FTA-CA-26-7044-2033 Federal Transit Administration Analysis of Fuels and Propulsion System Options for BRT Vehicles WestStart-CALSTART Pasadena, California 2004 ii Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED September 2004 BRT Final Report, September 2004 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Analysis of Fuels and Propulsion System Options for BRT Vehicles 6. AUTHOR(S) CA – 26 – 7044-2033 Matt Peak 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION WestStart-CALSTART REPORT NUMBER 2181 East Foothill Boulevard Pasadena, CA 91107 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING Federal Transit Administration AGENCY REPORT NUMBER U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, DC 20590 Website URL [http://www.fta.dot.gov] 11. DISCLAIMER-- This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The United States Government does not endorse products of manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the objective of this report. 12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Available From: National Technical Information Service/NTIS, Springfield, Virginia, 22161. Phone 703.605.6000, Fax 703.605.6900, Email [[email protected]] 12. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) This document provides information that will assist in making BRT fuel and propulsion system choices that are compatible with community, environmental, regulatory, and vehicle demands. Accordingly, it provides a deeper understanding of the fuels and technologies that the communities demand, while placing these fuels and technologies in the context of current and future emission, environmental, and industrial drivers. Among other findings, this publication illustrates that there are a multitude of fuels and technologies, from refined diesel technologies to alternative fuels, from which transit agencies can select in order to fulfill customer demands, to comply with future emission standards, and to effectively compliment other BRT system characteristics. It discusses both currently available and emerging BRT fuels and technologies, outlining their respective emission reduction potentials, advantages, disadvantages, examples of implementation, and current manufacturers. This publication also identifies actual and potential compliance methods for meeting 2007 and 2010 EPA and California emission standards, emerging fuels and technologies that can power BRT systems of the future to meet the demands of future emission drivers, and which fuels and propulsion systems work most effectively with desired BRT system characteristics. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES Bus Rapid Transit Bus Propulsion Methods Bus Emission Technologies 131 Bus Vehicle Characteristics Bus Feature Preferences Alternative Fuels 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF THIS PAGE OF ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18298-102 iii NOTICE This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the United States Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the objective of this analysis. Copyright 2004 by: WestStart-CALSTART 2181 E. Foothill Blvd. Pasadena, California 91107 All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. iv Forward by John Boesel, President, WestStart-CALSTART Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a higher capacity, faster mass transit system that can dispel the perception that buses are an inferior way to travel. BRT’s potentially sleek appearance, timely service, and other options allow those who are implementing BRT systems the opportunity to rethink vehicles, fuels, and propulsion systems. In fact, an extensive survey of BRT vehicle and system demand performed by WestStart-CALSTART for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in 2004 titled “BRT Vehicle Demand Analysis Update” indicates that those making procurement decisions are doing just that, as there is particularly high demand for unique designs and system services that are different from ordinary bus operation. In fact, this analysis revealed that a significant percentage of those planning to implement BRT service seek vehicle and propulsion system features, such as low-emission and hybrid electric systems, that are unlike those commonly used on bus systems of the past. These new features are attracting new riders in addition to those who ordinarily take transit, thereby reducing the number of private vehicles on the road. This reduction, combined with the use of cleaner fuels and technologies on BRT vehicles, helps improve air quality and reduce dependence on foreign oil. BRT is particularly intriguing in this aspect because it can provide the cleaner, quieter, and faster bus service that transit operators seek while also offering a cleaner and more environmentally friendly bus service. Coincidentally, the desire for these unique BRT features is growing at a time when stringent government and state emission standards are combining with other factors to reduce emissions to levels previously thought impossible. Therefore, the need for a review and analysis of fuels and propulsion system options for BRT vehicles is timely. This document seeks to provide information that will assist those involved with BRT service, from mechanics to transit authorities to regulators, in making fuel and propulsion v system choices that are compatible with community, environmental, regulatory, and vehicle demands. This publication was made possible by funding provided by the FTA under the direction of Walter Kulyk. The FTA provides substantial funding towards the research, development, and promotion of Bus Rapid Transit. WestStart-CALSTART is thankful for the opportunity to work with the FTA on BRT issues and for the support that the FTA provided to WestStart-CALSTART and to the BRT community. The author of this document is Matt Peak, Project Manager at WestStart-CALSTART. Matt worked tirelessly to compose a clear analysis of BRT fuels and propulsion systems that addresses the myriad of regulatory and technical issues facing the BRT community. WestStart-CALSTART thanks him for his effort on this valuable work. I would also like to thank two other members of the WestStart-CALSTART team, Fred Silver and Bill Van Amberg, who helped provide information, edit drafts, and offer opinions. Without their input, support, and dedication, this project would not have been possible. Also, James Cannon and Jeff Georgeson from Energy Futures, Inc. provided editing services for this report. WestStart-CALSTART continues to be committed to supporting the growth of Bus Rapid Transit through projects such as this one as well as its Bus Rapid Transit Design Competition, the previously mentioned “BRT Vehicle Demand Analysis,” BRT Vehicle Compendium, BRT Vehicle Selection Toolkit, and BRT Newslane, which is the only national publication dedicated to BRT news and issues. The organization will continue to pursue projects such as these and others in order to see the potential of BRT systems realized. vi Table of Contents Forward by John Boesel, President, WestStart-CALSTART v Glossary of Abbreviations ix Introduction 9 Executive Summary 12 Emission Standards and Environmental Drivers 20 Federal Bus Emission Standards 20 California Urban Bus Rule 23 Diesel Pathway 23 Alternative Fuel Pathway 24 Possible Future Tailpipe Standards 26 Diesel Fuel Toxicity 26 Particulate Matter Size 29 Global Warming 31 Other Drivers: Fuel Efficiency, National Security, and Energy Dependence 32 Currently Available Technologies and Fuels for Meeting BRT Demands 33 Current Compliance Pathway 33 Diesel 33 o Ultra Low-Sulfur Diesel 35 o ULSD Compatible Technologies and Aftertreatment 37 . Diesel Particulate Filters 38 . Exhaust Gas Recirculation 41 . Diesel Oxidation Catalysts 41 . Selective Catalytic Reduction 42 . Lean NOx Catalyst 43 . Variable Valve Timing 44 . Variable Geometry Turbochargers 45 o 2007 and 2010 Compliance Strategies 46 o Blending Stocks 49 . Biodiesel 49 . Diesel/water Emulsion 53 . Diesel/ethanol Emulsion 54 Alternative Fuels and Infrastructure