
Donna Kemp Spangler, INL Communications
Nuclear and hydrogen could be the ideal fuel for recharging electric trucks, opening potential markets for developers of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).
That’s according to a University of Michigan study funded by Emerging Energy Markets Analysis, an Idaho National Laboratory (INL) initiative.
This analysis addresses a critical aspect of low-emission energy transitions, said Steve Aumeier, senior advisor of INL’s strategic programs. “It answers the question, how do we practically transition heavy transport paradigms, and what technologies might provide the best value long-term? With the new deployment frameworks that small nuclear reactors provide, the study shows how these might be a very valuable part of the strategy.”
The project was prompted in part by the growing demand to electrify heavy transport vehicles, especially in areas with limited transmission interconnections, said An T. Pham, a postdoctoral fellow at Michigan.
Pham analyzed 219 hypothetical electric vehicle trucking stations across the United States using simulation models. Those stations would have two energy options. One would be distributed energy resources that include solar, battery storage and SMRs. The other would be centralized power that requires building transmission lines to tap into the electric grid. Most studies of this kind typically assume electricity is sourced from the electric grid; this is the first to consider SMRs and other distributed energy resources as a competing energy source.
“We developed a model that looked at minimizing costs of meeting heavy-duty vehicle energy demands by optimizing investments in distributed energy sources,” Pham said.
“To better understand this market potential for SMRs and microreactors, we answered three questions,” Pham added.
- Cost savings for on-site SMRs
- Value change if part of the heavy-duty vehicle fleet uses electricity and hydrogen
- The use of microreactors, which are much smaller than SMRs
The study concluded:
- There’s a significant market potential for SMRs and microreactors at EV trucking stations across the United States.
- SMRs are more cost-effective than other distributed energy resources and can ensure that powering EV trucks doesn’t overwhelm the grid.
- Investments in distributed energy resource can offer annual cost savings of almost $2 billion nationwide, with annual cost savings for an individual charging station of over $100 million.
- The study applies to both EV trucks and hydrogen-based heavy duty vehicles as part of a decarbonized approach.
Michael Craig, assistant professor at Michigan and member of the Emerging Energy Markets Analysis Initiative, presented this study at the American Nuclear Society’s winter meeting in November. There was significant interest, he said, driven by the need to find new markets for deploying emerging SMR technologies.
Original Article: STUDY SHOWS ADVANTAGES OF CHARGING ELECTRIC HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES WITH SMALL MODULAR NUCLEAR REACTORS
More from: University of Michigan | Idaho National Laboratory
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Charging electric heavy-duty vehicles
- Startup that claims to be the ‘Tesla of heavy duty’ trucks could bridge the gap between gas-powered and electric vehicles
Startup tech company ClearFlame has developed a way to remake the diesel engines of existing semi trucks and other large vehicles so they can run on less costly, less polluting ethanol instead, ...
- Allego EV Charging Station Pilot Program Yields High Utilization Rate
Allego N.V., a pan-European public electric vehicle fast and ultra-fast ... This charging station allows for a 30-minute charging time for light-duty vehicles and approximately one hour for heavy-duty ...
- EV companies call for building heavy-duty vehicle infrastructure
Trucks transported more than 11 billion tons of freight last year, spewing air pollutants and greenhouse gases along the way.
- Commercial Electric and Zero Emission Vehicles
Eaton has developed cutting-edge infrastructure and software to simplify EV fleet charging and commercial last-mile charging applications ...
- Electric Vehicle, Battery & Charging News: Subaru,Toyota, GreenPower, StoreDot, Wallbox, MBZ, Lion Electric, Autel & Solvay
The tests safely delivered the charging speed that consumers ... “Company”), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, announced that it has received a ...
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Small modular nuclear reactors
- India-Russia can cooperate in building small floating reactors: Rosatom chief
India and Russia can cooperate in building small floating reactors with the latter providing the nuclear heart (reactor) and the former taking care of the tow boat and electrical systems, said a top ...
- Small nuclear reactors: a history of failure
Dozens of ‘small modular reactor’ designs are being promoted but precious few will reach the construction stage.
- OPG selects first fuel suppliers for its small modular reactors
OPG is building North America’s first fleet of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) at its Darlington New Nuclear site.
- Pending legislation would allow small modular nuclear reactors in Illinois. What are they?
Though it will be years before a small reactor is seen in Illinois, experts say gears are in motion to change that, and the new generation of nuclear power could cut costs, produce less waste and ...
- Small modular nuclear reactors: a history of failure
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are defined as reactors with a ... The construction cost of Russia’s floating nuclear power plant increased six-fold and the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency estimates that ...