The 21st Century Truck Partnership (21CTP), a cooperative research and development partnership formed by four federal agencies with 15 industrial partners, was launched in the year 2000 with high hopes that it would dramatically advance the technologies used in trucks and buses, yielding a cleaner, safer, more efficient generation of vehicles.  Review of the 21st Century Truck Partnership critically examines and comments on the overall adequacy and balance of the 21CTP. The book reviews how well the program has accomplished its goals, evaluates progress in the program, and makes recommendations to improve the likelihood of the Partnership meeting its goals.

Review of the DOE Nuclear Energy R&D Program

Growing energy demands, emerging concerns about the emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion, the increasing and volatile price for natural gas, and a sustained period of successful operation of the existing fleet of nuclear power plants have resulted in a renewal of interest in nuclear power in the United States. The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is the main agent of the government’s responsibility for advancing nuclear power. One consequence of the renewed interest in nuclear power for the NE mission has been rapid growth in the NE research budget: it grew by nearly 70 percent from the $193 million appropriated in FY 2003 to $320 million in FY 2006. 

Alternatives for the Indian Point Energy Center in Meeting New York Electric Power Needs

Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, many in the New York City area have become concerned about the possible consequences of a similar attack on the Indian Point nuclear power plants—located about 40 miles from Manhattan, and have made calls for their closure. Any closure, however, would require actions to replace the 2000 MW of power supplied by the plants. To examine this issue in detail, the Congress directed DOE to request a study from the NRC of options for replacing the power. This report presents detailed review of both demand and supply options for replacing that power as well as meeting expected demand growth in the region. It also assesses institutional considerations for these options along with their expected impacts. Finally, the report provides an analysis of scenarios for implementing the replacement options using simulation modeling.

The National Research Council (NRC) established the Committee on Prospective Benefits of DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy R&D Programs, Phase Two to continue to develop methodology for estimating the economic, environmental, and energy security benefits associated with DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy R&D Programs and to apply its proposed methodology to several DOE programs. To obtain feedback on its proposed methodology and its then-pending selection of DOE programs for further case study, the committee held a workshop on July 14, 2005, in Washington, D.C., attended by stakeholders. In this letter, the committee discusses the principal comments made during the workshop, the case studies it intends to perform in phase two, and the changes to the process and methodology that have occurred since phase one.

Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCar and Fuel Partnership: First Report

The FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership is a collaborative effort among the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), and five major energy companies to manage research that will enable the vision of “a clean and sustainable transportation energy future.” It envisions a transition from more efficient internal combustion engines (ICEs), to advanced ICE hybrid electric vehicles, to enabling a private-sector decision by 2015 on hydrogen-fueled vehicle development. This report, which builds on an earlier NRC report, The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers, and R&D Needs, presents an evaluation of the Partnership’s research efforts on hydrogen-fueled transportation systems, and provides findings and recommendations about technical directions, strategies, funding, and management.

In 2001, the National Research Council (NRC) completed a congressionally mandated assessment of the benefits and costs of DOE’s fossil energy and energy efficiency R&D programs, Energy Research at DOE: Was It Worth It? The Congress followed this retrospective study by directing DOE to request the NRC to develop a methodology for assessing prospective benefits. The first phase of this project—development of the methodology—began in December 2003. Phase two will make the methodology more robust and explore related issues, and subsequent phases will apply the methodology to review the prospective benefits of different DOE fossil energy and energy efficiency R&D programs. In developing this project, three considerations were particularly important. First, the study should adapt the work of the retrospective study. Second, the project should develop a methodology that provides a rigorous calculation of benefits and risks, and a practical and consistent process for its application. Third, the methodology should be transparent, should not require extensive resources for implementation, and should produce easily understood results. This report presents the results of phase one. It focuses on adaptation of the retrospective methodology to a prospective context.

The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers, and R&D Needs

The announcement of a hydrogen fuel initiative in the President’s 2003 State of the Union speech substantially increased interest in the potential for hydrogen to play a major role in the nation’s long-term energy future. Prior to that event, DOE asked the National Research Council to examine key technical issues about the hydrogen economy to assist in the development of its hydrogen R&D program. Included in the assessment were the current state of technology; future cost estimates; CO2 emissions; distribution, storage, and end use considerations; and the DOE RD&D program. The report provides an assessment of hydrogen as a fuel in the nation’s future energy economy and describes a number of important challenges that must be overcome if it is to make a major energy contribution. Topics covered include the hydrogen end-use technologies, transportation, hydrogen production technologies, and transition issues for hydrogen in vehicles.

Letter Report: Lessons Learned from Workshop on Novel Approaches to Carbon Management

One approach to the problem of carbon dioxide buildup in the Earth’s atmosphere is to develop novel ways to sequester CO2 before it enters the atmosphere or to accelerate its removal once it has. In order to determine whether this approach was feasible and practical, DOE asked the NRC help foster the identification of such novel concepts. A three-step project was launched to meet that request: a workshop on novel approaches; an evaluation of proposals in response to a DOE solicitation for developing such concepts; and an assessment of the process including lessons learned. The NRC delivered reports on the first two steps in April and September 2003, and this letter report presents the results of the last step of the project. The report presents an assessment of the workshop, the solicitation process, and the NRC role. In addition, recommendations are provided for improving the process for subsequent DOE carbon management initiatives.

Methodology for Estimating Prospective Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy R&D-Letter Report

Since its inception in 1977, the Department of Energy has invested substantial sums in energy efficiency and fossil energy R&D. To monitor its effectiveness, the agency and Congress have, over the years, pursued evaluation of these R&D programs that focuses on its cost and benefits. Such evaluation, however, is difficult and must incorporate the full range of public benefits as well as what might happen if that R&D had not been funded by the federal government. To help address these challenges, and at the direction of Congress, DOE asked the NRC to develop a methodology for evaluating the prospective benefits of its fossil energy and energy efficiency R&D programs. Such methodology can be used to evaluate program management and funding decisions on an ongoing basis. This letter report provides an overview of the studies approach and how it differs from retrospective studies of this R&D previously carried out by the NRC.

Alternatives and Strategies for Future Hydrogen Production and Use: Letter Report

Hydrogen is a flexible energy carrier that can be produced from a variety of resources. If an economic hydrogen energy system could be developed, it would present a number of environmental and security advantages to the nation. To assist the Department of Energy plan for and carry out its hydrogen R&D program, the NRC was asked to evaluate the cost and status of hydrogen energy carrier technologies and to review the DOE hydrogen R&D and deployment strategy. This letter report is an interim report to DOE that provides early review and recommendations to assist FY2005 research planning.

Novel Approaches to Carbon Management: Separation, Capture, Sequestration, and Conversion to Useful Products

The growing concern about possible consequences for the earth’s climate of the atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2), has led to increasing attention on ways to manage CO2 emissions. DOE is in the process of awarding grants for carbon management research, and asked the NRC for help in this effort. As a first step, the NRC held a workshop to identify promising lines of research. This report is a summary of that workshop. The report presents a discussion of research areas in advanced sequestration technologies, advanced subsurface technologies, advanced geochemical methods, and novel approaches for converting CO2 to useful products.

Review of Research Proposals on Carbon Management

DOE is in the process of awarding grants for carbon management research, and asked the NRC for help in this effort. As a first step, the NRC published a report, Novel Approaches to Carbon Management: Separation, Capture, Sequestration, and Conversion to Useful Products, based on a workshop held to identify promising lines of research. As a follow-up to that report, DOE asked the NRC to provide ratings and summary technical assessment of proposals received by the DOE Office of Fossil Energy on novel approaches to carbon management. This letter report presents a discussion of the proposal review process followed by the NRC committee along with the ratings and summary assessments.

The goal of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Vision 21 program is to develop an array of advanced technologies that could be incorporated into future Vision 21 plants for converting fossil fuel into electricity, process heat, fuels and/or chemicals with high efficiency and very low emissions including of carbon dioxide. The program’s goals are extremely challenging and ambitious, and success would essentially eliminate many of the environmental concerns currently associated with the use of fossil fuels. In 2000, the National Research Council (NRC) published a report that reviewed the program in its initial stages. Two years later, the DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coal and Power Systems requested the NRC to review the progress of the Vision 21 program. The current report identifies significant progress that has been made in the program since the last NRC review, and makes recommendations for enhancement of the program.

Establishing a new policy to control the release of solid material from civilian nuclear facilities has been problematic for almost three decades. Under the current system, such materials may be released from the control of a licensed nuclear facility—a power reactor, research facility, hospital, etc.—if the radionuclide concentrations can be shown to be very small. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) has tried several times to improve the current policy under which slightly radioactive solid material is released from the control of licensed facilities. To assist in this effort, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission asked the National Research Council to recommend changes to the decision-making process for disposition of slightly radioactive solid material, and determine whether the technical studies of the health impacts were sufficient to support the Commission’s future decisions. This report presents the results of that study. It describes the fate of materials released from a facility, problems with the current release system, and recommendations about how to create a new policy.

Effectiveness and Impact of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards (with TRB)

Since CAFE standards were established 25 years ago, there have been significant changes in motor vehicle technology, globalization of the industry, the mix and characteristics of vehicle sales, production capacity, and other factors. This volume evaluates the implications of these changes as well as changes anticipated in the next few years, on the need for CAFE, as well as the stringency and/or structure of the CAFE program in future years.

Energy Research at DOE: Was It Worth It?

The Congress initiated a study with the Academy to review DOE’s R&D in energy efficiency and fossil energy technologies that was conducted from 1978 to 2000. Estimates of the economic, environmental, and energy security benefits for many different energy efficiency and fossil energy programs were made. The committee was able to select a manageable number of case studies—22—that covered almost all of the research expenditures in the DOE fossil energy program since 1978. In contrast, the energy efficiency program, especially in the buildings and industry programs, is composed of a large number of relatively small projects. The committee determined that it was not possible to analyze enough cases to capture a large fraction of DOE’s research expenditures in these areas. Therefore, the committee selected 17 case studies that, in its expert opinion, were sufficiently representative to permit the testing of the analytical framework and to draw reliable conclusions about the success or failure of the overall program. A methodology and framework for evaluation was developed for giving the Congress and the Office of Management and Budget more confidence in DOE estimates of the benefits of their R&D programs.

Review of the Research Program of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), Seven Reports, 1994-2001 (with TRB)

The PNGV program was a U.S. government-Big 3industry partnership started under President Clinton in 1993 with the aim of developing a midsize concept vehicle by 2000 and a pre-production prototype with up to 3 times the fuel economy of a 1993 vehicle at comparable cost. The Academy had a committee that conducted 7 annual reviews of this major program, giving recommendations to guide it and improve its chances of success. The 3 auto companies unveiled concept vehicles in 2000, but the program was changed as President Bush took office, eventually resulting in the FreedomCAR Program, which is now operating.

Renewable Power Pathways: A Review of the U.S. Department of Energy's Renewable Energy Programs

This report reviews the Department of Energy’s Office of Power Technologies (OPT) and its research and development programs, which seek to improve the cost and performance of renewable energy technologies. The report reviewed the individual technology development programs in OPT, as well as the office as a whole. The programs reviewed included photovoltaics, wind, geothermal power, solar thermal, hydroelectric power, energy storage, hydrogen technologies, electric transmission (including superconductivity), and distributed power generation technologies. The study recommends OPT develop a robust rationale for its portfolio of renewable energy technologies and set up a process to evaluate and prioritize decisions with the goal of developing a sustainable, cost-effective energy supply system; work with industry to develop a road mapping process for its R&D though the deployment phase that will see industry taking the lead on commercialization activities; and work with states more closely, especially in developing a market for “green power” and distributed energy resource system needs. The report also contains many recommendations on each of the individual technology programs.

Review of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Heavy Vehicle Technologies Program

This report is the result of a broad, independent review of the R&D activities of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies. Many of the activities in the program are focused on the development of technologies that will enable trucks and other heavy vehicles to be more energy efficient and capable of using alternative fuels while at the same time reducing emissions. This is an important mission since fuel consumption by trucks will outweigh that of automobiles in the coming years. The study addressed such areas as planning horizons and priorities; emission control technologies; engine efficiencies; other factors involved in fuel economy performance; and alternatives to diesel engines. The study recommended that OHVT should modify its program goals to reflect a longer time horizon of eight years or more; implement a Go/No Go decision-making framework to keep OHVT programs focused on program goals and to establish or modify priorities and change directions, as necessary; and place a high priority on integrated emissions-control technologies (engine combustion and after-treatment technologies) to meet future emission requirements.

Review of the Research and Development Plan for the Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies

The Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies within the U.S. Department of Energy was established in 1996 to consolidate DOE’s programs in automotive technology R&D into an integrated program for light vehicles. One of the office’s first activities was to develop an R&D plan. The NRC was asked to conduct an independent review of this R&D plan and document its findings and recommendations in a report. The report will address and comment on such issues as (1) the plan’s goals, objectives, assumptions, priorities and description of the potential benefits to the nation; (2) the strategy and approaches for addressing and overcoming identified technical barriers in the priority technical areas; (3) the metrics delineated for measuring progress in R&D; (4) the strategy for dealing with future budget uncertainties and allocation of resources among technology areas; and (5) the strategy for implementing and managing the plan in light of anticipated budgets. It will make recommendations for improvements to the plan.

Review of the United States Advanced Battery Consortium’s R&D Project Selection Process for Electric Vehicle Battery Technologies

In 1991, the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) was formed by Chrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Co., and General Motors Corporation to establish a manufacturing capability for advanced batteries in the United States that could improve the range and performance of electric vehicles (EVs) in the latter part of the 1990s. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signed a cooperative agreement with USABC to provide 50 percent of the funds in the program. In 1995, DOE asked the NRC to conduct a retrospective examination and evaluate the decision processes and outcomes (in relation to established program objectives) that the USABC Phase I program (from 1991 to 1996) used for selecting projects for EV battery technology R&D funded in part by the DOE. Based on this retrospective examination, the NRC was also asked to comment on plans for decision processes for selecting projects during Phase II (1997 to 2000).

Given the technical goals and objectives for Phase I, the report will address such aspects as (a) the process by which technical goals and objectives were established for EV battery development; (2) the process used by USABC to solicit proposals, choose contractors, and make awards, both for new projects and for continuing efforts; (3) the manner in which contractor performance was measured and evaluated by USABC; (4) how R&D results have measured up against the technical goals and objectives; and (5) USABC plans for Phase II.