Virtual Workshop Series on
Electrified Transportation
Thoroughly described in a conference in 1974, the idea of dual mode transportation is not new. However, critical technological advances have occurred since then, and the need for a new transportation infrastructure is now apparent. At the time of the 1974 conference the US Interstate highway system was still unfinished, computing and communication capabilities were no where near what they are today, and the US population was smaller by nearly 30%. Roadways were classed as uncongested 70% of the time compared to only 33% of the time today, and extreme or severe congestion is now experienced more than 40% of the time. While other transportation centers focus primarily on vehicle propulsion, or safety, or mass transit systems, the CEETI effort broadens the scope boundaries to evaluate new system architectures even if it requires a new infrastructure to meet the demands of a 21 st century economy. CEETI is sponsoring a series of 10 web-based workshops on electrified transportation. Planned workshop topics include:
- Personal mobility -Sept 16, 2005
- Driverless freight systems - Dec. 9, 2005
- Pre-guideway or off-guideway technologies -October 14, 2005
- Guideway technologies - Up coming
- On/off-ramp technologies - check-in and check-out
- System performance reliability and optimization
- Energy supply systems - Up coming
- Transportation planning and economic impact
- Human factors
- Policy issues
To register for a virtual workshop submit your application (Click Here) to CEETI and indicate the workshop topics in which you have interest. To attend a workshop you need internet access (preferably broadband access) and knowledge in the topic that will enable you to make a contribution to the discussions. The workshops typically last about 3.5 to 4 hours and are announced as they are organized. If you can assist with contacts regarding a workshop topic please volunteer to contribute as a workshop co-manager or discussion leader or simply pass the word on planned workshops to potential participants.
Electrical Guideways: A Transportation Solution
America has a transportation problem. And we're not just talking about traffic during rush hour. Motor fuel demand in the United States totals 11 million barrels per day, roughly equal to America's daily crude oil imports. Reducing those imports will require an overhaul of the country's ground transportation infrastructure, and the engineers at Texas A&M University's Center for Energy, Environment and Transportation Innovation (CEETI) believe they have one possible solution: electrified gateways. See the rest of this article here : Electrical Guideways a Transportation Solution. |
A Program for Individual Sustainable Mobility
Recently we have proposed a new transportation system called PRISM (which stands for Program for Individual Sustainable Mobility) to help alleviate traffic congestion and to improve energy efficiency of travel using a dual mode solution. Click this link to reference the full article.
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Hydrogen or electricity? A nuclear fork in the road
Many groups have joined the hydrogen discussion, each bringing a different set of assumptions and a different definition of what "the hydrogen economy" means to them. Among hydrogen’s deficits are that it is a low-energy-density gas (at standard conditions) with significant handling and containment problems. In addition if generated using electricity, the efficiency of that electricity to hydrogen (electrolysis) and hydrogen to electricity (fuel cell) loop is only twenty-five percent.
Click here to link to the full article.
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Electrified Guideways: A More Realistic Vision Than the "Freedom Car"
While politicians of both stripes promote the hydrogen powered "Freedom Car" as a solution to many of the ills associated with gasoline dependent vehicles, serious automotive and aerospace engineers, acutely aware of stubborn problems involved in its development, are less optimistic. For the full article click here: Electrified Guideways.
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