Transportation Deployment Support
A plug-in electric vehicle charges near the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Photo from Julie Sutor, NREL
NREL's transportation deployment team works with vehicle fleets, fuel providers, and other transportation stakeholders to help deploy alternative and renewable fuels, advanced vehicles, fuel economy improvements, and fleet-level efficiencies that reduce emissions and petroleum dependence. In collaboration with the Clean Cities program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office and other DOE programs and national laboratories, NREL experts work in the following key deployment areas:
Expert Guidance for Industry and Government Partners
NREL facilitates collaboration among industry and government partners through partnerships, training, and outreach activities.
Public-Private Partnership
DOE's Clean Cities program advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to cut petroleum use in transportation. Clean Cities has saved more than 5 billion gallons of petroleum since its inception in 1993. Clean Cities efforts include specialized training and publications and comprehensive technical assistance for nearly 100 coalitions across the country.
State Fleets
NREL supports DOE's regulatory activities involving requirements under the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) for state and alternative fuel provider fleets. These regulatory activities are helping transform the U.S. transportation sector by expanding the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure and facilitating the growth of the market for alternative fuel and advanced vehicle technologies.
NREL also supports the California Energy Commission in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of California's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. This competitive grant program supports innovative transportation and fuel technologies that help California meet its energy, clean air, and climate change goals.
Federal Fleets
Through DOE's Federal Energy Management Program, NREL helps federal agencies meet petroleum reduction and alternative fuel mandates.
Clean Cities partners with the National Park Service (NPS) through the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative to support transportation projects that educate park visitors on the benefits of cutting petroleum use and vehicle emissions. This initiative complements the NPS Climate Friendly Parks program.
Commercial Fleets
Through the National Clean Fleets Partnership, Clean Cities works with large private fleets to cut petroleum use. The initiative provides fleets with resources, expertise, and support to incorporate alternative fuels and fuel-saving measures in their operations.
Workplace Charging
NREL's Clean Cities staff supports communication and outreach efforts for DOE's Workplace Charging Challenge Initiative, which aims to increase the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging tenfold in the next five years.
Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum
In collaboration with partners in industry and government, NREL coordinates the Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum to accelerate the deployment of natural gas vehicles.
Big Data and Tools for Transportation
NREL develops and provides unbiased, accurate, and comprehensive data and online tools for transportation, with a focus on alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, vehicle emissions, fueling infrastructure, and policy incentives.
Alternative Fuels Data Center
NREL manages the Alternative Fuels Data Center, a comprehensive online clearinghouse of information, data, and tools related to the deployment of fuels, technologies, and practices that reduce petroleum use in transportation.
Fleet DNA
NREL maintains the Fleet DNA clearinghouse of medium- and heavy-duty commercial fleet vehicle operating data for optimizing vehicle configuration or choosing a technology for purchase.
FleetDASH
NREL developed the Fleet Sustainability Dashboard, or FleetDASH, to track participating federal agencies' fleet fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and vehicle inventories.
National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center
Designed for the secure management, storage, and processing of proprietary industry data, the National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center plays a crucial role in NREL's independent, third-party analysis of hydrogen fuel cell technologies in real-world operation.
Transportation Secure Data Center
Created by NREL in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Transportation Secure Data Center features detailed travel data from various surveys and studies conducted across the nation.
Fleet Technical Assistance
NREL provides technical assistance to help fleets overcome barriers to the deployment of alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure.
Clean Cities Technical Assistance
NREL's Clean Cities experts offer technical assistance through the Clean Cities Technical Assistance Project, also known as Tiger Teams, to help stakeholders and others deploy alternative fuels and advanced vehicles.
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Validation
NREL's hydrogen and fuel cell Technology Validation Project helps the development community understand the current state of fuel cell technologies and identify areas for continued improvement.
Testing and Evaluation
As part of its Fleet Test and Evaluation Project, NREL conducts real-world performance evaluations of advanced technology medium- and heavy-duty fleet vehicles compared to conventional vehicles.
Contact
For more information on NREL's fuels, vehicles, and transportation deployment work, contact Margo Melendez.
