Software Tools
Several software programs are available, either for free or for a nominal charge, that can assist fleet managers and technology developers in assessing the potential impacts of implementing new technologies.
AirCred
AirCred is a graphical user interface-based calculation model designed to provide an easy, straightforward way to sum the values of ozone precursor emission reduction credits with Voluntary Mobile Source Emission Reduction Program (VMEP) credits given for other local voluntary strategies and programs earned pursuant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) October 1997 guidance about VMEP initiatives. AirCred is based on EPA's MOBILE5b model, in combination with emission test certification data for new vehicles and their gasoline or diesel-fueled counterparts.
The model starts with the MOBILE5b-computed emission factor (by vehicle type) appropriate to midsummer, ozone-season conditions in each major city (about 60 different values are available). The "clean gap" between the certification test emissions by alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and their conventional counterparts of non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) determines the magnitude of the credit (in grams per mile [g/mi]) that can be taken for AFV driving in each city, relative to the MOBILE5b emission rates.
AirCred is available from Argonne National Laboratory.
GCtool
The General Computational toolkit (GCtool) is a versatile simulation software package for designing, analyzing, and comparing different power-plant configurations. This flexible software uses a modular approach to integrate many of the detailed thermodynamic and component models developed during decades of fuel cell and power system research at national laboratories and in private industry.
GCtool is easy to use: all input — including lines specifying the fuel, feed rates, and component performance — can fit on one page for a relatively simple system. After a simulation run, the schematic displays all the input and output values for each component. The calculated results, including the iterations conducted to achieve convergence, are written to the output file to any desired level of detail.
GCtool may be licensed from Argonne National Laboratory.
GREET
GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation) is a fuel-cycle model that allows researchers to evaluate various engine and fuel combinations on a consistent fuel-cycle basis. To address technology improvements over time, GREET separates fuels and vehicle technologies into near- and long-term options. The latter are assumed to have improved energy and emission performance compared with the former. GREET was developed as a multidimensional spreadsheet model in Microsoft Excel.
More than 100 organizations are using GREET, including government agencies, the auto industry, the energy industry, research institutes, universities, and public interest groups. GREET users reside in North America, Europe, and Asia. This public domain model is available free of charge for anyone to use.
GREET is available from Argonne National Laboratory.
PSAT/PSAT-PRO
The Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit (PSAT) is a state-of-the-art flexible and reusable simulation package, developed by Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). PSAT was designed to be a single tool that can be used to meet the requirements of automotive engineering throughout the development process, from modeling to control.
After a thorough assessment, DOE selected PSAT as its primary vehicle simulation tool to support FreedomCAR and Fuels Partnership activities. PSAT has been used for numerous studies to assist DOE in identifying future research directions. In addition, PSAT received an R&D 100 Award in 2004, ranking it among the 100 best newly available products and technologies from around the world. PSAT is also used within major automotive companies and suppliers to support advanced vehicle development programs. Finally, as part of the Challenge X Competition, organized by General Motors and DOE, 17 universities are using PSAT to select their powertrains develop control strategies.
Because of its accurate dynamics component models, PSAT can be implemented directly and tested at the bench scale or in a vehicle (using its extension for prototyping, PSAT-PRO).
PSAT may be licensed from Argonne National Laboratory.
VISION
The VISION modeling tool provides estimates of the potential energy use, oil use, and carbon emission impacts through 2050 of advanced light and heavy-duty vehicle technologies and alternative fuels. The model consists of two Excel workbooks: a base case of U.S. highway fuel use and carbon emissions to 2050, and a copy of the base case that can be modified to reflect alternative assumptions about advanced vehicle and alternative fuel market penetration.
VISION's workbooks contain notes indicating the sources of the data used in the model. As much as possible, VISION reflects data from the Department of Energy Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) 2003 report, published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), though there are some sections that do not. In particular, the base case does not use EIA's fuel economy by vehicle type estimates, and instead assumes a fixed MPG for conventional internal combustion engines operating on gasoline in the future. Further, where EIA estimates some penetration of advanced technology vehicles and alternative fuels, VISION's base case does not. Finally, VISION estimates carbon emissions on a full fuel cycle basis, while EIA does not.
VISION is available from Argonne National Laboratory.