Comparative efficiency and driving range of light- and heavy-duty vehicles powered with biomass energy stored in liquid fuels or batteries
This study addresses the question, “When using cellulosic biomass for vehicular transportation, which field-to-wheels pathway is more efficient: that using biofuels or that using bioelectricity?” In considering the question, the level of assumed technological maturity significantly affects the comparison, as does the intended transportation application. Results from the analysis indicate that for light-duty vehicles, over ranges typical in the United States today (e.g., 560–820 miles), field-to-wheels performance is similar, with some scenarios showing biofuel to be more efficient, and others indicating the two pathways to be essentially the same. Over the current range of heavy-duty vehicles, the field-to-wheels efficiency is higher for biofuels than for electrically powered vehicles. Accounting for technological advances and range, there is little basis to expect mature bioelectricity-powered vehicles to have greater field-to-wheels efficiency (e.g., kilometers per gigajoule biomass or per hectare) compared with mature biofuel-powered vehicles.
- Record URL:
- Record URL:
-
Authors:
- Laser, Mark
- Lynd, Lee R
- Publication Date: 2014-3-4
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 3360-3364
-
Serial:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Volume: 111
- Issue Number: 9
- Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
- EISSN: 1091-6490
- Serial URL: http://www.pnas.org/
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Biomass fuels; Electric batteries; Heavy duty vehicles; Light vehicles; Vehicle range; Vehicles by motive power
- Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01519684
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 26 2014 10:07AM