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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Comprehensive Total Cost of Ownership Quantification for Vehicles with Different Size Classes and Powertrains

In order to accurately compare the costs of two vehicles, the total cost of ownership (TCO) should consist of all costs related to both purchasing and operating the vehicle. This TCO analysis builds on previous work to provide a comprehensive perspective of all relevant vehicle costs of ownership. In this report, we present what we believe to be the most comprehensive explicit financial analysis of the costs that will be incurred by a vehicle owner. This study considers vehicle cost and depreciation, financing, fuel costs, insurance costs, maintenance and repair costs, taxes and fees, and other operational costs to formulate a holistic total cost of ownership and operation of multiple different vehicles. For each of these cost parameters that together constitute a comprehensive TCO, extensive literature review and data analysis were performed to find representative values in order to build a holistic TCO for vehicles of all size classes. The light- and heavy-duty vehicles selected for analysis in this report are representative of those that are on the road today and expected to be available in the future. Important additive analyses in this study include systematic analysis of vehicle depreciation, in-depth examination of insurance premium costs, comprehensive maintenance and repair estimates, analysis of all relevant taxes and fees, and considerations of specific costs applicable to commercial vehicles. We find that cars depreciate faster than light trucks and that older plug-in electric vehicles have a greater depreciation rate than newer electric vehicles. Light-duty vehicle (LDV) insurance costs show comparable costs for different powertrains, and lower costs for larger size classes. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) insurance costs vary significantly by vocation. Electric and electrified powertrains have lower maintenance and repair costs than internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrains for all vehicle sizes, relative to vehicle price. MHDV maintenance and repair costs depend heavily on vocation and duty cycle. LDV taxes and fees are comparable across powertrain types and size classes, though marginally higher registration fees exist for alternative fuel vehicles. MHDV fees depend on the vocation, weight rating, and state. Many electric tractor trailers would be affected by additional battery weight, reducing the available payload capacity, and this cost can be substantial. Electric vehicle charging for commercial vehicles can be time-consuming; labor rates can cause this cost to dominate TCO. With improved knowledge of each of the cost components, we calculate a lifetime TCO for comparison across vehicles of different types and attributes. For a simulated small sport utility vehicle in 2025, modeled using Autonomie, the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) has the lowest cost, followed by the conventional ICE vehicle. For MHDV, TCO can be drastically different depending on the vocation. Long-haul vehicles typically have the lowest per-mile costs. Excluding labor costs, the class 4 delivery has a comparable TCO to the day cab. Vocational trucks, refuse trucks, and transit buses have a high per-mile cost of ownership due to maintenance and insurance. For all of these vehicles, the cost of operating the vehicle is heavily weighted by the labor of the driver, followed by the fuel costs. While the HEV begins as the lowest cost powertrain for passenger vehicles, fuel cells are forecast to reach cost parity by 2030 when hydrogen prices reach $\$ 5$/kg while battery electric vehicles (BEV) reach cost parity by 2035 at a battery cost of $\$ 98$ per usable kWh of capacity, with these two technologies being the lowest cost in 2050. For the class 8 day cab tractor, the HEV and ICE vehicle begin as the lowest cost powertrains, and the 250-mile BEV reduces in cost from the most expensive to the least expensive by 2030.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Life cycle cost, energy, and carbon emissions of molds for precast concrete: Exploring the impacts of material choices and additive manufacturing

Molds for precast concrete are commonly used to create simple- to complex-shaped concrete products away from construction sites. These molds are often handmade from wood; however, additively manufacturing (AM, or 3D printing) fiber-reinforced polymer composites is an advantageous alternative, producing significantly more durable, highly complex molds faster, but likely at a higher cost. Here, this study explores the impact of material and production variables on the cost, energy, and carbon emissions of employing composite AM molds over the full lifecycle. The case study employed techno-economic and life cycle assessments to show that using wood flour–poly(lactic acid) or recycled carbon fiber–acrylonitrile butadiene styrene for AM molds can be less expensive than conventional wood molds, especially when considering use phase costs. While wood molds have the least environmental impacts due to wood's higher biogenic carbon sequestration and minimal processing, optimizing AM designs could reduce energy demand, carbon emissions, and cost.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

An additively-manufactured molten salt-to-supercritical carbon di-oxide primary heat exchanger for solar thermal power generation – Design and techno-economic performance

The design and techno-economic performance of a compact additively manufactured (AM) molten salt (MS)-to-supercritical carbon di-oxide (sCO2) primary heat exchanger (PHE) for solar thermal application is described. The PHE design consists of sCO2 flow through an array of microscale pin fins while the MS flows through mm-scale rectangular channels. Constraints imposed by AM using laser powder bed fusion method are considered in the design. Structural and fluid flow simulations are performed to arrive at a viable design of the core and headers. A simplified one-dimensional steady state model for the PHE is developed including the impact of surface roughness from the AM process. A process-based cost model is used to determine the tradeoff between thermofluidic design and manufacturing cost. A parametric study is performed using the thermo-fluidic and cost models to determine the set of geometrical and flow variables that result in high power density and low cost, while restricting the pressure drop on the sCO2 side to less than 2% of line pressure. Flow rates of MS and sCO2 were varied over heat capacity rate ratios ranging from 0.2 to 1. Results indicate that it is possible to design a low-pressure drop AM PHE with an effectiveness of 90% and a power density in excess of 10 MW/m3 (including headers). Fabrication of representative nickel superalloy specimens are shown to demonstrate that low-porosity parts with the requisite dimensional tolerance of PHE core can be generated.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quality Investigation of Pultruded Carbon Fiber Panels Subjected to Four-Point Flexure via Fiber Optic Sensing

Pultruded carbon fiber-reinforced composites are attractive to the wind energy industry due to the rapid production of highly aligned unidirectional composites with enhanced fiber volume fractions and increased specific strength and stiffness. However, high volume carbon fiber manufacturing remains cost-prohibitive. This study investigates the feasibility of a pultruded low-cost textile carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite as a promising material in spar cap production was undertaken based on mechanical response to four-point flexure loading. As spar caps are primarily subjected to flexural loading, large-span four-point flexure was considered, and coupon testing was restricted to tensile modulus and compression strength assessment. High-resolution spatial fiber optic strain sensing was utilized to determine spatial strain distribution during four-point flexure, revealing consistent strain along the length of the part and proved to be an excellent option for process manufacturing quality examination. Additionally, holes with diameters of 2.49 mm, 5.08 mm, and 1.93 mm were drilled through the thickness of full-width parts to determine the feasibility of structural health monitoring of pultruding parts internal to wind blades via fiber optic strain sensing.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2022

Achieving an 80% carbon-free electricity system in China by 2035

Dramatic reductions in solar, wind, and battery storage costs create new opportunities to reduce emissions and costs in China’s electricity sector, beyond current policy goals. This study examines the cost, reliability, emissions, public health, and employment implications of increasing the share of non-fossil fuel (“carbon free”) electricity generation in China to 80% by 2035. The analysis uses state-of-the-art modeling with high resolution load, wind, and solar inputs. The study finds that achieving an 80% carbon free electricity system in China by 2035 could reduce wholesale electricity costs, relative to a current policy baseline, while maintaining high levels of reliability, reducing deaths from air pollution, and increasing employment. In our 80% scenario, wind and solar generation capacity reach 3 TW and battery storage capacity reaches 0.4 TW by 2035, implying a rapid scale up in these resources that will require changes in policy targets, markets and regulation, and land use policies.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Cost and Performance of Retrofitting NGCC Units for Carbon Capture – Revision 3

This study presents updated cost and performance information on retrofitting natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants with post-combustion carbon capture based on an advanced solvent process, based on NETL's Fossil Energy Baseline, Revision 4A. Cases considered include those using a state-of-the-art F-frame turbine, and H-frame turbines. Cases include both greenfield and retrofit analysis at 90% and 95% carbon capture.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
NASA NTRS1976

A study of commuter airline economics

Variables are defined and cost relationships developed that describe the direct and indirect operating costs of commuter airlines. The study focused on costs for new aircraft and new aircraft technology when applied to the commuter airline industry. With proper judgement and selection of input variables, the operating costs model was shown to be capable of providing economic insight into other commuter airline system evaluations.

Summerfield, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Study for analysis of benefit versus cost of low thrust propulsion system

The benefits and costs associated with placing large space systems (LSS) in operational orbits were investigated, and a flexible computer model for analyzing these benefits and costs was developed. A mission model for LSS was identified that included both NASA/Commercial and DOD missions. This model included a total of 68 STS launches for the NASA/Commercial missions and 202 launches for the DOD missions. The mission catalog was of sufficient depth to define the structure type, mass and acceleration limits of each LSS. Conceptual primary propulsion stages (PPS) designs for orbital transfer were developed for three low thrust LO2/LH2 engines baselined for the study. The performance characteristics for each of these PPS was compared to the LSS mission catalog to create a mission capture. The costs involved in placing the LSS in their operational orbits were identified. The two primary costs were that of the PPS and of the STS launch. The cost of the LSS was not included as it is not a function of the PPS performance. The basic relationships and algorithms that could be used to describe the costs were established. The benefit criteria for the mission model were also defined. These included mission capture, reliability, technical risk, development time, and growth potential. Rating guidelines were established for each parameter. For flexibility, each parameter is assigned a weighting factor.

Hamlyn, K. M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Swingbed Amine Carbon Dioxide Removal Flight Experiment - Feasibility Study and Concept Development for Cost-Effective Exploration Technology Maturation on The International Space Station

The completion of International Space Station Assembly and transition to a full six person crew has created the opportunity to create and implement flight experiments that will drive down the ultimate risks and cost for human space exploration by maturing exploration technologies in realistic space environments that are impossible or incredibly costly to duplicate in terrestrial laboratories. An early opportunity for such a technology maturation experiment was recognized in the amine swingbed technology baselined for carbon dioxide and humidity control on the Orion spacecraft and Constellation Spacesuit System. An experiment concept using an existing high fidelity laboratory swing bed prototype has been evaluated in a feasibility and concept definition study leading to the conclusion that the envisioned flight experiment can be both feasible and of significant value for NASA s space exploration technology development efforts. Based on the results of that study NASA has proceeded with detailed design and implementation for the flight experiment. The study effort included the evaluation of technology risks, the extent to which ISS provided unique opportunities to understand them, and the implications of the resulting targeted risks for the experiment design and operational parameters. Based on those objectives and characteristics, ISS safety and integration requirements were examined, experiment concepts developed to address them and their feasibility assessed. This paper will describe the analysis effort and conclusions and present the resulting flight experiment concept. The flight experiment, implemented by NASA and launched in two packages in January and August 2011, integrates the swing bed with supporting elements including electrical power and controls, sensors, cooling, heating, fans, air- and water-conserving functionality, and mechanical packaging structure. It is now on board the ISS awaiting installation and activation.

Hodgson, Edward↗
NASA NTRS2000

Validated Feasibility Study of Integrally Stiffened Metallic Fuselage Panels for Reducing Manufacturing Costs: Cost Assessment of Manufacturing/Design Concepts

The objective of the Integral Airframe Structures (IAS) program was to demonstrate, for an integrally stiffened structural concept, performance and weight equal to "built-up" structure with lower manufacturing cost. This report presents results of the cost assessment for several design configuration/manufacturing method combinations. The attributes of various cost analysis models were evaluated and COSTRAN selected for this study. A process/design cost evaluation matrix was developed based on material, forming, machining, and assembly of structural sub-elements and assembled structure. A hybrid design, made from high-speed machined extruded frames that are mechanically fastened to high-speed machined plate skin/stringer panels, was identified as the most cost-effective manufacturing solution. Recurring labor and material costs of the hybrid design are up to 61 percent less than the current built-up technology baseline. This would correspond to a total cost reduction of $1.7 million per ship set for a 777-sized airplane. However, there are important outstanding issues with regard to the cost of capacity of high technology machinery, and the ability to cost-effectively provide surface finish acceptable to the commercial aircraft industry. The projected high raw material cost of large extrusions also played an important role in the trade-off between plate and extruded concepts.

Metschan, S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluating the Feasibility of Data Simulation for Radiation Research: Estimating RBE Values for HZE Radiation

As the drive for deep space exploration intensifies, a comprehensive understanding of the health effects of radiation exposure becomes paramount to the future of human space flight. However, epidemiological data for radiation exposure, particularly to high-energy (HZE) ions, is limited, partially due to the financial and logistical costs of radiation studies. As an alternative, this study aims to assess the viability of data simulation strategies to accurately model potential study parameters prior to utilizing laboratory conditions. This study estimates a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) factor based on the solid tumor data for outbred mice provided by Edmundson et al. 2020. Excess relative risk (ERR) models for HZE-Fe ions and gamma radiation were estimated using Poisson regression with Weibull models to represent the background solid tumor hazard without radiation. RBE values were calculated from the ratio of the heavy ion linear slope to the gamma linear slope. The parameters from these models were then applied to simulate iterations of 300 datasets across HZE-Fe doses of 0.05, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.75 Gy; gamma radiation doses of 0.75, 2, and 3 Gy, as well as an unirradiated control group. Sample size per dose varied from 100-500 mice across simulations (800-4000 mice total per dataset). 1500 datasets were generated total (300 each for sample sizes 800, 1600, 3200, and 4000). For each dataset, ERR per radiation type and RBE for HZE-Fe were calculated. The RBE from the Edmondson data was calculated to be 5.55. The RBEs from the simulated data converged around this value across the increasing sample sizes. For n = 4000, the mean RBE across the 300 datasets was 5.71 (95% CI: 5.47-5.95). These results suggest that RBEs calculated from simulated data are credible. Based on this exploration, data simulation is a viable method of testing radiation studies. It provides a method of testing study assumptions and refining research questions prior to embarking on costly laboratory experiments.

Sneha Mehta↗
NASA NTRS1991

An activity-based methodology for operations cost analysis

This report describes an activity-based cost estimation method, proposed for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), as an alternative to NASA's traditional mass-based cost estimation method. A case study demonstrates how the activity-based cost estimation technique can be used to identify the operations that have a significant impact on costs over the life cycle of the SEI. The case study yielded an operations cost of $101 billion for the 20-year span of the lunar surface operations for the Option 5a program architecture. In addition, the results indicated that the support and training costs for the missions were the greatest contributors to the annual cost estimates. A cost-sensitivity analysis of the cultural and architectural drivers determined that the length of training and the amount of support associated with the ground support personnel for mission activities are the most significant cost contributors.

Korsmeyer, David↗
NASA NTRS1981

Advanced materials and fabrication processes for supersonic cruise aircraft

Research and development programs to develop high-strength aluminum alloys and low-cost materials and fabrication techniques for titanium alloys are being conducted. Thirteen aluminum alloy compositions are being evaluated. A section of a production component was fabricated using superplastic forming and diffusion bonding (SPF/DB) and fabrication studies are being conducted on three low temperature forming beta titanium alloys. Cost studies indicate substantial structural cost reduction potentials resulting from the use of both aluminum alloys and low-cost titanium fabrication techniques. Lowest overall costs are indicated for a composite/aluminum or composite titanium structure.

Guess, M. K.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Direct Air Capture Using Trapped Small Amines in Hierarchical Nanoporous Capsules on Porous Electrospun Fibers (Final Technical Report)

This report summarizes the carbon capture research and development conducted by The State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) and GTI Energy (GTI) for award “DE-FE0031969: Direct Air Capture Using Trapped Small Amines in Hierarchical Nanoporous Capsules on Porous Electrospun Fibers” sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The objective of this project is to develop an innovative sorbent structure of trapped small amines in HNC embedded in PEF for DAC. This involves tailoring both sorbent and PEF materials to achieve a compact system for DAC with high capacity for CO 2 at concentrations typically available in air and at near ambient conditions. An innovative sorbent structure of trapped small amines in hierarchical nanoporous capsules (HNC) embedded in porous electrospun fibers (PEF) was developed for direct air capture (DAC). This involves tailoring both sorbent and PEF materials to achieve a compact system for DAC with high capacity for CO 2 at concentrations typically available in air and at near ambient conditions. An interfacial polymerization process was developed, which utilized loaded amines inside mesoporous silica and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) dissolved in organic solvents as the precursors, to generate a polyamide (PA) coating layer on mesoporous silica and thus trap amines. Reaction conditions, including TMC concentration, organic solvents, reaction time, etc., for interfacial polymerization were optimized to effectively trap loaded amines, and cyclic heating-cooling operation was conducted to evaluate the coating quality. Larger pore volume mesoporous silica was also synthesized to increase amine loading and thus increase CO 2 capacity. The optimized sorbent material exhibited CO 2 capacity as high as 4.88 mmol/g under humid DAC conditions and negligible loss (<1%) during 10 cyclic heating-cooling operations. The optimized PA-coated sorbent also showed fast adsorption and desorption kinetics, with <20% t1/2 increase compared to uncoated sorbent. PEF fabrication conditions, including organic solvents for dissolving core and shell polymers, voltage, distance from the nozzle to the collection panel, etc. were adjusted to better incorporate HNC. After incorporating the optimized sorbent material into PEF, the structured sorbent had a CO 2 capacity of approximately 4.0 mmol/g under humid DAC conditions, with capacity loss of 0.17% per cycle and t1/2 increase less than 10%. A techno-economic analysis (TEA) for the process design for a DAC system based on our developed sorbent structure of trapped small amines in HNC embedded in PEF was conducted. The process design included process description and major equipment sizing and energy and mass balances in addition to scale-up research results and estimated capture cost. Aspen Adsorption Simulator was used to fit the experimentally measured breakthrough curves and extract equilibrium and kinetic data of the optimized sorbent. Our results indicated that for a DAC plant with CO 2 productivity of 3,000 tonne/year, the levelized cost of CO 2 capture was $\$$612/tonne, with the largest contribution of 44.33% from the fixed operation cost. Increasing CO 2 productivity, while maintaining similar fixed operation cost, is expected to significantly reduce the CO 2 capture cost. A sensitivity study was also conducted to understand the influence of total plant cost, sorbent cost, CO 2 concentration in the feed, sorbent mat lifetime, sorbent regeneration electricity, and adsorption blower pressure drop on the levelized cost of CO 2 capture, revealing a capture cost range of $\$$520-870/tonne.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Microstructural Engineering of Mn-Alloyed Austenitic Steel for Hydrogen Storage and Delivery

Austenitic stainless steels are commonly used for hydrogen storage and transportation. These alloys have a high nickel (Ni) content, which increases alloy cost. In this study, high manganese (Mn) austenitic alloys were evaluated as potential lower cost alternatives. Two heats of high Mn alloys with different stacking fault energies (SFE) of ~29 mJ·m -2 and 49 mJ·m -2 were acquired. Additionally, a new vanadium (V)-microalloyed high Mn alloy was designed to achieve a SFE of 47 mJ·m -2 to minimize planar slip deformation mechanisms. Post-processing via cold working in conjunction with aging was also performed on the V-microalloyed high Mn steel. Hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity was investigated using circumferential notch tensile specimens cathodically charged with hydrogen in a 0.05M NaOH electrolytic solution. The alloys were compared to a cold-worked 316L stainless steel, which exhibited no strength loss due to hydrogen. The high Mn alloys with SFE of ~29 mJ·m 2 and 49 mJ·m -2 had notch strength losses of 11 and 6 pct, respectively. The V-microalloyed high Mn steel in the as-hot-rolled condition had a notch strength loss of 17 pct. Furthermore, the V-microalloyed high Mn steel in the cold worked and aged condition indicated no notch strength loss in hydrogen, which was comparable to the performance of the 316L stainless steel.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1984

Computer analysis of effects of altering jet fuel properties on refinery costs and yields

This study was undertaken to evaluate the adequacy of future U.S. jet fuel supplies, the potential for large increases in the cost of jet fuel, and to what extent a relaxation in jet fuel properties would remedy these potential problems. The results of the study indicate that refiners should be able to meet jet fuel output requirements in all regions of the country within the current Jet A specifications during the 1990-2010 period. The results also indicate that it will be more difficult to meet Jet A specifications on the West Coast, because the feedstock quality is worse and the required jet fuel yield (jet fuel/crude refined) is higher than in the East. The results show that jet fuel production costs could be reduced by relaxing fuel properties. Potential cost savings in the East (PADDs I-IV) through property relaxation were found to be about 1.3 cents/liter (5 cents/gallon) in January 1, 1981 dollars between 1990 and 2010. However, the savings from property relaxation were all obtained within the range of current Jet A specifications, so there is no financial incentive to relax Jet A fuel specifications in the East. In the West (PADD V) the potential cost savings from lowering fuel quality were considerably greater than in the East. Cost savings from 2.7 to 3.7 cents/liter (10-14 cents/gallon) were found. In contrast to the East, on the West Coast a significant part of the savings was obtained through relaxation of the current Jet A fuel specifications.

Breton, T.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reduced-Order Models of Static Power Grids based on Spectral Clustering

For large-scale interconnected power systems that cover large geographical areas, certain electrical studies are required so that appropriate decisions ensure system reliability and low cost. For such studies, it is often neither practical nor necessary to model in detail the entire power system, which is increasingly complex due to a more diverse range of grid assets to choose from in both short and long-term planning. The goal of this paper is to present a methodology to reduce the order of large-scale power networks based on spectral graph theory given that current methods for static network reduction are not scalable. A brief analysis of some spectral clustering properties to determine which graph Laplacian matrix should be used and why is included. The analysis shows that the utilization of the normalized graph Laplacian is more advantageous for clustering purposes. Techniques are proposed to approximate cost functions for the aggregated generators. This is done via linear regression. The reduced-order model obtained with the proposed methodology has an accuracy above 94% and solves the scalability issue commonly present in other reduction methods. If the utilization of the reduced-order model is either constrained to load levels above mid-peak demand, or cost functions of aggregated units are approximated via a piecewise quadratic approach, then the error distribution is in the order of 10^-3. .

Baquedano-Aguilar, Mario D.↗