Fuels Fix Summer Edition

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

cover story roush cleantech transports

precious cargo

exciting electric vehicle developments see the landfill that’s turning trash to gas clean transportation heats up in Wisconsin alternative fuel champions in florida

SAvE thOuSANDS IN FUEL COSTS / IN POUNDS OF CO2 FuEl COSt SavingS

EMISSIONS SavingS

SupErShuttlE

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$14,500 savings

60,000 lbs of CO2

MESA puBlIC SChOOlS

MESA puBlIC SChOOlS

$5,667 savings

7,200 lbs of CO2

thySSENKrupp ElEvAtOr

thySSENKrupp ElEvAtOr

$4,152 savings

6,917 lbs of CO2

per shuttle per year

per shuttle per year

per bus per year

per bus per year

per vehicle per year

per vehicle per year

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ROUSHcleantech.com

contents

A History of Denver Metro Clean Cities | p. 26 Denver Metro Clean Cities

Metropool Success | p. 30 Western Washington Clean Cities

Landfill Turns Trash to Gas | p.16 East Bay Clean Cities

C3VR Facilitates Grant Funding | p.34 Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region

Transportation Change | p.42 Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance

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summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

Clean Transportation Heats Up| p. 12 Wisconsin Clean Cities

Putting a Plug In for EVs | p. 36 South Shore Clean Cities

RI Charging Ahead | p. 32 Ocean State Clean Cities Program

CNG Jump Start in Wichita| p. 29 Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition

NGV Expo & Conference | p. 11 West Virginia Clean State Program

Trucking Firm Uses CNG | p. 39 Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition

Clean Truck Event | p.24 Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition

Alt Fuel Champions | p.20

Southeast Florida Clean Cities Coalition

Making a Difference in Southlake | p.18 Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities

summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

5

the

Fast links to the alternative fuels info you need ho s t e d by

Green Auto Market

SoutheaSt

conference calls

The Business of Green Cars, Fuels & Technologies Free monthly newsletter and more information at

www.jonlesage.com

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summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

Discuss the natural gas industry: equipment, products, efforts, and natural gas as a transportation fuel Biweekly, Tuesdays: 11 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. CT Email sarie.joubert@chk.com

ADVANCED ENERGY & TRANSPORTATION SERVICES WWW.RAVINENERGY.COM

F-BDM-No.1Source-CleanCities.pdf

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4/12/2013

12:15:15 PM

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F-EPM-No.1Source-CleanCities.pdf

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w w w. a f v re s a l e. co m summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

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contents

advertisers index Algae Biomass Summit 3 AFV Resale 7 BBI International 7, 25, 28, 40 EMI 7, 33 Green Auto Market 6 NGV America 6, 31 Ravin Energy 7 REGI 19 Roush CleanTech 2, 6 Simpkins Energy 10 SmartWay 35 US Gas Vehicles 7 Webasto 7, 8

up front Editor’s Letter | 9 The Quick Fix | 6 Cover Story | 22

focus features Summer Blending | 15 Advanced Biofuels Conference in Omaha | 40

special features Clean Cities TV | 14 American Beauty | 43

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editor’s letter Alt Fuels: Here to Stay!

Clean Cities coordinators and staff across this great country of ours have been hard at work!

As in every edition, you will see strong evidence that alternative fuels are definitely here to stay.

Heartwarmingly, our cover story tells the tale of safer, cleaner transportation for school children.

We could point to countless similar stories of alternative fuel use and the numerous benefits of making a switch. It’s happening in Wisconsin (page 12), Florida (page 20), Colorado (page 26)...we could go on and on!

And we would be remiss to not toot our own horn: Tennessee recently opened another CNG station!

It is our first public CNG station that is along a major corridor, I-75. The picture below gives you a snapshot of the grand opening event. Click here to see the rest of the pictures, and click through this ezine to see more great examples of alternative fuels in action!

Happy alt fuel trails,

publisher & senior editor Jonathan G. Overly East TN Clean Fuels Coalition jonathan@etcleanfuels.org

designer & editor Kristy Keel-Blackmon East TN Clean Fuels Coalition kristy@etcleanfuels.org

The Fuels Fix is published quarterly by the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition in collaboration with the brilliant and groovy DOE Clean Cities coalition coordinators across the United States.

Advertising information may be obtained by visiting fuelsfix.com or contacting the editors.

Publication Date: July 12, 2013

summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

9

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2013 Appalachian Basin NGV Expo & Conference: a Success!

West Virginia’s 2013 Appalachian Basin NGV Expo and Conference drew nearly 300 attendees to Charleston this past May. The event featured nationally known speakers, an exhibit hall packed with vehicles, fueling equipment and information, and a ride-anddrive with natural gas vehicles fueled at the Kanawha County Courthouse (1).

Workshops informed participants about the range of alternative fuels, the economics of fuel station development, and policy issues.

Always compelling, Stephe Yborra of the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation engaged the audience with the latest information about natural gas for transportation (2).

The Kanawha County Commission’s CNG bi-fueled 2013 Chevy Tahoe was on exhibit.

Purchased in August 2012, the vehicle fuels at the Kanawha County Courthouse at a Fuel Maker donated from IGS Energy/CNG Services.

IGS announced three CNG stations to be built along Interstate 79 in West Virginia.

Another popular exhibit at the Expo was Chesapeake Energy’s natural gas-powered chopper (3).

kelly bragg

West Virginia Clean State Program Kelly.A.Bragg@wv.gov 800-982-3386 x 2004

Photos by Steve Shaluta, WV Department of Commerce

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

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Clean Transportation

Heating Upin Wisconsin

As the Wisconsin summer heat sets in, minds are flooded with ideas of how to take advantage of the warmer weather before the next winter. Whether it is swimming in one of our lakes and rivers, hiking in our forests, or attending one of the many festivals in the state, Wisconsinites are outside enjoying our wonderful environment. To that end, fleets across the state are contributing to improving air quality by partnering with the Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program (WCTP) to expand the infrastructure and use of alternative fuel vehicles. The program is in its final stage and will be deploying the last set of vehicles this summer.

The WCTP is a four-year initiative aimed at significantly reducing petroleum consumption and

emissions in Wisconsin through improvements to alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle infrastructure and use. Since its inception in August 2009, the program has helped public and private partners update or install 14 private and four public alternative fueling or electric charging stations and released 310 vehicles on the road. We estimate that these accomplishments will displace over 1.6 million gallons of petroleum each year!

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program competitively awarded the Wisconsin State Energy Office (SEO) $15 million for the WCTP through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

By partnering with Wisconsin Clean Cities for marketing, outreach, and education, the SEO has

The City of Milwaukee received $1.8 million to install a public fast fueling CNG station in front and a private slow and fast fill station behind of one of the City’s garages; the City also received $830,000 for 21 CNG refuse haulers

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summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program Partner Showcase attendees listenED to firsthand experiences of fleets using alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles as well as look at an array of vehicles

been able to tap in to additional resources for the program partners. The WCTP projects encompassed a variety of alternative fuels and advanced technologies, such as biodiesel, natural gas, electricity, ethanol, propane, hybrid electric heavy-duty Class 8 trucks, school buses, and bucket trucks.

The program consists of 37 public and private partners from across the state; one such partner was the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC). The DOC received funding for two hybrid Ford Escapes and two heavy-duty hybrid trucks.

Douglas Nelson, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor for the Racine Correctional Institution, said, “A special thank-you to the Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program for funding our International Durastar.

Because of the versatility and efficiency of this truck, we have expanded its role to include recycling trips out of our institution. We are pleased with the performance of this truck, and consider it a valuable addition to our fleet.”

A Wisconsin Clean Transportation Program Partner Showcase recognized ten partners this past May in Madison, WI. The event highlighted the partners’ success with fueling with compressed natural gas (CNG),

propane, hybrids, electric vehicles, and biofuels. The partners were able to share their firsthand experiences from all facets of the transportation industry with over 100 attendees. The event also included a display of nine exhibitor tables, two propane lawn mowers, and 15 light- and heavy-duty vehicles that could be fueled on either ethanol, electricity, CNG, or propane. A keynote address was delivered by WCTP Project Managers: Maria Redmond, WI State Energy Office; Lorrie Lisek, WI Clean Cities; and Mark O’Connell, Technical Coordinator for the WCTP. WCTP is administered jointly by the State of Wisconsin Energy Office and Wisconsin Clean Cities—Southeast Area. Wisconsin Clean Cities is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Clean Cities initiative.

Clean Cities supports local decisions to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector through the use of alternative fuels, advanced technology vehicles, and fuel economy measures.

Learn more about the WCTP and its partners’ success at http://wicleancities.org/wctp.php.

heather goetsch

Wisconsin Clean Cities Heather.Goetsch@WICleanCities.org 414-221-4487 summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

13

clean cities tv Clean Cities TV is the educational media channel of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, which advances the nation’s economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum consumption in transportation.

Rio Rico Fire District Turns Grease Into Biodiesel

Hawaii Unveils Electric Vehicle Ready Program

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summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

Partner Focus

Summer’s warm weather brings opportunities for problemfree integration of higher biodiesel blends. Your fleet can take advantage of environmental, performance, and financial opportunities with biodiesel blends.

Five percent blends of biodiesel (B5) in diesel fuel can be handled and stored under your current diesel regime. At B5, fleet customers will note additional engine lubricity without any engine or fueling process changes.

With warmer temperatures, making a move to B20 blends is an efficient option for first-time blenders. Most pure biodiesel, B100, has a cloud point above that of No. 2 diesel, which can create extra steps for first-time blending in the winter. However, by offering B20 in the summer, you can significantly reduce concerns about proper storage and handling. A good rule of thumb is to store your blended B20 above 600 F. By working with an upstream blender, you can ensure a homogenous biodiesel and diesel mix that is ready to use in your fleet without engine modifications.

Diesel retailers and distributors across the country can have confidence in offering B20 blends to their fleet customers. Many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) endorse B20 blends including Cummins, Dodge, Case International, and Daimler. These OEMs encourage fleets to source from high quality biodiesel suppliers who regularly test their fuel according to industry specifications. Biodiesel from Renewable Energy Group (REG) meets or exceeds every specification required and then tests for additional quality parameters to ensure quality through the supply chain.

View this great set of resources to learn more about about biodiesel’s benefits for many fleets.

Quick Biodiesel Benefits • Enhance engine lubricity with as little as a B2 blend • Drop-in fuel used in any existing diesel engine • Significantly reduce emissions with B20 blend • Endorsed by many major OEMs

Article Courtesy of

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

15

Landfill Turns Trash to Gas Waste Management of Alameda County, CA and the East Bay Clean Cities Coalition held a grand opening this spring for the Altamont landfill’s closed-loop bio-methane fueling station. “We’re transforming waste into a resource,” explained Waste Management Environmental Protection Manager Tianna Nourot.

Typically naturally-generated methane produced by landfills either enters the atmosphere as an aggressive greenhouse gas pollutant or is burned at landfills not equipped to process it, producing other harmful pollutants. However, the methane at Altamont is captured before it can enter the environment and is turned into a low-carbon, cleaner-burning fuel. The fuel is then used in refuse trucks, which go back into the community and bring more trash to the landfill.

That refuse then decomposes and generates more methane which starts the cycle all over again.

“Bio-methane is a much cleaner alternative to foreign fossil fuel,” said Richard Battersby, executive director of East Bay Clean Cities Coalition. “By constructing a fueling station at the landfill, the transfer of the bio-methane to an off-site fueling station for these trucks is eliminated. It’s a win-win that epitomizes a closed-loop.”

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The Altamont landfill renewable natural gas fuel generation and dispensing station means cleaner air for the citizens of the valley and also brings jobs into the community, while displacing the consumption of foreign petroleum fuels. Each day the facility produces 13,000 gallons of locally-made, clean-burning natural gas vehicle fuel which will help prevent almost 210,000 tons of greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions from entering the valley’s air.

In just one year, 572,000 gallons of diesel will be displaced along with the associated criteria pollutant emissions. It is estimated in the first year of operation, 44 tons of nitrogen oxides and nearly one ton of particulate matter will be reduced along the trucks’ route.

Richard Battersby stated, “If someone claimed ten years ago that we would be making low-emissions vehicle fuel from refuse and discarded trash on a commercial scale, they would have been laughed at.

Now we have the Altamont Landfill doing just that to the tune of 13,000 gallons of liquified natural gas (LNG) generated from trash every day.”

To see the reclaimed landscape of the Altamont landfill, flip to page 43

Fuels Fix congra tulates Richard Batters by on being name d 2013 Public Sec tor Fleet Manager of the Year!

richard battersby East Bay Clean Cities rebattersby@ucdavis.edu 530-752-9666

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

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Making a Difference in

Southlake, tx

Biofuels are alive and well in Southlake, Texas. With recent funding through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), Southlake was able to pursue alternative fuels to diversify their fleet. ARRA funds were used to purchase fuel tanks for B20 biodiesel and E85 ethanol along with their accompanying hardware.

Southlake chose to purchase a 1,000-gallon tank to dispense only B20 biodiesel and two 10,000-gallon split tanks. One split tanks holds 7,000 gallons of diesel and 3,000 gallons of B20. The other holds 5,000 gallons of gasoline and 4,400 gallons of E85 ethanol.

The funds were also used to purchase a 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid. Now Southlake has quite a unique fleet considering they already had three hybrids and purchased another three after aquiring the Escape.

Purchasing Manager at the City of Southlake, Tim Slifka, mentions how this funding provided Southlake with a unique opportunity to purchase alternative fuel equipment.

replace very old fuel pumps. We are now able to offer B20 biodiesel and E85 alternative fuels to our staff,” Slifka said.

When switching to an alternative fuel, Slifka knows how important it is to educate the drivers on the fuel.

“I try to explain it is better to use the alternate fuels to help reduce our reliance on foreign oil,” Slifka said.

When Southlake requested funding, they proposed a reasonable amount of fuel usage based on their fleet size. The actual results of their fuel usage turned out to be significantly higher; the city’s annual forecast is to use about eight times the amount of E85 and over twice as much biodiesel as they originally proposed.

Data from January 1, 2013 through March 31, 2013 shows 3,721 gallons of B20 and 8,451 gallons of E85 were used.

Currently, Southlake has 25 vehicles utilizing B20 biodiesel and 35 utilizing E85 ethanol.

“With the funding available, we were able to replace the current tanks with larger capacity tanks and

kenny bergstrom & pamela burns Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities kbergstrom@nctcog.org, pburns@nctcog.org 817-704-2510

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Big impact.

No hassle.

That’s REG biodiesel. ®

More independence. When you promote biodiesel, you’re providing fleets with the easiest way to go green and reduce their petroleum usage immediately.

Less downtime. And because biodiesel is a drop-in biofuel compatible with any existing infrastructure and engine, partnering with REG means everyone wins over the long — and short — haul.

The perfect blend. Let the nation’s biodiesel leader help you integrate this clean, cost-effective fuel into your program.

Visit www.REGI.com for more information.

Renewable Energy Group, Inc. | (888) REG-8686 | www.REGI.com Renewable Energy Group and REG are registered trademarks of Renewable Energy Group, Inc. © 2013 Renewable Energy Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

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Southeast Florida’s

Alternative Fuel Champions

Members and stakeholders who made outstanding contributions to the Southeast Florida Clean Cities Coalition’s goal of reducing dependence on imported oil and improving the environment were recognized earlier this year in February. City of Hollywood, FL

Commissioner and Coalition Chair Patricia Asseff said, “I am truly in awe of the fine work that our Coalition’s public and private partners are accomplishing by coordinating with one another to expand alternative fuel use in this region of the country!”

Champion for Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Alternative Fuels • Debbie Griner, Environmental Resources Project Supervisor for Miami-Dade County | Nominated for her regional efforts in sustainability, pollution prevention, transportation emission reductions, and climate change mitigation.

Alternative Fuel Fleet Leader • Waste Management Inc. of Florida | For transitions from diesel fuel to compressed natural gas (CNG). The company has replaced 75 diesel trucks with CNG trucks, reducing diesel use by about 600,000 gallons per year and cutting annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1,650 metric tons.

Coalition Chair Patricia Asseff with 2013 Champion for Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Alternative Fuels, Debbie Griner

Community Involvement Leader • Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) | Supporting over 60 events last year, FPL provided electric and other alternative fuel information to thousands of people in Florida. They operate one of the largest green fleets in the investor-owned utility industry that includes approximately 500 plug-in and hybrid EVs and over 1,700 work vehicles operating on biodiesel blends.

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Alternative Fuel Station Leaders • Car Charging Group | A national provider of public EV charging stations, Car Charging has installed charging stations around the country and is a very active regional partner in consumer EV education.

Car Charging plans to enhance current charging capabilities by filing provisional and utility patents for EV stations that charge several EVs sequentially without insertion or removal of plugs to initiate the charge. • Wise Gas | Received the Alternative Fuel Station Award in 2011 following construction of the first CNG station open to the general public in Florida.

They opened a second public CNG station in 2012 within the region. The CNG sold from Wise Gas stations has offset over 300 short tons of greenhouse gas emissions and they have sold over 76,000 gallon equivalents of CNG.

Andy Kinard and Suzanne Tamargo of Car Charging Group, one of two 2013 Alternative Fuel Station Leaders

christine heshmati

Southeast Florida Clean Cities Coalition cheshmati@sfrpc.com (954) 985-4416

Cover Story

Moving Precious Cargo with Propane Autogas School Buses As school transportation directors work to meet tight budgets and federal emission requirements, more are choosing to fuel with propane autogas to carry our nation’s most precious cargo.

Mesa Public Schools, the largest school district in Arizona, has purchased 89 Blue Bird school buses fueled by propane autogas. The district’s goal is to operate the first all-propane autogas school bus fleet in the nation.

“Moving forward, the funds for new bus acquisitions will come from the unbelievable fuel savings we experience from our existing propane autogas buses,” says Ron Latko, director of transportation for Mesa Public Schools. “We are saving 37.7 cents per mile in operating costs; anyone who works with school fleets can appreciate that substantial number.”

Propane autogas, the world’s third most-widely used

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fuel, burns cleaner than gasoline or conventional diesel. According to Latko, the fleet will reduce greenhouse gases by 2,789 tons this coming year due to the cleaner-burning properties of propane autogas. Mesa “will keep coming back for more until we are 100% propane powered,” says Latko.

Across the nation in the Midwest, when fluctuating diesel prices drove the school’s fuel budget in the red, the Tippecanoe School Corp. (TSC) in Indiana purchased five propane autogas school buses. The school district pays $1.13 per gallon for propane autogas compared to $3.84 per gallon for diesel—a 70% per gallon fuel savings. They burn 197,000 fewer gallons of diesel annually by switching to propane.

A deciding factor in TSC’s decision to adopt propane autogas was the state’s School Transportation Association’s anti-idling policy to reduce ground-level emissions. Propane autogas is not subject to idling restrictions.

“Idling laws and effects on student health and safety definitely impacted our decision,” Kevin Neafie, TSC’s transportation director, said. “It’s cleaner and safer for our students, and we don’t have to worry about harmful fumes affecting their breathing. That’s definitely a big plus.”

Word of these and other benefits is starting to spread. Several other school districts have made the switch. For example, Georgia’s Hall County School System added 20 school buses fueled by domesticallyproduced propane autogas to lower the county’s

costs for school bus fuel and maintenance while reducing the community’s carbon footprint.

“We choose propane autogas because not only does it represent significant reduced fuel costs and cleanburning properties, but also because the source, natural gas, is in abundant supply right here in America,” said William Schofield, superintendent of the Hall County Schools.

Compared to their $3.50 per gallon cost for diesel, Hall County pays about $1.75 per gallon to fuel with propane autogas. Propane autogas, which costs about 50% less than diesel fuel, also offers reduced maintenance costs due to its clean-burning properties.

As Schofield told his board of education, the savings is “a quarter of a million dollars that can be spent in the classroom.”

Propane autogas refueling infrastructure is less expensive than any other alternative or conventional transportation fuel. Hall County has chosen to install three 1,000-gallon propane autogas refueling stations on their school properties. And with thousands of propane autogas stations across the U.S., a nationwide fueling infrastructure already exists.

Together ROUSH CleanTech and Blue Bird Bus are deploying more propane autogas school buses than ever before. In fact, by the end of the decade, a substantial portion of the school bus market will be fueled by this clean and economic energy source.

Propane power is here to stay.

Article Courtesy of

By Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing for ROUSH CleanTech and past president of the Green Truck Association. summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

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Birmingham hosts national

clean truck event

Companies and governments interested in lowering fuel costs for trucks and heavy equipment were offered a chance to sample and see an array of choices this past May. A workshop at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum offered fleet managers a chance to learn more about work trucks that use clean fuels and technologies and to ride in or drive 20 of them. The event showcased vehicles using natural gas, propane, electricity and hybrid technologies.

The High-Efficiency Truck Users Forum Southeast Regional Fleet Workshop is a project of CALSTART, a consortium that promotes clean transportation technology and fuels.

The event marked the first time Birmingham has hosted the regional event. The Southeastern workshop is the first of five regional meetings scheduled around the country this year.

“Fleet managers everywhere are looking for ways to operate in a way that is more cost-effective and less damaging to the environment,” said Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, which helped to sponsor the event at Barber. “This workshop essentially offered them one-stop shopping.”

Other sponsors for the event included Freightliner, Eaton, and the National Association of Fleet Administrators. Manufacturers offering ride-and-drive vehicles included Altec, Terex, Boulder Electric Vehicle, DesignLine, Griffin, Isuzu, Odyne, VIA Motors, and XL Hybrids.

Tutorials were also provided for fleet professionals interested in learning more about funding and incentives, fleet economics, and best practices for fleet deployment.

mark bentley

Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition mark@alabamacleanfuels.org 205-402-2755

SARY R E V A N NI 1984 –

2014

JUNE 9 – 12, 2014 Indianapolis, IN

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES EXHIBIT.SPONSOR.SPEAK.ATTEND.

a history of

Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition

The Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition (DMCCC), established in 1993, is the second oldest Clean Cities Coalition in the nation and is administered by the American Lung Association of Colorado. Because of this alliance, air quality considerations and lung health are woven into the fabric of the Coalition’s daily work. The DMCCC strives to achieve its mission of petroleum reduction in the transportation sector through programs, initiatives, and events that align with government, industry, and community partners.

DMCCC advances alternative fuels and has a proven track record of participating in and leading a number of initiatives.

Strategic partnerships play a vital role in DMCCC’s success. The Coalition’s work with collaboratives such as the Rocky Mountain Fleet Management Association, the Colorado State Fleet Management

DMCCC Staff (L to R) Natalia Swalnick, Lauren Quillian, and Kim Tyrrell

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summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

Association, the Rocky Mountain Clean Diesel Collaborative, the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, and the Governor’s Biofuels Coalition have made the DMCCC a trusted resource in the alternative fuel community.

DMCCC’s history is rich with examples of workshops, trainings, and public outreach to educate constituency groups on alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies.

For example, an Advancing the Choice event was held annually for several years to inform and educate the public about alternative fuel vehicle options. Starting in 2006, DMCCC contributed to the Colorado Clean Fleet Initiative to promote AFVs and to provide resources, training, and technical assistance to fleet managers. In 2008. the DMCCC supported Greening of Government, a Colorado State Fleet petroleum reduction initiative to achieve stated goals in

Did you know? Last year, DMCCC’s stakeholders displaced more than 4.5 million gallons of petroleum! vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction, idle reduction, and alternative fuel vehicle adoption. Additionally, the Clean Air at Schools: Engines Off! program, a school-based idling intervention initiative, was piloted in 2008 with several partners. The program now serves schools throughout Colorado, helping to reduce after-school vehicle idling by upwards of 60% on average. In 2010, the DMCCC participated in the Clear the Air Challenge in order to increase public awareness of air quality issues while reducing air pollution, petroleum consumption, and enhancing utilization of sustainable methods of transportation in Colorado.

In 2011, DMCCC was awarded one of sixteen Electric Vehicle Community Readiness grants by the U.S. Department of Energy for the development of a statewide EV Readiness plan for Colorado. Throughout 2012, Project FEVER (Fostering Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies) conducted trainings, hosted working groups, and staged events to gather information and develop a menu of best practices to advance EV adoption.

The resulting Colorado EV Readiness Plan (CERP) is now used to inform and educate various constituency groups on policy, regulation, and permitting. CERP provides research and data to help implement and expand EV projects within the state. The Electric Ride Colorado website (www.ElectricRideColorado.com) was launched to provide an online education tool for the public.

More recently, in 2013, the Colorado Energy Office granted funds to DMCCC to implement Refuel Colorado in the Denver Metro area. This will be a year-long project where DMCCC staff serve as energy coaches for local communities to guide them on the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles in their fleets.

After 20 years, the DMCCC team remains enthusiastic about its mission and welcomes the new technologies and fuel advancements that continue to propagate within the Denver Metro region.

kevin szewc

Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition KSzewc@lungcolorado.org 303-386-6456 summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

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Network & Learn with Advanced Biofuels Professionals

www.AdvancedBiofuelsConference.com

Save $200 on Registration with Early Bird Rates Deadline: July 30

Make your plans to attend the 2013 National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo in Omaha, Nebraska. Understand the latest techniques being developed in the industry and continue building relationships that last. Contact us today and to make your reservations.

Conference includes:

• 2 ½ Days of Presentations • 3 Program Tracks: - Pathways & Partnerships - Inputs & Supply Chains - Money & Markets • More Than 57 Technical Sessions • Comprehensive Industry Update • Educational Expo Hall • Networking Opportunities

Contact us: service@bbiinternational.com 866-746-8385

CO-LOCATED EVENT

September 10, 2013 Omaha, NE

Learn More Visit: www.AdvancedBiofuelsConference.com

Cng

jump start

in wichita

more reliable estimate when budgeting fuel costs. The station will dispense CNG to any vehicle that can use 3600 psi and can quick-fill a heavy-duty vehicle using a specialized nozzle.

Community leaders recently celebrated the grand opening of the first public natural gas fueling station in Wichita, Kansas right off Interstate 135. It is the first in southern Kansas and provides a critical link in the travel corridors connecting cities in Oklahoma to Kansas City, Topeka, and beyond.

The station is operated by CNG Services, LLC and provides Wichita with an alternative to conventional gasoline and diesel. Sean O’Neill, operations manager, states, “Local companies have already expressed significant interest in compressed natural gas (CNG) in the area and now that a solution has been provided, leaders can now focus on deploying CNG [in their vehicle fleets].”

Currently the station is offering CNG at $1.89, and with diesel costs around $4.00, offers a low cost alternative for Wichita-based fleets. Due to the price stability of CNG, this alternative fuel is not subject to price swings like diesel and gasoline, giving fleets a

Local auto dealerships are also getting on board and are excited to offer CNG vehicles.

The new station will also provide private consumers with an opportunity to explore this low cost alternative fuel.

Now the focus is on auto dealerships to support the fuel and help sell CNGpowered vehicles to area fleets.

Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition staff plan to provide technical services to area businesses that are getting started with conversions, setting up fleet maintenance, facility uplifts, and other known challenges with adopting the new technology.

“This public station represents a crucial step in transforming the local market for alternative fuels, supports regional and national fleets who are demanding low-cost fuel alternatives, and we are excited to offer our full support,” said Kelly Gilbert, Transportation Director at Metropolitan Energy Center and Clean Cities coordinator.

“It’s been a long time coming, and we are glad to get it jump started in Wichita.” Sean O’Neill.

angela song

Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition angela@kcenergy.org 816-531-7283 ext. 408 summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

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King County Metro’s Electric Vehicle Program: a Cost-Savings Success!

King County Metro Rideshare Operations, based in Seattle, manages the largest publicly owned and operated commuter van program in the nation, providing vans (and now electric vehicles) and everything required to operate them. They have over 1,300 vehicles in their revenue fleet, and in 2009 they introduced 20 all-electric Nissan LEAFs into their operations.

Members of the RideShare Operations team, led by Syd Pawlowski, worked together to develop the nation’s first EV rideshare program, known as “metropool.”

The team was involved in policy review, concept development, service design, return-on-investment analysis, vehicle purchase and preparation, placing charging stations, product branding, developing customer materials, and commuter education. The team engaged major regional employers like Seattle Children’s Hospital. Both AMGEN and Microsoft supported and introduced the metropool commuter EV program as a cost effective public transit option and viable commuter transportation choice.

This program is truly a public-private partnership as the metropool-host employers are responsible for providing and maintaining the EV charging infrastructure to

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summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

support the metropool vehicles. In many cases, the employers cover the cost of electricity as part of their commitment to the project. Western Washington Clean Cities supported the program with six ARRA grant-funded EV charging stations. The stations were deployed at two work place charging locations (participating employers), and several were installed at a King County maintenance facility where the vehicles are received and domiciled during inactive service.

From a financial standpoint, the program is a bigger success than King County anticipated. RideShare’s operations must be fully participant-funded, and require careful forecasting to ensure that adequate revenue is being collected from participants to cover depreciation and maintenance expenses. At the time the electric vehicles were purchased, information on both factors was extremely limited. King County Rideshare Operations had to take a calculated risk in forecasting the total cost of ownership and subsequent rate setting for metropool participants. They chose to set the initial rates at the same level as gasoline vanpool participants, and evaluate that pricing after evaluating real world experience.

In 2013, Rideshare Operations evaluated the actual

maintenance and operational costs for the program, and as a result, they reduced Metropool participants’ rates by 5% based on the measured costs savings.

At the same time, they had to increase their rates for vanpool participants by 2% as a result of rising gasoline and maintenance costs. The program has shown that EVs really do provide operational savings relative to gasoline vehicles. As a result, metropool is lower cost than traditional van-based ridesharing.

From an environmental standpoint, each LEAF will displace over 10,000 gallons of fuel in its seven-year the program.

Jan 7, 2013 —life 1//3insquare ad: 4.785”Thanks x 4.785”to increased demand for Ad placed requested by: the program, metropool is adding five additional Stephe YborraLEAFs to the fleet. This will increase total petroleum Director of Marketing & Communications Ad designed by NGVAmerica reduction for the lifetime of the project to nearly

450,000 gallons, which is equivalent to a net lifetime greenhouse gas reduction of 2,100 metric tons.

The biggest endorsement for the success of the program, however, comes from the drivers and riders themselves. In a comprehensive survey, metropool participants gave the program a 92% satisfaction rating (with 49% very satisfied), with comments like, “This is the perfect commuter vehicle,” and “We LOVE the LEAF. Can’t say enough great things about it and metropool! It’s such a fun car to drive. We wanted to create a metropool to have the positive impact of taking multiple cars off the road and switch to the zero-emission LEAF, but now that we are driving it, we love it for so many more reasons.”

DRPollard & Assoc Inc drpoll@radix.net 703-716-0071

301-829-2520 tel 240-446-2584 cell

stephanie meyn

Western Washington Clean Cities StephanieM@pscleanair.org 206-689-4055

The Definitive Experts Regarding NGV Technologies and Markets Your Source for Accurate Information About: ■ Vehicle/Engine Emissions and Certifications ■ Comparative Power and Performance Data ■ Fuel Station Development, Design and Operations & Maintenance Options ■ Economic Analyses ■ Legislative and Regulatory Information ■ Vehicle, Station and Facility Safety, Codes & Standards and O&M Best Practices ■ Market Analysis, Technical Education and Program Implementation

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Rhode Island charging ahead Rhode Island Governor Lincoln D. Chafee unveiled an electric vehicle charging station at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island this past June; the first in a network of up to 50 electric vehicle charging stations to be installed throughout the state over the next two months.

Chafee has directed his Director of Administration Richard Licht to implement a process through which State Agencies will use Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars to pay for the differential cost between an alternative fuel vehicle and a comparably sized gas-powered car.

In Rhode Island, we spend over

The State Office of Energy $1 billion in the transportation Resources awarded the “Supporting electric vehicle sector annually, primarily for $781,225 contract to site transportation in Rhode and install the charging petroleum products. Transitioning Island will provide a boost stations to ChargePoint, to the state economy, saving away from fossil fuels with this the leading provider of money on gas and keeping dual approach of a statewide networked public charging dollars that would have network and transitioning the state’s stations in the United been spent on imported oil fleet will help the environment States with over 12,200 here in Rhode Island,” said charging points installed and it will keep more dollars in the Governor Chafee. “We across the country. are developing a clean and Rhode Island economy.

ChargePoint is working efficient transportation with National Grid, Rhode infrastructure for the future, Island’s largest utility and a pioneer in electric vehicle saving taxpayer dollars, and reducing greenhouse gas charging station deployment. emissions and other air pollutants.”

Governor Chafee also announced that the State of Rhode Island will lead by example by transitioning the state fleet to alternative fuel vehicles. Governor 32

summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

The Ocean State Clean Cities Coordinator (hosted at the URI Outreach Center) Wendy Lucht stated, “These 50 EV stations will foster energy independence for

our state. This project compliments some recent initiatives of the U.S. Department of Energy such as the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge.”

ChargePoint CEO Pat Romano explained that the ChargePoint stations have state-of-the-art features including the ability to locate, reserve, and navigate to unoccupied charging stations with online tools and mobile applications. “Our charging units, each of which has two charging spots, provide all the features needed to make driving an electric vehicle easy and worry-free,” said Romano.

“At National Grid, we are committed to making this new technology more cost-effective for ourselves and our customers and pleased to help make it happen in Rhode Island,” said Edward White, Vice President, Customer and Business Strategy for National Grid.

“It takes a strong public-private partnership to create a clean and efficient transportation future,” said Marion Gold, Commissioner of the Office of Energy

Resources. “We look forward to assisting Governor Chafee with his vision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving taxpayers’ dollars, working closely with our business partners. In Rhode Island, we spend over $1 billion in the transportation sector annually, primarily for petroleum products.

Transitioning away from fossil fuels with this dual approach of a statewide network and transitioning the state’s fleet will help the environment, and it will keep more dollars in the Rhode Island economy.”

“We are pleased to be able to leverage Federal ARRA State Energy Program dollars to purchase electric vehicles and hybrids and to develop the network of charging stations at convenient locations throughout Rhode Island—from coffee shops and supermarkets to state beaches and recreation areas,” said Richard Licht.

wendy lucht

Ocean State Clean Cities Coalition wlucht@uri.edu 401-874-2792

C3VR Facilitates Grant Funding It started with heat. The kind of heat that only air conditioning can relieve. The problem for Coachella Valley residents was clear. They all needed to run A/C at the same time on the same days. That put maximum stress on local power supplies; hence the plan to build a peaker plant. The natural gas-fired Sentinel Peaker Plant was proposed, approved, and subsequently built in Desert Hot Springs.

Under California Assembly Bill 1318, emissions offsets were required to mitigate the impacts of the peaker plant. The South Coast Air Quality Management issued an RFP for projects that would demonstrate “real emission reductions.” Proposers were also encouraged to work collaboratively.

In an area known for mobile source emissions and non-compliance for PM10, natural gas vehicles and infrastructure offered obvious benefit. But for many of the local organizations, putting together a complex proposal wasn’t within their capability.

Enter the Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region (C3VR), facilitator of a public-private partnership designed to reduce petroleum use and advance the use of alternative fuels. Working together with project partners, the City of Desert Hot Springs, Mission Springs Water 34

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

District, Family Services of the Desert, and Food Now, the collaborative submitted a request for and received $1,049,641 in grant funds. Funds will be used to purchase 17 dedicated natural gas vehicles and upgrade an existing CNG station.

“The City of Desert Hot Springs took the lead,” explains Richard Cromwell III, co-cordinator of the C3VR, “and we worked with other local partners to build out the project.”

Key to its success, he explained, was the upgrading of a Clean Energy natural gas station located at Mission Springs Water District. “Without increasing the station’s capacity, fueling wouldn’t be convenient for any of the project partners. But thanks to this grant, everyone involved will be able to use the nearby Clean Energy station.”

C3VR also lent expertise to Angel View, another nonprofit headquartered in Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs.

The organization was successful in its request for five CNG delivery trucks to be used in its resale store operations.

Proceeds from the stores support Angel View’s programs for children and adults with disabilities.

catherine rips, richard cromwell iii Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region rcromwell@cromwellandassociates.com 760-329-6462

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Putting a Plug in for

Electric Vehicles

The free overnight charging provided along with the incentive is working to encourage off-peak EV charging.

NIPSCO is able to track customer usage through the dedicated second meter that is installed for the home charging station. This will be useful information for planning future programs. Tracking results to date indicate that the free off-peak charging is indeed shifting EV charging behavior.

On average, 80% of the kWh usage is occurring during the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Based on a U.S. Department of Energy Fuel Economy website*, electric vehicles (EV) are the most efficient cars on the road. While the pace at which drivers adopt this technology may not be as rapid as one might expect, Merrillville, Indiana-based Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) is doing its part to help remove one of the possible barriers.

In April 2012, NIPSCO rolled out its IN-Charge at Home Electric Vehicle Program. This is a three-year pilot program to promote the use of plug-in electric vehicles by residential customers. The program offers up to 250 current NIPSCO electric customers—who own or plan to buy or lease a new plug-in electric vehicle—an incentive of up to $1,650 for the installation of a Level 2 home charging station and free overnight charging from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. While Level 1, which is a standard wall plug, is an option for all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, it is a very slow process.

South Shore Clean Cities (SSCC) came on board in January 2013 as administrators of the program to help bring the IN-Charge program to NIPSCO Electric Customers in northern Indiana. SSCC’s Sr. Environmental Scientist Deb Backhus serves as the program coordinator. Backhus said SSCC and NIPSCO are continuously working to streamline and improve the program through personal contact and feedback from the customers.

Since the program began, there have been more than 113 inquiries about the program. Backhus has noted that most of these customers are what would be considered “early adopters” and are very enthusiastic about their electric vehicles. The daily driving profile of program participants also fits well with EV battery ranges.

Of those 113 inquiries, 70 installations are either complete or near completion. Of those 70 installations, one-third had total costs for installation and charger that fell within the $1,650 incentive, one-third had to contribute

*NIPSCO, SSCC, http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/byfuel/ byfueltypeNF.shtml

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Leading by example is Carl Lisek, Executive Director of South Shore Clean Cities. He and his wife Lorrie, Executive Director of Wisconsin Clean Cities, were the third NIPSCO customers to enroll in the IN-Charge at Home program to install a charging station in their St. John, IN home for their Think City electric car.

between $50 and $200 to supplement the incentive, and another third had out-of-pocket expenses between $200 and $565 as the total cost in excess of the $1,650 incentive. Whatever the case, with the NIPSCO incentive program, customers will most likely be able to obtain Level 2 charging at a cost far lower than EV owners outside NIPSCO’s service territory.

Through the program SSCC has learned of at least 90 plug-in electric vehicles across NIPSCO’s electric service territory in Northern Indiana. Hopefully, as technology, affordability, and availability of electric vehicles continue to improve, we will begin to see exponential increases in the purchase and use of electric vehicles.

donna george

on behalf of Carl Lisek, South Shore Clean Cities southscc@comcast.net 219-644-3690

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

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summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

Natural Gas in Kentucky:

Moving the Needle

In the mid 90s, Kentucky was a leader in the natural gas industry. However, the “build it and they will come” mentality did not work.

Now Kentucky is moving at thoroughbred speed to get back in front. Refueling, vehicle production, vehicle procurement, legislation, utility expansion, land purchases, pipeline growth, and other aspects of the industry are back in the lead.

Fleets such as M&M Cartage, a Class 8 trucking firm, and UPS were available to discuss how and why they are moving to natural gas for over-the-road trucking.

The City of Somerset addressed their reasons for installing refueling stations and switching their entire fleet to natural gas.

Information and requests from the afternoon session were noted and will be taken to legislators and decision makers in the industry.

Representatives from all aspect of the industry were involved and present at this spring’s workshop: Natural Gas in Kentucky—Moving the Needle.

Hosted by Kentucky Clean Fuels, the Kentucky Gas Association, and the Kentucky Oil and Gas Association, the day-long workshop in Lexington allowed attendees to get first-hand information from those who are on the ground working the natural gas market.

State Representative Keith Hall discussed his recently passed House Bill 212 that provides incentives for the infrastructure market as well as his plans to take the legislation to the next level.

View more photos of the event at www.kentuckycleanfuels.org View the workshop agenda.

melissa howell

Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition mhowell@kentuckycleanfuels.org 502-452-9152

Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Dr. Len Peters gave updates on initiatives that the State of Kentucky has underway. summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

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Partner Focus

Advanced Biofuels Producers to Converge in Omaha

BBI International to host National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo in September The 2013 National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo will take place September 10–12, 2013, at the CenturyLink Center Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.

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to meet or exceed the performance of petroleumderived products.

Produced by BBI International, this national event will feature the world of advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals—technology scale-up, project finance, policy, national markets and more—with a core focus on the industrial, petroleum and agribusiness alliances defining the national advanced biofuels industry.

Attendees will include hundreds of professionals in key sectors including finance (venture, private and institutional equity); petroleum and petrochemical refining; pulp and paper milling; biofuels and biobased products manufacturing; agricultural processing; waste management; auto manufacturing; aviation; government/military; and research and academia.

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The National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo is a premier educational and networking junction for all industry stakeholders. From agriculture to project finance, forestry to biotechnology, this conference is a one-stop shop for compelling speaker presentations on a wide array of topics including:

summer 2013 | fuelsfix.com

• Petroleum industry perspectives on advanced biofuels • Converting existing industrial assets into next generation biofuels • Forging symbiotic agribusiness alliances • Aviation and military industry positions on biobased jet fuel • Venture capital and private equity viewpoints • Overcoming barriers to market entry • The national market outlook for biobased fuels and chemicals • Exceeding the performance of petroleum-based products • And more!

IBCE14_1-2H-NetworkLearn-CC.pdf 1 4/15/2013 10:28:16 a AMBBI Interna onal event

Article Courtesy of

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small county in tx paves the way for transportation change Just north of the capitol city of Austin, Williamson County is leading the way in small county fleet conversions. In the past few years, the population of this idyllic county has grown exponentially, becoming one of the three fastest growing counties in Texas. This population increase has led to resourcefulness by county municipalities including County Commissioner Cynthia Long who spearheaded a project to reduce the amount of oil used by the county.

Additionally, the Williamson County fleet recently converted 34 Chevrolet Tahoes and pick-up trucks to be fueled by propane autogas. These vehicles are • • • • • • •

being used as Precinct Constable Marked units, EMS commanders, and road and bridge crew vehicles.

Post-conversion, the county saved $54,758 in 2012 and—based on fuel prices—have estimated that fuel savings for 2013 will be around $62,000.

As a result of these savings, the fleet is applying for grant funding to increase the size of their alternative fuel fleet. Williamson County, an active stakeholder in the Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance, is showing how small counties can make a big difference in decreasing our petroleum use.

Usage will remain about the same based on historical data: 36,800 gallons a year Price for propane autogas for Williamson County customers is $1.80 Price for unleaded fuel averaged $3.30 per gallon in 2012 The U.S. Department of Energy predicts the price for fuel to average $3.50 per gallon for 2013 There are expected savings of about $62,000 for calendar year 2013 The savings for calendar year 2012 was $54,758 Commissioner Cynthia Long, Precinct 2, spearheaded this project

stacy neef

Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance stacy.neef@lonestarcfa.org 512-773-8794

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american beauty From Trash to Treasure

Waste Management’s Altamont landfill is home to the world’s largest landfill gas to LCNG facility, producing 13,000 gallons of natural gas fuel from refuse every day.

summer 2013 | FuelsFix.com

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