Blendstocks
The Transportation Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) provides cost and emissions for select blendstock components of on-road vehicle fuels, including on-road gasoline components (blendstock for oxygenate blending and ethanol) and ultra-low-sulfur diesel components. In cases where there is no blending, the only difference between the on-road fuel and its blendstock is that estimated taxes and distribution costs are included in the on-road fuel.
Fuel Scenarios
The Transportation ATB presents five fuel scenarios. The Transportation ATB data include fuel price and emissions. Blendstock data do not include taxes or distribution costs.
- The Current Market scenario represents fuel price and emissions data for fuels that are commercially available, with the exact source, timing, averaging, and other details described in the references. Fuel metrics are primarily based on the data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Fuel price may differ from retail prices because of market volatility and local market conditions. See specific notes and references for specific dates and averaging methods.
- The Current Modeled, Current Volume scenario reflects fuel metrics based on techno-economic modeling of the current technology at current market Production Volume as specified in the notes and references.
- The Current Modeled, High Volume scenario estimates fuel metrics based on based on techno-economic modeling of the current technology at high market Production Volume. Timing of this scenario depends on when high Production Volume is achieved.
- The Future Modeled, Low Volume scenario represents fuel metrics based on a future technological state modeled at low market Production Volume, as might be the case for a pioneer plant.
- The Future Modeled, High Volume scenario represents fuel metrics based on a future technological state, modeled at high market Production Volume, often called "nth plant." Timing of this scenario depends on when high Production Volume is achieved.
A subset of blendstocks are represented in the vehicle charts in the Transportation ATB. The full set of vehicle and fuel data can be downloaded and explored.