Food & Flora Waste to Fleet Fuel (F4) Framework: Reaching the Next Technology Readiness Levels

The Food & Flora Waste to Fleet Fuel (F4) Framework helps evaluate the economic feasibility of creating renewable fleet fuel using existing wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) digester infrastructure. At WWTPs, food and flora (yard) waste, as well as wastewater sludge, can be used to produce biogas, which can be cleaned for use in natural gas vehicles, or burned to generate electricity for electric vehicles. The project aims to accomplish the following objectives: (1) Form and solicit input from a multi-disciplinary Advisory Group of state/regional government officials and industry representatives in transportation, solid waste management, wastewater, and agriculture (farm digesters), to guide advancement of the F4 Framework from TRL 5 to 8. (2) Upgrade F4 to Version 2.0 via improvements arising from the previous project, Advisory Group recommendations, and case studies to be conducted in Obj. 3. (3) Conduct case studies for two additional communities for conversion of food/yard waste to fleet fuel, and showcase the use of F4 Version 2.0 to estimate costs, fuel produced, and emission benefits.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $219271
• Contract Numbers:

  CTEDD 021-02

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions and Dollars (CTEDD)

  University of Texas at Arlington
  Arlington, TX  United States  76019

  University of Texas at Arlington

  Box 19308
  Arlington, TX  United States  76019-0308

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions and Dollars (CTEDD)

  University of Texas at Arlington
  Arlington, TX  United States  76019

  University of Texas at Arlington

  Box 19308
  Arlington, TX  United States  76019-0308
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Texas at Arlington

  Department of Civil Engineering
  Box 19308
  Arlington, TX  United States  76019
• Principal Investigators:

  Sattler, Melanie

  Hyun, Kate

  Bhatt, Arpita

  Anjomani, Ardeshir

  Chen, Victoria

• Start Date: 20210101
• Expected Completion Date: 20220331
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biodiesel fuels; Case studies; Compressed natural gas; Costs; Environmental impacts; Fleet management; Fuel composition; Sewage treatment plants; Transit buses
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01759651
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions and Dollars (CTEDD)
• Contract Numbers: CTEDD 021-02
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 5 2020 6:54PM