The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) based in Golden, Colorado is taking on a significant role to facilitate the transition of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to electric or hydrogen power along four major freight corridors covering over half of America. With collaboration from industry leaders, NREL hopes to drive forward emissions reducing infrastructure that can pave way for our nation’s sustainable transportation future.
Freight corridors slated for the upgrades include the East Coast corridor on Interstate 95 spanning from Savannah, GA to Newark, NJ, the Midwest corridor on I-80 through Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, the Northeast/New England corridor, and one in Utah.
“The heavy-duty vehicle industry has already developed a wide assortment of zero-emission commercial vehicles. But ubiquitous charging and fueling infrastructure will be key to enabling their widespread adoption,” said Ken Kelly, chief engineer for commercial vehicle electrification at NREL, one of 17 DOE national labs whose mission is to advance federal government initiates through science and technology.
Kelly noted that NREL will work closely with partners “to leverage vehicle data, innovative analysis tools and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure expertise to help to accelerate infrastructure plans across the U.S.”
NREL stated that the I-95 project is to “establish infrastructure plans for the East Coast as the epicenter of zero-emission freight transformation and improve the quality of life for underserved populations along the corridor.”
A research team is leveraging their cutting-edge expertise in EV electricity grid integration and hydrogen fueling infrastructure to analyze freight flow needs along the I-95 corridor. The study will identify optimal spots for zero emissions commercial vehicle charging stations, allowing EVs and hydrogen refueling centers to coexist harmoniously on one of America’s busiest highways.
Researchers from NREL have joined forces with the National Grid to construct a comprehensive model of truck traffic in New England, which will enable them to forecast and simulate electric truck usage – including optimal charging sites and required energy levels.
The Northeast project is poised to tackle the development of an electric vehicle-friendly blueprint, focusing on freight corridors in nine states. Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are just a few of those that will benefit from this prototype program for other regions.
Researchers have employed cutting-edge software tools from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to optimize a large-scale plan for electric vehicle charging. Developed with sophisticated computer modeling, this data will be used by National Grid as part of its ambitious efforts to upgrade and expand infrastructure in anticipation of future EV service demands.
NREL’s pioneering effort to reduce emissions across the Northeast U.S. has been bolstered by a consortium of partners with expertise in zero-emission transportation. Support is provided from familiar institutions like The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as out of state organizations such as Applegreen Electric who are on board for designing fast charging stations for electric vehicles. Finally, California based non-profit Calstart helps drive the cause forward through involvement in all four freight corridor projects throughout the region.
The initiative to electrify the I-80 Midwest corridor involves several key players including a team from Cummins Inc. and researchers from NREL. A coalition of public transportation entities like Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Northern Indiana Public Service Co., as well as other partners such as Purdue University have joined forces with Pilot Travel Centers in pursuit of a common goal: transitioning 30% Its medium to heavy duty fleets along this route into zero emission technologies within 15 years.
NREL is conducting a major project in Utah which centers on aiding underserved people living near the Wasatch Mountain Range. This range, home to 80% of all citizens in the state, will benefit from their data-driven operations concerning EV charging systems and hydrogen infrastructure needs.
Source: Transport Topics
