The Nonpetroleum Based Fuels (NPBF) activity works to overcome technical barriers to expand markets for new liquid fuels, such as biodiesel and Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and gaseous fuels, including natural gas and hydrogen. Longer-term research and development is being performed on fuels that enable highly efficient and clean engines to employ advanced combustion concepts.
Nonpetroleum based fuels increase U.S. energy security by displacing petroleum and enabling high efficiency and low emission engines. NPBF work is specifically directed at meeting DOE's 21st Century Truck Partnership and U.S. DRIVE goals of increasing vehicle efficiency and displacing petroleum.
NREL's NPBF work is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. This research supports several NREL programs and is led by the Center for Transportation Technologies and Systems (CTTS). The NPBF project is part of CTTS' Fuels Performance Group. Other projects within this group include Advanced Petroleum Based Fuels and the Renewable Fuels and Lubricants (ReFUEL) Laboratory.
NREL's Nonpetroleum Based Fuels research supports the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program.
