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Business and Energy comparison between Diesel, Electric and Natural gas
waste refuse truck fuel sources
SEP 706 – Energy and Public policy
Instructor: Dr Zobia Jawed
Stakeholder: City of Hamilton, Public Works Division
Report By:
Ananth Ramamoorthy
Chiraj Ramanbhai Nagar
Kunj Patel
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Table of Contents
Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Problem statement ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Purpose of this report ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Alternative fuel sources ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Battery Electric Vehicle ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) ……………………………………………………….…………………….. 3
Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle (CNG) ……………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Clean Diesel Vehicle ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 4
Reason for alternatives considered for detailed study ……………………………………………………………………. 4
Natural gas-powered truck ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
Data study on shared Information …………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Inference from data study ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Previous study on CNG Trucks …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Methodology: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Key results from analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7
Electric Refuse trucks ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 10
Reasons for using electric refuse trucks …………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Recent projects on Electric refuse trucks …………………………………………………………………………………… 11
Charging station for CNG and Electric …………………………………………………………………………………………. 12
Fast-Fill CNG Station …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
Time Fill CNG Station ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13
Infrastructure cost for CNG stations …………………………………………………………………………………………. 14
Infrastructure cost for Electric charging station ………………………………………………………………………….. 15
Recommendation and Future scope: …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15
References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16
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Introduction
This report summarizes key information obtained from operational and maintenance study of
waste refuse truck using existing same Diesel source and switching to alternatives. It covers in
detail about Compressed Natural Gas and Electric alternatives including data study found from
stakeshared information and cost estimates for supporting charging station units.
Problem statement
Hamilton has declared climate change emergency, vowed to treat the problem as pressing
crises to take preventive actions. The transportation industry is the major contributor of GHG
emission, the city having converted buses into Natural gas feels upgrading the waste trucks
might be effective Solution
Purpose of this report
The main need for business proposal is to tackle the carbon emissions by initially testing
alternative fuel powered vehicles replacing some of the fleet. This document will facilitate the
city to make intelligent purchase decisions, thereby helping them achieve 50% reduction in
Corporate and community emission target by 2030.
Alternative fuel sources
While considering different other fuel sources for vehicles, the following options were initially
shortlisted based on market advancements.
Battery Electric Vehicle
Battery Electric vehicles (BEV) are the only truly green technology with the potential for
minimal emissions in Manufacturing and zero emission during Vehicle operations. BEVs
have no tailpipe emissions, and in Ontario, generation of electricity for overnight charging is
100% nuclear and completely free of GHG emissions which makes the operation pollution
free.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
FCEV is a type of EV which uses a fuel cell, instead of a battery, or in combination with a
battery or super capacitor, to power its on-board electric motor. Fuel cells in vehicles
generate electricity to power the motor, generally using oxygen from the air and compressed
hydrogen. Most fuel cell vehicles are classified as zero-emissions vehicles that emit only
water and heat.
Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle (CNG)
In a natural gas-powered vehicle, energy is released by combustion of
essentially methane gas (CH4) fuel with oxygen (O2) from the air to carbon dioxide (CO2)
and water vapor (H2O) in an internal combustion engine. Methane is cleanest
burning hydrocarbon and many contaminants present in natural gas are removed at source
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Clean Diesel Vehicle
Today, ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel – containing 97 percent less sulfur – is now Called the
Clean Diesel. Using this cleaner diesel (ULSD) immediately cuts soot emissions from diesel
vehicles and equipment by 10 percent. Cleaner diesel fuel is more than just cleaner petroleum
diesel. Diesel engines can operate on advance biofuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel
fuels that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent.
Reason for alternatives considered for detailed study
Fuel cell and clean diesel fuels are used in LMVs and not popular with heavy utility vehicles to
satisfy usage pattern that involves a large number of stops per day and fast acceleration
following each stop, so they are not considered for study as of now.
Natural gas-powered truck
Natural gas comprising methane fuel is available in two forms LNG and CNG, the former is in
similar form as gasoline and latter is obtained by compressing to less than one percent of volume
it occupies at standard atmospheric conditions. A gasoline/ internal combustion engine vehicle
can be modified to run under CNG or Manufactured for CNG use.
Hamilton was the first municipality in Canada to introduce CNG powered bus in 1985 and has
now complete fleet operating in Natural gas.
Other government entities using CNG as fuel source:
• TransLink, serving Public transit network in Metro Vancouver and Surrey transit
• BC transit, provincial crown corporations serving urban areas outside Metro Vancouver
• City of Red Deer
• Medicine hat, Alberta
Data study on shared Information
In order to get higher level idea of the cost savings, the current and lifetime cost/ liter of diesel
with equal values of CNG are compared.
Referring to 2018 City of Hamilton Annual energy report- table of consumption and costs of
fuels
Average cost/liter for a) Diesel = $0.91/liter and b) CNG = $0.22/liter, direct conversion benefit
is ~75% reduction in fuel costs.
Average lifetime cost for current trucks from table below = $.87/ liter
For comparing similar Lifetime values, a constant $.30/liter for CNG is introduced as
multiplication factor accounting for maintenance and other costs.
The benefit of conversion by this assumption on median of the values in the table is $.44 / liter of
fuel, which is approximately 32% reduction in lifetime cost.
The table below outlines the actual data evidences for the results stated above.
Unit
Number
lifetime
Costs
Kms
covered
Current
Cost/liter
CNG cost/liter
(multiplication
factor .3)
571301
$ 82,444.50
$ 1.05
$ 0.32
571302
$ 95,141.69
$ 1.11
$ 0.33
571303
$ 87,161.40
$ 0.91
$ 0.27
571304
$ 82,486.95
$ 1.12
$ 0.34
571305
$ 81,509.35
$ 1.06
$ 0.32
571306
$ 84,128.53
$ 8.22
$ 2.47
571307
$ 76,240.59
$ 0.55
$ 0.16
571308
$ 68,725.74
$ 0.91
$ 0.27
571309
$ 76,648.95
$ 1.05
$ 0.31
571310
$ 101,163.36
78531
$ 1.29
$ 0.39
571311
$ 80,863.43
74255
$ 1.09
$ 0.33
571312
$ 74,408.80
139988
$ 0.53
$ 0.16
571314
$ 59,420.51
85329
$ 0.70
$ 0.21
571315
$ 81,383.99
113325
$ 0.72
$ 0.22
571316
$ 80,588.15
78690
$ 1.02
$ 0.31
571313
$ 186,936.05
120141
$ 1.56
$ 0.47
571603
$ 69,221.58
86896
$ 0.80
$ 0.24
571604
$ 63,642.23
81262
$ 0.78
$ 0.23