7. GLOSSARY OF TERMS

acetaldehyde: Toxic compound in engine exhaust gases: produced from combustion of all fossil fuels

AFA: Alternative Fuels Act of 1995 (Canada)

AFV: Alternative fuel vehicle

AFVI: Alternative Fuels Vehicle Institute

ANL: Argonne National Laboratory – U.S. DOE's oldest and largest science and engineering research laboratory

Air Toxics: Toxic air pollutants are those pollutants that are known to cause cancer or other serious health effects – include acetaldehyde, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, toluene

Auto ignition temperature: Temperature at which a fuel will spontaneously ignite when mixed with air

ATF: Alternative transportation fuel

B20: Blend of 20% by volume of vegetable oil or animal fat ester and 80% by volume of diesel fuel; see biodiesel

BC: Black carbon - a form of carbon produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuel or biomass

BCF: Billions of cubic feet – natural gas volume measurement

bifuel: Vehicle with two fuel systems, of which only one can be used at a time

biodiesel: Fuel made from vegetable oils or animal fats and used in diesel engines, typically in a blend (e.g. B20) with conventional diesel fuel

biofuels: A liquid or gas transportation fuel derived from biomass

biomass: Biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production

BTU: British thermal unit, the energy needed to raise one pound of water one ° F

CAC: Criteria air contaminant

CDP: Carbon Disclosure Project

CAFE: Corporate Average Fuel Economy - sales-weighted average fuel economy, expressed in miles per gallon, of a manufacturer's fleet of current model year passenger cars or light trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 8,500 pounds or less

CARB: California Air Resources Board

carcinogenic: Carcinogen refers to any substance or agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the facilitation of its propagation

CEC: California Energy Commission

clean diesel: Diesel fuel modified to achieve lower exhaust emissions: modifications typically include reducing the amounts of sulphur and aromatic hydrocarbons found in conventional diesel fuel

closed-loop: Emission control system that adjusts engine operation based on exhaust –gas composition

CNG: Compressed natural gas

CO: Carbon monoxide (exhaust emission caused by incomplete combustion)

CO₂: Carbon dioxide (a major Greenhouse Gas produced from combustion of carbon-containing fuels)

conventional fuel: Gasoline, diesel fuel, and other fuels derived from crude oil

criteria air contaminants: Emissions of various air pollutants that affect human health and contribute to air pollution – include TPM, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SOX, NOX, VOC’s, CO, and NH₃

criteria pollutant: Pollutant determined by the EPA to be hazardous to human health and subject to EPA regulations

CSA: Canadian Standards Association – standards for safety and performance

cylinder: High-pressure storage container for gases

dedicated: Vehicle with only one fuel system

denaturant: Toxic, foul-tasting, or foul-smelling substance added to ethanol to discourage human consumption

DOE: U.S. Department of Energy

DOT: U.S. Department of Transportation

E10: Blend of 10% by volume of ethanol and 90% by volume of gasoline

E85: Blend of 85% by volume of ethanol and 15% by volume of gasoline

electrolysis: Electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them. Electrolysis of water yields hydrogen and oxygen.

EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPACT: Energy Policy Act of 1992 (US)

ERC: Emission reduction credit

ETBE: Ethyl tert-butyl ether - commonly used as an oxygenate gasoline additive

EV: Electric Vehicle

FFV: Flexible Fuel Vehicle – vehicle able to use alcohol fuels or gasoline, or any blend of alcohol and gasoline usually up to 85% alcohol by volume

formaldehyde: Toxic compound in exhaust gases: produced from combustion of all fossil fuels

FTP: Federal Test Procedure – driving cycle used by EPA to certify light-duty vehicles for emissions

fuel cell: Energy-conversion device that produces electricity from hydrogen or fuels that contain hydrogen

full fuel cycle: Tracking all inputs and outputs of fuel production and use, from resource through combustion

gasohol: Blend of 10% by volume of ethanol in gasoline (E10)

GJ: Gigajoule – SI unit of energy

GHG: Greenhouse Gases global warming: Theory that the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere is increasing

Greenhouse Gas: Gases in atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, that trap solar radiation and increase the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere

GREET Model: Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation – ANL has developed a full life-cycle model allowing researchers to evaluate various vehicle and fuel combinations on a full fuelcycle/vehicle-cycle basis.

GVW: Gross vehicle weight

GVWR: Gross vehicle weight rating

HC: Hydrocarbon emissions – vehicles emit HC from tailpipes due to incomplete combustion and from fuel systems due to evaporation

HDE: Heavy duty engine

HDV: Heavy duty vehicle

HEV: Hybrid electric vehicle

Kyoto Protocol: The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their GHG emissions.

LEV: Low emission vehicle (California emission standard)

LDV: Light-duty vehicle – GVW less than 8500 lbs, typically passenger cars and light trucks

LNG: Liquefied natural gas (natural gas turned to liquid by cooling to minus 260°F

LPG: Liquefied petroleum gas (synonymous with propane)

M85: Blend of 85% by volume of methanol and 15% by volume of gasoline

metal hydride: Alloy that can store hydrogen within the alloy’s internal structure, at relatively low pressure

mpg: Miles per gallon

mph: Miles per hour

MTBE: Methyl tertiary butyl ether – oxygenated additive made from methanol and used in reformulated and oxygenated gasoline

NAAQS: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (set by EPA)

NMHC: Non-methane hydrocarbons (hydrocarbon emissions minus the methane component; provides a better measure of ozone-forming potential because methane does not participate significantly in reactions that produce ozone)

non-attainment: Failure of a geographic region to comply with NAAQS

NO_x: Oxides of nitrogen (exhaust emission caused by high temperature combustion)

NRCan: Natural Resources Canada

O₂: Oxygen

OBDII: On-Board Diagnostics – second generation, a vehicle’s self-diagnostic and reporting capability octane rating: The resistance of a fuel to auto ignition, usually expressed as the average of the research and motor tests, or (R+M)/2

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer – refers to vehicles and parts produced by a vehicle manufacturer, as opposed to parts produced by another company (aftermarket supplier) for add-on to the vehicle

OMA: Ontario Medical Association

OPEC: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an international cartel made up of Iraq, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Angola, Algeria, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela

open-loop: Emission control system that cannot adjust engine operation based on exhaust-gas composition oxygenated gasoline: Gasoline to which oxygen-containing components, such as alcohols or ethers, have been added to reduce carbon monoxide and other emissions

ozone: An atmospheric gas that, at ground level is considered an air pollutant and is created from reactions between vehicle emissions in the presence of sunlight

PM: Particulate matter (exhaust emission; diesel engines produce large quantities of PM)

PM_2.5: Particulate matter with mean diameter less than 2.5 microns

PM₁₀: Particulate matter with mean diameter less than 10 microns

psi: Pounds per square inch (unit of pressure)

PTW: Pump to wheels; used in calculating life-cycle emissions of vehicles and fuels

RFG: Reformulated Gasoline; gasoline that has been specially formulated to reduce exhaust emissions regenerative braking: In an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, energy otherwise absorbed (thrown away as heat) by the brakes that is instead used to generate electricity that helps recharge the batteries

smog: Visible haze caused by air pollution

SO_x: Sulphur Oxides

TCF: Trillions of cubic feet; natural gas volume measurement

THC: Total hydrocarbon emissions

TPM: Total Particulate Matter

toxics: Any air pollutant that may cause cancer or other serious health problems; EPA-defined examples of toxics from conventional fuels include benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene

UL: Underwriter Laboratories

ULEV: Ultra low-emissions vehicle (California emission standard)

unregulated emissions: Emissions from vehicles that are not currently regulated by authorities – includes air toxics: 1,3- butadiene, acetaldehyde, benzene and formaldehyde

VOC: Volatile organic compound (exhaust and evaporative emissions; synonymous with HC)

WTP: Well to pump; used in calculating life-cycle emissions of vehicles and fuels

WTW: Well to wheels; used in calculating life-cycle emissions of vehicles and fuels

ZEV: zero-emissions vehicle (California emission standard; synonymous with electric vehicle)