Development of Life-Cycle Economic and Environmental Analysis Methodologies

CIMS decided not to replicate past work & attempted life cycle assessment (LCA) research to advance the state of knowledge and modeling rigor. To assess the life cycle cost and economic impacts of differentiating alternative fueled vehicles (hydrogen fuel cell, E85, hybrid-electric, hydrogen internal combustion engine, biodiesel, etc.) the project chose 3 critical life cycle variables: fuel production and distribution, fuel/vehicle use and vehicle production/ disposition. The project researched available models and tools. After a series of trade studies and comparisons of strengths/weaknesses, the project chose Argonne National Lab's Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) (v. 1.7 & 2.7) model for fuel cycle, vehicle cycle and vehicle use. The project also evaluated the Carnegie Mellon's Economic Input/Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIOLCA) model in combination with the GREET and synergy of the two benefited the high-level LCA and enabled analysis of environmental impact of automotive infrastructure.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Program Information: Advanced Research, Alternative Fuels and Lifecycle Engineering

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  Office of Research, Development, and Technology
  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC    20590
• Project Managers:

  Johnson, Shawn

• Performing Organizations:

  Rochester Institute of Technology

  Brighton, NY   
• Start Date: 20120510
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 31283

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternate fuels; Economic analysis; Electric vehicles; Environmental impacts; Fuel cell vehicles; Hydrogen fuels; Life cycle analysis; Plug-in hybrid vehicles
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01467619
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Department of Transportation
• Files: RiP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 3:36PM