Interdisciplinary Research Tracks

In addition to the interdisciplinary threads mentioned on the previous pages, the STEPS program will aim to look at four main transportation energy categories.

Thread 1 – Markets and Behavior

In this thread, research will be aimed at providing meaningful insights into differing (across fuel pathways) and changing (over time) citizen/consumer response to different ways of fueling mobility. Consumer perceptions of current transportation issues, such as fuel economy, “green” vehicles, and future trends will be analyzed. A variety of investigations into the forces driving markets for alternatively fueled vehicles—such as costs, innovation, and consumer behavior—are planned as part of the Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways initiative.

Thread 2 – Infrastructure System Analysis

The goal of this research will be to develop a detailed understanding of production facilities and infrastructure at different scales for biofuels, electricity, hydrogen, conventional, and unconventional liquid fuels using tools and models being developed including geographical information systems (GIS), mathematical programming tools, and engineering economic models for infrastructure components. This research will also include an assessment of key inputs such as water, energy resources, electricity, and land.

Thread 3 – Energy, Environment, and Cost Analysis

Considerable research effort has been devoted to the analysis of energy cycle emissions of hydrogen and alternative fuels for use in transportation. In this research program, previous studies of lifecycle emissions and energy use will be compared and differences explicitly specified. Energy use and emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases will be analyzed for each alternative fuel pathway. This research will feature the incorporation of alternative fuel vehicles into the current Advanced Vehicle Cost and Energy Use model (AVCEM) and Lifetime Emissions Models (LEM), as well as the Social Cost Calculator (SCC).

Thread 4 – Policy and Business Strategy

Policy and Business Strategy researchers are developing an understanding of the role of the policy process on the potential transition to an alternative fuel-based transportation system. The track contains a number of projects focused on: the policy process surrounding alternative fuels; evaluation of policy alternatives and their likely implications for the transition; and the development of business strategies for an alternative fuel based economy. Researchers are employing a variety of tools to assess these complex issues including policy development frameworks, microeconomic theory and modeling.

Thread 5 – Vehicle Design

This research will center on developing models of the driveline components and simulation of advanced vehicle operation on appropriate driving cycles. Research will also asses the effects of fuel requirements and availability on advanced vehicle development across the different fueling methods studied in the STEPS program. Mathematical modeling tools will allow researchers to make cross comparisons between conventional and alternative fueled vehicles in order to assess performance, fuel economy, and emissions production.

Thread 6 - Integrative Scenarios

This research thread will focus on creating region-specific, national, and global studies to assess the cost, optimal design, and most effective policy related to alternative fuel production and distribution. These studies will incorporate both static and dynamic cases, yielding data useful for real-world scenarios. Researchers in this track will work closely with those in the Infrastructure Modeling thread, employing similar methods to quantify cost and optimize design for the region of interest.