National Academies Press: OpenBook

Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels (2013)

Chapter: Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations

« Previous: Appendix D: Reports on Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections to 2050
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×

E

Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations

GLOSSARY

aerodynamic resistance Velocity-dependent resistance from movement by a vehicle through the air. Also known as aerodynamic drag.
alcohol fuels Fuels that are organic compounds that contain one or more hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached to one or more of the carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon chain. Common alcohol fuels include ethanol, methanol, and butanol.
algae A group of aquatic eukaryotic organisms that contain chlorophyll. Algae can be microscopic in size (microalgae) or observable to the eye (macroalgae).
aliphatic alcohol An alcohol that contains a hydrocarbon fragment derived from a fully saturated, nonaromatic hydrocarbon.
anoxia Condition characterized by the absence of dissolved oxygen.
biodiesel Diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters derived from biological material such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and algal oils.
biofuel Fuel derived from biomass.
biomass Any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis, including agricultural crops and trees, wood and wood residues, plants (including aquatic plants), grasses, animal residues, municipal residues, and other residue materials.
biorefinery A commercial-scale processing facility that successfully integrates all processes for extracting and converting biomass feedstocks into a spectrum of saleable products.
body in white (BIW) The stage in vehicle manufacture when all the fixed sheet metal components are fastened together. It does not include movable parts such as doors, hood, and trunk (these are considered closures).
carbon sequestration Net transfer of atmospheric carbon dioxide into long-lived carbon storage.
cellulose A polymer of glucose, (C6H10O5)n, that forms the cell walls of most plants.
charge-depleting (CD) mode Electric vehicles powered by their batteries which are discharging.
charge-sustaining (CS) mode Operation of a PHEV on its engine because the battery is discharged.
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
drivetrain The power source (an engine or motor) and the components of the vehicle used to transmit this power to the wheels (transmission, drive shaft, etc.). Also called powertrain.
drop-in fuel A non-petroleum fuel that is compatible with existing infrastructure for petroleum-based fuels with little to no modification required of current ICE vehicles.
engine heat recovery About one-third of fuel energy is rejected as heat in the exhaust. Some of this energy can be recovered through mechanical or electric turbines (turbocompounding) or thermoelectric conversion and used to improve the efficiency of the vehicle.
ethanol Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, ethanol can be used both as a fuel additive (in mixtures with gasoline, as in the E10 standard) and as a liquid fuel itself.
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) EGR recirculates cooled exhaust gas back through the engine to reduce throttling losses and allow operation over a wider range of load and speed.
gasoline direct injection (GDI) Gasoline is directly injected into the combustion chamber of the engine, providing better fuel vaporization and more stable combustion. GDI reduces fuel consumption across the range of engine operations.
greenhouse gas (GHG) An atmospheric gas that absorbs and emits radiation in the infrared range. Common GHGs are CO2, NOx, CH4, and ozone (O3).
hemicellulose A matrix of polysaccharides present in almost all plant cell walls with cellulose.
Highway Fuel Economy Test
(HWFET)
A component of the federal test procedure that simulates free-flowing highway driving.
hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) A vehicle combining a fuel-driven engine, electric motor(s), and a battery or ultracapacitor. It is designed to reduce fuel consumption primarily by turning off the engine during idle, braking, and coasting as well as by capturing braking energy using regenerative brakes. Types of hybrid vehicles include micro-or stop/start hybrids, P2 hybrids, and power-split hybrids.
hydrocarbon fuels Fuels that are organic compounds containing primarily carbon and hydrogen and only minor amounts of other atoms such as sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. Most hydrocarbon fuels are derived from petroleum.
hypoxia Low dissolved oxygen concentrations, generally less than 2 milligrams per liter.
internal combustion engine
(ICE)
An engine in which the combustion of a fuel (most often gasoline or diesel) drives a piston, producing useful mechanical energy.
land cover Plants or physical cover over the surface of land.
land use Anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture, forestry, and urban development, that alter land-surface processes, including biogeochemistry, hydrology, and biodiversity.
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
lignin A complex polymer that occurs in certain plant cell walls. Lignin binds to cellulose fibers and hardens and strengthens the cell walls of plants.
lignocellulosic biomass Plant biomass composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
multi-material vehicle (MMV) A vehicle made primarily of lightweight components, including high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber.
pilot demonstration A small, pre-commercial facility intended to test the viability of a process. These facilities typically do not include fully integrated processes. A pilot demonstration of a biofuel refinery might process 1-10 dry tons of feedstock per day.
plug-in electric vehicle
(PEV)
A vehicle propelled (at least in part) by an electric motor that draws its power from a battery that stores energy from the electric grid. This includes both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
powertrain See drivetrain.
pumping loss The energy that must be expended in delivering air into an ICE.
retail price equivalent (RPE) A multiplier applied to the manufacturing cost of a component to account for indirect costs of manufacturing, meant to represent the fraction of the retail price of the fully assembled product associated with the component.
rolling resistance The resistance to vehicle movement due to friction in the tires and from the road. It is directly proportional to the mass of the vehicle and depends on tire design (shape, tread, materials) and inflation pressure.
tractive energy Energy delivered by the drivetrain to a vehicle’s wheels.
turbocharging A process in which exhaust gas drives a turbine that compresses the air entering the engine cylinders, increasing the amount of fuel that can be burned in the cylinders and thus increasing torque and power output.
Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) A component of the federal test procedure that simulates stop-and-go driving.
US06 Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (SFTP) A driving schedule test that simulates high speeds as well as hard acceleration and braking.
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×

CONVERSION FACTORS

Mass
     1 ounce (oz)
     1 pound
     1 (short) ton
28.3495231
0.453592
0.907185
g
kg
(metric) tonne

Length
     1 ft (foot)
     1 mile
0.3048
1.609344
m (meter)
km (kilometer)

Area
     1 mi2
     1 acre
2.589988 0.404685642 km2
hectare (ha)

Volume
     1 ft3
     1 gallon
     1 barrel
0.028317
3.785412
158.987295
m3
liter (L)
L

Energy
     1 British thermal unit (Btu)
0.001055 megajoule (MJ)

Pressure
     1 pound per square inch (psi)
6,894.76 Pascal (Pa)

Compound units
     1 pound per bushel
     1 pound per acre
     1 bushel per acre
     1 ton per acre
     1 ounce (oz) per gallon
     1 ounce per Btu
     1 ft3/acre 1 ft3/Btu
     1 Btu per gallon








17.857143
1.120851
0.062768
2.241702
7.489152
26,870.16
0.028317
26,839.19
0.000279
kg/tonne
kg/ha
tonne/ha
tonne/ha
g/L
g/MJ
m3/ac m3/GJ
MJ/L
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×

ACRONYMS AND ABREVIATIONS

ABO Algal Biomass Organization
AC alternating current
AEF America’s Energy Future
AEO Annual Energy Outlook
AER all-electric range
AFV alternative fuel vehicle
Ah ampere-hour
AMT automatic conventional manual transmission
ANL Argonne National Laboratory
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
ATR autothermal reforming
BAU business as usual
bbl barrel
BD biodiesel
BDT bone dry ton
BEV battery electric vehicle
BGY billions of gallons per year
BIW body in white
BLM Bureau of Land Management
BLY billion(s) of liters per year
BM biomass
BMEP brake mean effective pressure
BMS battery management system
BOP balance of plant
Btu British thermal unit
CAA Clean Air Act
CAFE Corporate Average Fuel Economy
CARB California Air Resource Board
CBO Congressional Budget Office
CBTL coal-and-biomass to liquid fuel
CCS carbon capture and storage
CD charge depleting
CFRC carbon-fiber reinforced composite
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
CH4 methane
CI carbon intensity
CID current interrupt device
cm centimeter
CNG compressed natural gas
CNGV compressed natural gas vehicle
CO2 carbon dioxide
CO2e carbon dioxide equivalent
CS charge sustaining
CSBP Council on Sustainable Biomass Production
CTL coal to liquid (fuel)
DAF dissolved air flotation
DC direct current
DCT dual-clutch transmission
DGAT diacylglycerol acyltransferase
DME dimethyl ether
DNA deoxyribonucleic acid
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
DOT U.S. Department of Transportation
DW dry weight
E10 blend of up to 10 percent ethanol and the balance petroleum-based gasoline
E15 fuel containing up to 15 percent ethanol by volume
E85 fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol by volume
EEA European Environmental Agency
EER energy economy ratio
EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
EGR exhaust gas recirculation
EIA Energy Information Administration
EIOLCA economic input-output approach to LCA
EISA Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
EOR enhanced oil recovery
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPAct Energy Policy Act
EPCA Energy Policy and Conservation Act
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
EPRI Electric Power Research Institute
ERDA Energy Research and Development Administration
EROI energy return on investment
EROWI energy return on water invested
ESA Ecological Society of America
ETA Energy Tax Act
EU European Union
EV electric vehicle
FAME fatty acid methyl ester
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FCEV fuel cell electric vehicle
FFV flex-fuel vehicle
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
Fin make up water addition
Fout water purge
FT Fischer-Tropsch
FTP federal test procedure
GBEP Global Bioenergy Partnership
GD green diesel
GDI gasoline direct injection
gge gallon of gasoline equivalent
GGT gas guzzler tax
GHG greenhouse gas
GREET Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation model
GTI Gas Technology Institute
GTL gas to liquid (fuel)
GW gigawatt
ha hectare
H2 hydrogen
HD heavy-duty; horizontal drilling
HEV hybrid electric vehicle
HF hydraulic fracturing
HRAP high rate algal pond
HVAC heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
HWFET Highway Fuel Economy Test
IANGV International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles
IBR Integrated Algal Biorefinery
ICCT International Council on Clean Transportation
ICE internal combustion engine
ICEV internal combustion engine vehicle
IHUF Indexed Highway User Fee
IISD International Institute for Sustainable Development
ILUC indirect land-use change
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPM interior permanent magnet
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ISSG Invasive Species Specialist Group
km kilometer
kW kilowatt
kWh kilowatt-hour
LCA life-cycle assessment
LCFS Low Carbon Fuel Standard
LDV light-duty vehicle
Li-ion lithium ion
LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
LNG liquid natural gas
LT light truck
LUC land use change
MD medium-duty
MEA Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MMBPD million barrels per day
MMTCO2e million metric ton(s) of CO2 equivalent
MPa mega-Pascal
mpg miles per gallon
mpgge miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent
mt metric ton (or tonne)
MTBE methyl tertiary-butyl ether
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
MTG methanol-to-gasoline (process)
MY model year
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAE National Academy of Engineering
NAS National Academy of Sciences
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NBB National Biodiesel Board
NEMS National Energy Modeling System
NER net energy ratio
NETL National Energy Technology Laboratory
NEV net energy value
NG natural gas
NGV natural gas vehicle
NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Ni-MH nickel metal-hydride
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
NLTS nineteen lower-tier state region
NMC nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide
NOx mono-nitrogen oxides, including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
NRC National Research Council
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service
NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory
OBP Office of Biomass Program
OEM original equipment manufacturer
OMEGA Offshore Membrane Enclosure for Growing Algae
ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OTAG Ozone Transport Assessment Group
PAYD pay as you drive
PBR photobioreactor
PEM proton-exchange membrane
PEV plug-in electric vehicle
PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric
PHEV plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
PHEV## plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with an all-electric range of ## miles
PL public law
PM permanent magnet
PMC polymer-matrix composite
PNGV Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles
psi pounds per square inch
PTC positive temperature coefficient
PZEV partial zero emission vehicle
quad quadrillion British thermal units (of energy)
R&D research and development
RD3 research, development, demonstration, and deployment
RFS Renewable Fuel Standard
RFS2 Renewable Fuel Standard, as amended by EISA
RIA regulatory impact analysis
RIN Renewable Identification Number
RNA ribonucleic acid
RNG renewable natural gas
RPE retail price equivalent
RSB Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels
RSO rapeseed oil
SBO soybean oil
SCE Southern California Edison
scf standard cubic feet
SE Southeast
SOC state of charge
SPM surface-mounted permanent magnet
SR switched reluctance
SUV sport utility vehicle
SVR surface-to-volume ratio
SW Southwest
TAGs triacylglycerol
TAR technical assessment report
TCC thermochemical conversion
tcf trillion(s) of standard cubic feet
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
TEPCO Tokyo Electric Power Company
TOU time of use
TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act
TTW tank to wheel
UDDS Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule
USCAP U.S. Climate Action Partnership
USDA-RD U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
USGS United States Geological Survey
VEETC volumetric ethanol excise tax credit
VMT vehicle miles traveled
VOC volatile organic compound
W watt
WF water footprint
Wh watt-hour
WHC Wildlife Habitat Council
WTT well to tank
WTW well to wheels
WW wastewater
WWTP wastewater treatment plant
xcontrol total dissolved solids in water (defined control point)
xout total dissolved solids in purge
ZEV zero-emission vehicle
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 207
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 208
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 209
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 210
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 211
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 212
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 213
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 214
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 215
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 216
Suggested Citation:"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18264.
×
Page 217
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For a century, almost all light-duty vehicles (LDVs) have been powered by internal combustion engines operating on petroleum fuels. Energy security concerns about petroleum imports and the effect of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on global climate are driving interest in alternatives. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels assesses the potential for reducing petroleum consumption and GHG emissions by 80 percent across the U.S. LDV fleet by 2050, relative to 2005.

This report examines the current capability and estimated future performance and costs for each vehicle type and non-petroleum-based fuel technology as options that could significantly contribute to these goals. By analyzing scenarios that combine various fuel and vehicle pathways, the report also identifies barriers to implementation of these technologies and suggests policies to achieve the desired reductions. Several scenarios are promising, but strong, and effective policies such as research and development, subsidies, energy taxes, or regulations will be necessary to overcome barriers, such as cost and consumer choice.

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