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Ready Set Go! 2023 Ethanol Outlook
1/1/2023
While the U.S. economy experienced turbulence in 2022, the ethanol industry’s financial performance was strong and biorefineries continued to stimulate crucial economic activity in communities across the country. Consumer price inflation was the highest in decades, spurred in part by record gasoline prices that put a damper on fuel demand. However, the ethanol content of gasoline (i.e., the ethanol “blend rate”) continued to increase due to its cost-competitiveness and the expanded availability of E15 and flex fuels. And, as international markets also faced high fuel prices and tight supplies, ethanol exports rose sharply. As a result, ethanol production increased to more than 15.4 billion gallons and has now almost rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. This report looks at the state of the ethanol industry in 2022 and focus areas for 2023.
Community Engagement Workbook: Discretionary Grant Program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure
1/1/2023
This workbook is geared towards local government applicants for federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to support them in reaching the highest possible community engagement score. The workbook goes through the process of identifying a project, establishing community engagement goals, planning community engagement techniques, and establishing a communications plan.
Authors: Colunga, T; Pavelic, N; Stone, B
Assessment of Light-Duty Plug-in Electric Vehicles in the United States, 2010 – 2021
11/1/2022
This report examines properties of electric vehicles (EVs) sold in the United States from 2010 to 2021, evaluating range, energy efficiency, costs, and performance. Given the vehicle characteristics, this report estimates miles driven, electricity consumption, petroleum reduction, and greenhouse gas emissions attributable to EVs. It also explores vehicle manufacturing and battery production, considering supply chains from battery cells to assembly.
Authors: Gohlke, D.; Zhou, Y.; Wu, X.; Courtney, C.
Assessment of Light-Duty EV Costs and Consumer Benefits in the United States in the 2022–2035 Time Frame
10/3/2022
This paper analyzes bottom-up vehicle component-level costs to assess average battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid vehicle, and conventional vehicle prices across major U.S. light-duty vehicle classes through 2035. These cost estimates are used to evaluate broader consumer benefits, as well as to discuss the implications for vehicle emission regulations in the United States.
Authors: Slowik, P.; Isenstadt, A.; Pierce, L.; Searle, S.
Notes:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed on the International Council on Clean Transportation's website.
Techno-Economic, Feasibility, and Life Cycle Analysis of Renewable Propane: Final Report
10/1/2022
The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) has engaged with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop information that is critical to understanding the current and future landscape for renewable propane (RP) and the value proposition for recovery of RP from existing and planned HEFA biorefineries. In summary the following outcomes are identified from this study: (1) production of incremental RP by increasing the severity of the hydroisomerization step is insignificant to the overall propane yield from a HEFA biorefinery, however production of renewable butane (or LPG2) is quite significant thus suggesting alternate strategies for valorizing these fractions; (2) the value proposition for recovering RP and renewable LPG is quite strong, with capital recovery payback periods of 14 months for a small biorefinery producing 3.5 million gallons per year RP to as short as 2 months for a large biorefinery producing 87 million gallons per year RP. Paybacks for renewable LPG are as much as 50% shorter; and (3) current and projected expansions of renewable diesel will greatly expand the potential availability of RP as a by-product. Several promising new pathways are under development but will not significantly increase production of RP for the next decade.
Authors: Robert M. Baldwin, Mark R. Nimlos, and Yimin Zhang
Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making
10/1/2022
This report underscores the importance of public engagement when designing transportation projects and provides information about how transportation professionals can incorporate community engagement in transportation projects. The report discusses current gaps in public engagement, how communities can build public involvement capacity, how projects can measure the success of public engagement strategies, and techniques for meaningful community involvement.
2022 Annual Evaluation of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Deployment and Hydrogen Fuel Station Network Development
9/1/2022
California's Assembly Bill 8 requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to assess the size of the current and future fuel cell electric vehicle fleet annually, based on vehicle registrations with the Department of Motor Vehicles, auto manufacturer responses to ARB surveys of projected future sales, and current and future hydrogen fuel station locations and capacity. This information informs the state’s decisions for future funding of hydrogen fuel stations, including the number and location of stations as well as minimum technical requirements for those stations.
Cracking the Code to EV Readiness in New Buildings
9/1/2022
While incentives for electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure have contributed to growth in EV adoption, building codes are effective tools to advance “EV-readiness” by requiring new construction to support convenient EV charging. This paper presents considerations, guidance, and examples for municipalities and other jurisdictions establishing policies for EV readiness in new buildings. It provides an introduction to EV readiness in building codes and discusses best practices in infrastructure development such as intelligent load sharing. It presents an overview of why and how EV readiness was incorporated into the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. Further, it includes case studies of municipal codes and a utility program that partners with builders to incentivize EV readiness in new homes. Finally, it summarizes key opportunities for advancing transportation electrification through EV-ready building codes.
Authors: Banwell, P.; Steiner, K.; Miller, K.; Kelly, E.; Kay, S.; Noblet, S.
Electric Vehicle Charger Deployment Optimization
8/1/2022
As consumers begin to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) in greater volumes, the need for charging stations will increase. A one-size-fits-all deployment strategy of EV charging stations will not satisfy all needs or economic considerations. This study investigates how many charging stations and outlets may be required at various stages of the EV market development in different regions of the United States to satisfy actual demand and to instill within end users the confidence that availability will be sufficient. In addition, this study aims to better understand what types of chargers will be required at different locations to optimize deployment while reducing overall infrastructure costs and accelerating the business case for charger installation.
Deploying Charging Infrastructure for Electric Transit Buses
6/1/2022
This study is aimed at assisting transit agencies as they begin to plan for significant electrification of their bus fleets. It focuses on battery electric technologies and is limited in scope to charging technologies, designs, and choices. It incorporates learnings from 28 industry interviews completed between January and April 2022 by Atlas Public Policy staff. These interviews sought to understand latest developments, challenges, solutions, and lessons learned in battery electric bus charging, and to compile specific examples, anecdotes and on-the-ground experiences from those at the forefront of deployment.
Authors: Lepre, N.; Burget, S.; McKenzie, L.
Federal Funding is Available for EV Charging Infrastructure on the National Highway System
4/22/2022
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of installing 500,000 new electric vehicle (EV) chargers by 2030. To accelerate the deployment of EV chargers, FHWA is highlighting the policies and funding available for partners in states, tribes, territories, metropolitan planning organizations, and federal land management agencies to build out EV chargers along the National Highway System. This document summarizes eligibilities under each of the funding and finance programs to plan for and build EV chargers, support workforce training for new technologies, and integrate EVs as part of strategies to address commuter, freight, and public transportation needs.
2021 Zero Emission Vehicle Market Study: Volume 2: Intra-California Regions Defined by Air Districts
4/14/2022
California set a goal to transition new light-duty vehicle sales to 100% zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. To assist California and the other ZEV states to monitor and manage the success of policies promoting ZEVs and ZEV fueling infrastructure deployment, this research assesses car-owning households’ responses to these new technology vehicles and new fueling behaviors. This report assesses the readiness of household consumers in California to support state goals, i.e., as goals become more ambitious and requirements on manufacturers increase, are more car-owning households poised to become ZEV buyers? The analysis explores differences within California, based on boundaries of air quality districts. This study question is addressed via comparison of two large sample surveys of car-owning households. These surveys were completed in first calendar quarters of 2019 and 2021. Both questionnaires measure consumer awareness, knowledge, assessments, and consideration of ZEVs. Note:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed on the eScholarship website.
Authors: Kurani, K.
How to Support EV Adoption: Tradeoffs Between Charging Infrastructure Investments and Vehicle Subsidies in California
4/1/2022
Promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption is a priority for governments worldwide due to EVs’ ability to address pressing climate change and air quality challenges. Two policy mechanisms, public charging infrastructure investments and vehicle subsidies, are widely used to support EV adoption. This report estimates tradeoffs between lowered vehicle purchase price (subsidies) or expanded public charging infrastructure and their impacts on consumer demand for EVs. These two policies are evaluated using two criteria: promoting additional EV sales and reducing CO2 emissions.
Authors: Ledna, C; Muratori, M; Brooker, A; Wood, E; Greene, D
