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Screening of Potential Biomass-Derived Streams as Fuel Blendstocks for Mixing Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion; SAE Technical Paper No. 2019-01-0570
4/2/2019
Mixing controlled compression ignition, i.e., diesel engines are efficient and are likely to continue to be the primary means for movement of goods for many years. Low-net-carbon biofuels have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of diesel combustion and could have advantageous properties for combustion, such as high cetane number and reduced engine-out particle and NOx emissions. We developed a list of over 400 potential biomass-derived diesel blendstocks and populated a database with the properties and characteristics of these materials. Fuel properties were determined by measurement, model prediction, or literature review. Screening criteria were developed to determine if a blendstock met the basic requirements for handling in the diesel distribution system and use as a blend with conventional diesel. Criteria included cetane number =40, flashpoint =52 degrees C, and boiling point or T90 =338 degrees C. Blendstocks needed to be soluble in diesel fuel, have a toxicity no worse than conventional diesel, not be corrosive, and be compatible with fuel system elastomers. Additionally, cloud point or freezing point below 0 degrees C was required. Screening based on blendstock properties produced a list of 12 that were available as fuels or reagent chemicals or could be synthesized by biofuels production researchers. This group included alkanes, alcohols, esters, and ethers. These candidates were further examined for their impact fuel properties upon blending with a conventional diesel fuel. Blend properties included cetane number, lubricity, conductivity, oxidation stability, and viscosity. Results indicate that all 12 candidates can meet the basic requirements for diesel fuel blending, although in some cases would require additive treatment to meet requirements for lubricity, conductivity, and oxidation stability.
Authors: Fioroni, G.; Fouts, L.; Luecke, J.; Vardon, D.; Huq, N.; Christensen, E.; Huo, X.; Alleman, T.; McCormick, R.; Kass, M.; Polikarpov, E.; Kukkadapu, G.; Whitesides, R.A.
Fleet Compliance Annual Report: Model Year 2017, Fiscal Year 2018
3/27/2019
This annual report of the Alternative Fuel Transportation Program, which ensures compliance with DOE regulations covering state government and alternative fuel provider fleets pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), as amended, provides fleet compliance results for manufacturing year 2017 / fiscal year 2018.
Fleet Compliance Annual Report: Model Year 2016, Fiscal Year 2017
3/27/2019
This annual report of the Alternative Fuel Transportation Program, which ensures compliance with DOE regulations covering state government and alternative fuel provider fleets pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), as amended, provides fleet compliance results for manufacturing year 2016 / fiscal year 2017.
Economy and Emissions Impacts from Solazyme Fuel in UPS Delivery Vehicles
8/10/2018
To improve understanding of the potential fuel economy and emissions impacts from switching a fleet of vehicles from conventional petroleum diesel to synthetic renewable diesel, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted fuel economy and emissions analyses at NREL's Renewable Fuels and Lubricants (ReFUEL) Laboratory. Representative test cycles were developed based on real-world data from six package delivery vehicles and six class 8 day-cab tractors operated by UPS in the Dallas, Texas, area. A three-week in-field data collection period yielded 170 days of real-world vehicle operations data that NREL used to select representative standard drive cycles for testing. Fuel economy and emissions tests at the ReFUEL Laboratory showed that, in general, when switching from conventional diesel to renewable diesel observed changes in tailpipe carbon dioxide (CO2), fuel consumption, and fuel economy are primarily driven by changes in fuel properties such as the hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, density, and lower heating value (LHV). The vehicles tested with the renewable diesel showed a consistent 4.2% reduction in tailpipe CO2 emissions, but a 3.5%-4.8% reduction in fuel economy compared with local pump diesel. This is consistent with the 4.2% lower volumetric LHV of the sourced renewable diesel compared to the pump diesel. The UPS package car tested on renewable diesel also demonstrated a 4.1% oxides of nitrogen (NOx) reduction. NOx emissions from the UPS selective-catalyst-reduction-equipped tractor were an order of magnitude lower than the package car but showed relatively higher variability in results from cycle to cycle.
Authors: Kelly, K.; Ragatz, A.
Cow Power: A Case Study of Renewable Compressed Natural Gas as a Transportation Fuel
8/1/2017
This case study explores the production and use of R-CNG--derived from dairy farm manure--to fuel heavy-duty milk tanker trucks operating in Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky. It describes the joint endeavor of Fair Oaks Farms, an Indiana-based large dairy cooperative, and ampCNG, a provider of natural gas refueling infrastructure.
Authors: Tomich, M.; Mintz, M.
Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2017; Final Rule
2/12/2016
Under section 211 of the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set renewable fuel percentage standards every year. This action establishes the annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel that apply to all motor vehicle gasoline and diesel produced or imported in the years 2014, 2015, and 2016. The EPA is establishing a cellulosic biofuel volume for all three years that is below the applicable volume specified in the Act, and is also rescinding the cellulosic biofuel standard for 2011. Relying on statutory waiver authorities, the EPA is adjusting the applicable volumes of advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel for all three years. The 2016 standards are expected to spur further progress in overcoming current constraints in renewable fuel distribution infrastructure, which in turn is expected to lead to substantial growth over time in the production and use of renewable fuels. In this action, EPA is also establishing the applicable volume of biomass-based diesel for 2017. Finally, EPA is setting the compliance and attest reporting deadlines for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015, as well as finalizing regulatory amendments to clarify the scope of the existing algal biofuel pathway. This final rule is effective on February 12, 2016.
Quadrennial Technology Review 2015
9/1/2015
The 2015 Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR) examines the status of the science and technology that are the foundation of our energy system, together with the research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) opportunities to advance them. It focuses primarily on technologies with commercialization potential in the midterm and beyond. It frames various trade-offs that all energy technologies must balance across such dimensions as cost, security and reliability of supply, diversity, environmental impacts, land use, and materials use. Additionally, it provides data and analysis on RDD&D pathways to assist decision makers as they set priorities, within budget constraints, to develop more secure, affordable, and sustainable energy services.
Renewable Fuels and Lubricants (ReFUEL) Laboratory
3/1/2012
This fact sheet describes the Renewable Fuels and Lubricants (ReFUEL) Laboratory at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a state-of-the-art research and testing facility for advanced fuels and vehicles. Research and development aims to improve vehicle efficiency and overcome barriers to the increased use of renewable diesel and other nonpetroleum-based fuels, such as biodiesel and synthetic diesel derived from biomass. The ReFUEL Laboratory features a chassis dynamometer for vehicle performance and emissions research, two engine dynamometer test cells for advanced fuels research, and precise emissions analysis equipment. As a complement to these capabilities, detailed studies of fuel properties, with a focus on ignition quality, are performed at NREL's Fuel Chemistry Laboratory.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Greenhouse Gas Effects of Soybean-Derived Biodiesel and Renewable Fuels
3/1/2008
The life-cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG)emission impacts of three soybean-derived fuels were studied by expanding, updating, and using Argonne National Laboratory's Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. The fuels studied included biodiesel produced from soy oil transesterification; renewable diesel produced from hydrogenation of soy oil by using two processes (renewable diesel I and II); and renewable gasoline produced from catalytic cracking of soy oil. Four allocation approaches were used to address the co-products: a displacement approach; two allocation methods, one based on energy value and one based on market value; and a hybrid approach that integrates both the displacement and allocation methods. Each of the four allocation approaches generated different results and demonstrate the importance of the methods used in dealing with co-product issues for these renewable fuels.
Authors: Huo, H.; Wang, M.; Bloyd, C.; Putsche, V.
Worldwide Biomass Potential: Technology Characterizations
12/30/2007
A joint EERE-PI project was completed to estimate the worldwide potential to produce and transport ethanol and other biofuels, with an emphasis on the 5 year and 10 year potential for biofuels supply to the United States. The project included four specific tasks: 1) identify the range of countries to be included in the study, 2) assess the resource potential for production of ethanol from sugar and starch-based feedstocks, and biodiesel, 3) assess the resource potential for production of other biofuels, including lignocellulosic ethanol, pyrolysis oil, and renewable diesel, and 4) integrate results into the MARKAL energy policy model. The project team included DOE (Policy and International and the Office of the Biomass Program), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (feedstock supply curves), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (conversion technology characterizations), and Brookhaven National Laboratory (MARKAL analysis).
The NREL portion of this study was primarily concerned with estimating the plant gate price (PGP) of liquid biofuels (corn and wheat dry mill ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and pyrolytic fuel oil) from selected biomass feedstocks for countries included in the study using representative existing and developing technologies. A methodology for comparing costs between countries was developed. Plant sizes studies ranged from 25 MM GPY to 100 MM GPY. The results of the technology characterizations (capital costs, operating costs, plant gate prices) are presented in 2005 U.S. dollars and include estimates of comparative costs in each country.
Authors: Bain, Richard L.
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
12/19/2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 put into law many of the provisions of Executive Order 13423. The goal of the EISA law is to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government.
Diethyl Ether (DEE as a Renewable Diesel Fuel)
10/13/1997
Producing and using renewable fuels for transportation is one approach for a sustainable energy future for the United States, as wel l as the rest of the world. Renewable fuels may also substantially reduce contributions to global climate change. In the transportation sector, ethanol produced from biomass shows promise as a future fuel for spark-ignited engines because of its high octane quality. Ethanol, however, is not a high-quality compression-ignition fuel. Ethanol can be easily converted through a dehydration process to produce diethyl ether (DEE), which is an excellent compression-ignition fuel with higher energy density than ethanol.. DEE has long been known as a cold-start aid for engines, but little is known about using DEE as a significant component in a blend or as a complete replacement for diesel fuel. Dimethyl ether, the methanol analog to DEE, was recently reported to be a low-emission, high-quality diesel fuel replacement, but similar engine testing and process information on DEE is limited. To identify the potential of Dee as a transportation fuel, we conducted a comprehensive literature review of its utilization in engines and also conducted limited laboratory experiments. This paper presents the findings on fundamental engine and emissions performance of DEE, along with an estimated cost of producing DEE from biomass ethanol.
Authors: Bailey, Brent
