected by West Virginia University and the partnership with fleet companies. This allows for additional information related to maintenance costs and fleet-specific maintenance practices of alternative fuel vehicles. This study promotes clean fuel technologies and enables fleet management companies to adopt alternative fuel vehicles in case of similar or lower cost of maintenance compared to diesel vehicles resulting in reduced emissions and total cost of ownership.

Katreddi, Sasanka↗

Viability Assessment of Wind and Solar Renewable Energy Generation in Support of Nationwide Vehicle Electrification

In 2022, the U.S. transportation sector was the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country, with the combination of passenger and commercial vehicles contributing 80% of these emissions. As adoption of passenger electric vehicles continues to climb, sights are being set on the electrification of heavy-duty commercial vehicle (HDCV) fleets. The sustainability of these shifts relies in part on the addition of significant renewable energy generation resources to both bolster the grid in the face of increased demand, and to prevent a shift in the source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the grid, as opposed to a true net reduction. Additionally, it is necessary to quantify the variations in economic viability across the country for these technologies as it pertains to their productive capabilities. Doing so will encourage investment and ensure that the transition to electrified HDCV fleets is commercially viable, as well as sustainable. In an effort to meet these goals, multiple computational frameworks are used to locate suitable land for renewable infrastructure development, and to quantify spatiotemporal variations in the potential energy generation and financial viability of development sites across the Unites States. First, the Oak Ridge Siting Analysis for power Generation Expansion tool (OR-SAGE) is used to assess the suitability of land for potential wind and solar energy development across the contiguous U.S. From there, resource data from the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) and the Wind Integration National Dataset (WIND) are used in concert with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Renewable Energy Potential (ReV) model to calculate the variation in potential generation capacity for each resource. Additionally, the capital and operational expenditures are calculated for an example configuration of each renewable technology. These measures are then used to calculate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of potential sites. All of these results are then processed and analyzed to determine where in the U.S. solar and wind energy are most viable. This viability is based on available generation potential, consistency and stability of energy generation over time, and economic viability with respect to LCOE.

Miller, Brandon [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000300169201)↗

Zero-Emission Transit Bus Needs Assessment

The transition to zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) in public transit has gained traction due to significant federal investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This needs assessment, commissioned by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and conducted by researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory, explores the current state of electrification in transit agencies, identifying barriers to implementation, potential funding sources, and operational considerations necessary for a successful transition. The assessment involved qualitative interviews with representatives from 19 transit service providers across diverse geographic regions. Key findings highlight the challenges related to bus facilities and operations, which require careful planning for charging infrastructure and maintenance capabilities to accommodate battery electric buses (BEBs) and hydrogen fuel cell buses (HFCBs). Agencies reported operational hurdles due to the shorter range of BEBs compared to diesel buses, necessitating revised scheduling and routing strategies. Despite these challenges, many agencies expressed optimism about their capacity to adapt. Funding availability emerged as a critical factor influencing the transition to ZEVs. While agencies welcomed increased financial support, particularly from the Low or No Emission Grant Program (Lo-No), concerns about the sustainability of this funding and the ongoing operational costs were prevalent. The need for a comprehensive funding inventory was underscored to ensure transit agencies are aware of all available resources. Technological constraints were significant barriers to ZEV adoption. The limited range of BEBs was frequently cited as a concern, leading to operational challenges and reliability issues. Agencies reported difficulties in sourcing replacement parts, which exacerbated downtime and maintenance challenges. Workforce development and training were identified as pivotal for a successful transition. Many agencies rely heavily on manufacturers for technician training, highlighting the need for scalable training programs that equip staff with the necessary skills to maintain electric powertrains effectively. This assessment offers actionable recommendations for the Joint Office, including enhancing outreach to transit agencies, developing resources for effective utility partnerships, and facilitating comprehensive training programs. Establishing a zero-emission bus evaluation program to track performance metrics such as cost, range, and reliability could provide valuable insights for transit agencies. The needs assessment provides a detailed examination of the challenges and opportunities facing transit agencies in their transition to zero-emissions bus fleets. By addressing these issues through targeted support, stakeholders can collaboratively work towards a cleaner, more sustainable public transportation system that benefits all communities.

33 - ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Primer on the Cost of Marine Fuels Compliant with IMO 2020 Rule

This report aims to provide information for owners and operators of U.S. ocean-going marine cargo vessels on the cost of different approaches to compliance with the IMO mandate to reduce the sulfur content of marine fuels (outside emission control areas) to no more than 0.5%. The IMO 2020 rule came into effect on January 1, 2020. The report discusses a suite of options for compliance including low-sulfur petroleum-based fuels and alternative fuels. Since fuel prices are a primary factor in determining the cost of the various alternatives, the document also includes a discussion of the main drivers of marine fuel prices. The cost analysis compares the average annual costs (capital and fuel) out to 2050 of each compliance approach under alternative scenarios regarding fuel prices, policy, and technology innovation. The cost calculations focus on representative U.S. fleet vessels for containership and tanker types. Even though the analysis focuses on average cost of approaches to comply with IMO 2020, the comparison of approaches also acknowledges other benefits or risks including fuel price risk and the contribution of the approach to achieving other potential environmental performance objectives or regulations.

02 PETROLEUM↗

Advancing Platooning with ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) Control Integration and Assessment

Application of Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) to heavy duty trucks known as truck platooning has shown fuel economy improvements on the test track under ideal driving conditions. However, limited test data is available to assess the truck platooning under real-world driving conditions. Under this Cummins-led project that was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, truck platooning with CACC has been tested on a real-world interstate highway and the results of the project are reviewed in this report. At first, the real-world driving conditions were characterized using National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Fleet DNA database to define test factors, including route, terrain, and highway traffic. Afterward, both test track and on-highway testing guided by SAE J1321 procedures were conducted to assess truck platooning under controlled and real-world driving conditions. On-highway testing was done on a highway route in Indiana, consisting of low, medium, and high road grade segments. The highway test results of 2-truck and 3-truck platooning showed considerably reduced fuel savings compared to the controlled test track data, which mainly stems from the traffic or high-grade portions of the route. However, integration of Cummins powertrain and vehicle eco-driving features such as predictive cruise control and neutral coasting called ADEPT™ on the lead truck showed an improvement of fuel saving for the trucks in CACC operation. Furthermore, the importance of tire connectivity in efficient and safe operation of the trucks in platooning is characterized.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Isotopic and Fuel Lattice Parameter Trends in Extended Enrichment and Higher Burnup LWR Fuel, Volume II: BWR

Commercial light water reactor (LWR) operators and fuel vendors in the United States are pursuing changes to nuclear fuel that include extended enrichment (EE) and accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) designs to further improve reactor safety and plant economics. Extended fuel enrichments above 5% 235 U pin enrichment and up to 10% 235 U are a subset of high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) that may be deployed in commercial US LWRs in the near term. ATF features, such as cladding coatings or alternative cladding materials, are designed to improve fuel system performance under accident conditions. One goal of EE is to improve fuel cycle economy by enabling fuel to be depleted to higher burnup than the typical current limits (62 gigawatt-days per metric ton of uranium [GWd/MTU]). Adoption of EE, ATF, and high burnup (HBU) fuels in the US commercial fleet requires a clear understanding of the effects on core physics parameters and used fuel isotopic content, as well as confidence in the accuracy of computer code predictions over an expanded range of materials, enrichment, and burnup. A thorough understanding of the applicability and adequacy of benchmark data (e.g., criticality, decay heat, isotopic content) for computer code validation is necessary to ensure that appropriate safety margins are maintained. As part of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) agreement number 31310019N0008, “SCALE Code Development, Assessment and Maintenance,” the effects of EE, ATF, and HBU are being assessed for selected representative LWR fuel designs. The project is divided into phases, and this report summarizes the findings of the Phase 1 work, which focuses on lattice physics parameter and used fuel isotopic changes for a conventional GE14 10 x 10 boiling water reactor (BWR) design with GNF-2 part length rod patterns to model a modern BWR assembly design.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

The Feasibility and the Benefits of the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Pellet Designs with Radially Varying Fuel Zoning and Burnable Poison Concentration (Final Summary Report)

As part of the work supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) FY 2021 Voucher, Exelon Generation, now Constellation, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to evaluate and assess the feasibility and impact of various conceptual advanced nuclear fuel pellet designs (ANFPDs). The objective of this project was to perform modeling and simulation and analyses using the advanced modeling and simulation capabilities of VERA/BISON, developed by DOE, to determine the viability and benefits of numerous advanced nuclear fuel pellet design concepts in terms of fuel cycle costs, operational safety, and margin improvement. Whereas the detailed coupled neutronic and thermal hydraulic analyses performed using VERA provided in-depth knowledge in terms of fuel cycle performance, the detailed VERA results were used in subsequent fuel performance analyses using BISON. These subsequent analyses focused on several key fuel performance criteria, such as peak fuel centerline temperature (FCT), fission gas release (FGR), gap closure, plenum pressure, and cladding hoop stress. These key fuel performance criteria were analyzed for some of the conceptual fuel designs and were compared with the results obtained for UO 2 fuel. The results provided detailed information to enable better understanding of the performance of the fuel types analyzed. Understanding the advantage of loading these conceptual fuel designs into the core is important not only to Constellation but also to the entire light-water reactor (LWR) fleet in the United States.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Hydropower capacity factors trending down in the United States

Abstract The United States hydropower fleet has faced increasing environmental and regulatory pressures over the last half century, potentially constraining total generation. Here we show that annual capacity factor has declined at four fifths of United States hydropower plants since 1980, with two thirds of decreasing trends significant at p < 0.05. Results are based on an analysis of annual energy generation totals and nameplate capacities for 610 plants (>5 megawatt), representing 87% of total conventional hydropower capacity in the United States. On aggregate, changes in capacity factor imply a fleetwide, cumulative generation decrease of 23% since 1980 before factoring in capacity upgrades—akin to retiring a Hoover Dam once every two to three years. Changes in water availability explain energy decline in only 21% of plants, highlighting the importance of non-climatic drivers of generation, including deterioration of plant equipment as well as changes to dam operations in support of nonpower objectives.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Federal Workplace Charging Program Guide

This report serves as a program guide to support federal agencies in developing their own policy documents for workplace charging. It provides suggested language that agencies can incorporate into their own policies to define requirements for charging privately owned vehicles (POVs) on government-owned or leased property. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act authorizes the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and other federal agencies to install, operate, and maintain electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) for POVs in parking areas used by federal employees and authorized users, and it requires the collection of fees to recover the costs of installing, operating, and maintaining this equipment. This guide offers details for agency facility managers, transportation personnel, employees, and vendors regarding the charging of electric vehicles (EVs) for use by employees and personnel at government-owned and leased buildings. This guide describes the requirements associated with federal agencies providing EV charging in publicly accessible sites. The policy also describes when and how fees may be imposed to cover costs of electricity, as well as EVSE units and installations in various scenarios.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Powertrain Electrification and Fleet Demonstration

The Contract Award Grant # EE0007513 dated 2 June, 2016 is for the design, development and demonstration of medium duty package delivery vehicles that will result in a 100% increase in fuel economy as measured in miles per gallon. The project was proposed in 3 phases over two budget periods. The Phases were: 1. Modeling and Simulation – This phase was completed and formed the basis of the specifications for the design and build of the physical systems. The modeling and simulation was conducted by AVL and used real world package delivery routes that AVL mapped. The motors, battery pack, range extender and balance of plant support systems were modeled and iterated until a system with the desired fuel economy improvement was realized. Early design of the major subsystems using the actual vehicle space constraints was also completed. This phase was successfully completed in May of 2017. 2. 1st Build and FE Confirmation - This phase was completed and resulted in the final design, release, procurement and build of all major vehicle systems for commissioning into the first vehicle. The work was a partnered effort between McLaren and AVL. McLaren built the eAxle system while AVL built the range extender and integrated the range extender, battery and balance of plant sub-systems into the first vehicle with a control system to make it operate. Prior to the end of this phase a real world HIL system test gave evidence that the fuel economy improvement would be achieved in the real world. This phase was exited with a 7 month delay due mostly to procurement and supply base issues and ended in May, 2018. 3. Final Build and Demonstration - This phase included the final build and commissioning of the four program vehicles and the operation of a demonstration on a set of routes near San Diego California. During this phase, a multitude of issues arose in different systems in the vehicle. These issue resolution exercises were quite complex and caused repeated delays but were all successfully completed. It should also be noted that an early commercialization analysis resulted in the conclusion that the complexity of the system would not make it cost effective, leading to the start of a follow-on design that used newly available component technologies to specify a more cost effective system. This design will be repurposed and put into demonstration on a separately (non-DOE) funded program. It was decided and agreed with DOE that this phase should be considered completed. The knowledge and know-how gained on this program has been incorporated into and transferred to the new program. This phase and the entire program was considered closed on June 1, 2021.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

FleetREDI: Mail Delivery Class 6 Propane Trucks

Capturing real-world data is critical to reducing the barriers to technology advancement for commercial vehicles. FleetREDI’s insights provide detailed duty cycle information and highlight unique aspects of the given dataset. Each insight delivers a quick look at the collected data by summarizing the operation and identifying key findings of the initial analysis. This FleetREDI insight explores propane and diesel Class 6 mail delivery trucks. Propane-powered commercial vehicles can achieve the same duty cycles and match the power, acceleration, and cruising speeds of conventionally fueled vehicles. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate alternative fuel vehicles in a mail transport application and evaluate the viability of propane as a cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel trucks. ![FleetREDI clean delivery trucks](FleetREDI-clean-delivery.jpg)

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

FleetREDI: Mail Delivery Class 6 Propane Trucks

Capturing real-world data is critical to reducing the barriers to technology advancement for commercial vehicles. FleetREDI’s insights provide detailed duty cycle information and highlight unique aspects of the given dataset. Each insight delivers a quick look at the collected data by summarizing the operation and identifying key findings of the initial analysis. This FleetREDI insight explores propane and diesel Class 6 mail delivery trucks. Propane-powered commercial vehicles can achieve the same duty cycles and match the power, acceleration, and cruising speeds of conventionally fueled vehicles. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate alternative fuel vehicles in a mail transport application and evaluate the viability of propane as a cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel trucks. ![FleetREDI clean delivery trucks](FleetREDI-clean-delivery.jpg)

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

FleetREDI: Mail Delivery Class 6 Propane Trucks

Capturing real-world data is critical to reducing the barriers to technology advancement for commercial vehicles. FleetREDI’s insights provide detailed duty cycle information and highlight unique aspects of the given dataset. Each insight delivers a quick look at the collected data by summarizing the operation and identifying key findings of the initial analysis. This FleetREDI insight explores propane and diesel Class 6 mail delivery trucks. Propane-powered commercial vehicles can achieve the same duty cycles and match the power, acceleration, and cruising speeds of conventionally fueled vehicles. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate alternative fuel vehicles in a mail transport application and evaluate the viability of propane as a cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel trucks. ![FleetREDI clean delivery trucks](FleetREDI-clean-delivery.jpg)

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

FleetREDI: Mail Delivery Class 6 Propane Trucks

Capturing real-world data is critical to reducing the barriers to technology advancement for commercial vehicles. FleetREDI’s insights provide detailed duty cycle information and highlight unique aspects of the given dataset. Each insight delivers a quick look at the collected data by summarizing the operation and identifying key findings of the initial analysis. This FleetREDI insight explores propane and diesel Class 6 mail delivery trucks. Propane-powered commercial vehicles can achieve the same duty cycles and match the power, acceleration, and cruising speeds of conventionally fueled vehicles. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate alternative fuel vehicles in a mail transport application and evaluate the viability of propane as a cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel trucks. ![FleetREDI clean delivery trucks](FleetREDI-clean-delivery.jpg)

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

FleetREDI: Mail Delivery Class 6 Propane Trucks

Capturing real-world data is critical to reducing the barriers to technology advancement for commercial vehicles. FleetREDI’s insights provide detailed duty cycle information and highlight unique aspects of the given dataset. Each insight delivers a quick look at the collected data by summarizing the operation and identifying key findings of the initial analysis. This FleetREDI insight explores propane and diesel Class 6 mail delivery trucks. Propane-powered commercial vehicles can achieve the same duty cycles and match the power, acceleration, and cruising speeds of conventionally fueled vehicles. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate alternative fuel vehicles in a mail transport application and evaluate the viability of propane as a cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel trucks. ![FleetREDI clean delivery trucks](FleetREDI-clean-delivery.jpg)

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗