Spring 2015 Fuels Fix

spring 2015 | fuelsfix.com

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midwest drives program provides demo vehicles to fleets

CNG delivers food for thought

act expo 2015 highlights!

Northern stars of new england

fast chargers see fast growth in minnesota

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contents

Fast Chargers See Fast Growth in Minnesota | p. 12 Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition

CNG Delivers Food for Thought | p. 22 Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region

CNG Adoption in Northern Louisiana | p. 31 Louisiana Clean Fuels Coalition

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Northern Stars of New England | p. 26 New England Clean Cities Coalitions

Midwest DRIVES Provides Demo Vehicles to Fleets | p. 16 Clean Fuels Ohio

Chevrolet Camaro Sets Pace for EcoCAR 3 | p. 18 Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition

Hollywood Trucks Receives Environmental Achievement Award | p. 20 Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuels Partnership

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contents cover story Midwest DRIVES Provides Demo Vehicles to Fleets | 16

special features Question of the Month | 8 Event Spotlight: ACT Expo in Dallas | 10 Drive Shaft | 13 Clean Cities TV | 14 AmeriPride Advances Alternative Fuels Program | 24 American Beauty | 32

advertisers index 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 Twitter: @fuelsfix Fuels Fix is published quarterly by the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition in collaboration with the creative and groovy DOE Clean Cities coalition coordinators across the USA. Email info@etcleanfuels.org for additional information.

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ACT Expo Alt Fuels Data Center BBI International Birch Studio Car Charging Group EMI Icom North America Midwest Green Fleets REGI TruStar US Gas Vehicles

2 25 21, 25, 33 14-15 29, 30 11, 30 11, 30 27 3 27, 30 30

editor’s letter Goodbye, Leaf...

It is with a heavy heart that I must turn in my 2012 Nissan Leaf, as it is the end of my lease period. I’ve had many fun times with this AFV, just like the other AFVs I’ve owned before (such as the Biodiesel Brigadier – tailpipe sniffin’).

Let me state this clearly: I LOVE THIS CAR! In almost every way, it more than takes care of my needs for traveling and carrying stuff for personal and work travel. Alas, the distance limitation has met its match due to the fact that I now frequently need to drive 200 miles or more to events and the like for work and play.

To celebrate the great times I’ve had in this car, here are a selection of photos from the last three years of my 2012 Nissan Leaf, “Sweet Leaf.”

Jonathan Overly Editor

question of the month From September 2014

What are the key terms and considerations I should remember when discussing emissions?

When discussing emissions, it is important to use the appropriate terms, know the context, and present a complete picture. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has a number of tools and resources available to understand and calculate the emissions benefits of alternative fuels and vehicles (see below). But first, let’s get back to the basics.

Criteria Pollutants versus Non-Criteria Pollutants Vehicles emit both criteria pollutants and noncriteria pollutants. In compliance with the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies six common pollutants as criteria pollutants based on certain health and environmental standards: • Carbon monoxide (CO) • Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) • Particulate matter (PM) • Ozone (O3) • Oxides of sulfur (SOx) • Lead (Pb) For more information about criteria pollutant emissions, refer to the EPA Six Common Air Pollutants page.

Greenhouse gases (GHGs), including carbon dioxide, are additional pollutants of concern. The following also fall into this category: • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) • Total hydrocarbons (HCs) • Methane (CH4) • Air toxics • Other organic gases For more information about GHG emissions, refer to the EPA Overview of GHGs page.

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Measuring Emissions You can evaluate vehicle emissions through a number of lenses. Considering emissions in different contexts can present a more impactful picture, depending on the stakeholder.

• Life cycle emissions: Emissions generated through all stages of a fuel’s life, including raw material extraction, processing, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal or recycling. Life cycle emissions are typically considered when evaluating “global pollutants,” or pollutants that have an impact regardless of where they are emitted. For example, GHGs are usually measured on a life cycle basis.

• Tailpipe emissions: Emissions directly from the exhaust of the vehicle. Tailpipe emissions are considered when looking at “local pollutants,” or pollutants that impact air quality directly where they are emitted. For example, criteria pollutants, such as PM, are typically measured as tailpipe emissions.

• Evaporative emissions: Emissions from the vehicle’s fuel system and during the fueling process, not including the combustion of the fuel.

Evaporative emissions are also considered when evaluating “local pollutants.”

When quantifying or presenting emissions benefits for a particular project, make sure to ask yourself which type of information would have the most impact. For example, an air quality organization (e.g., your local American Lung Association chapter) would like to hear about tailpipe and evaporative emissions. A national company focused on their footprint and impact on climate change would want to hear about life cycle emissions.

Emissions Standards EPA sets tailpipe and evaporative emissions standards for new vehicles.

• While a fuel may not offer large reductions in one pollutant, it may offer significant benefits in other pollutants.

• For information on federal non-GHG emissions standards, including CO, NOx, PM, and organic gases, visit the EPA’s Emission Standards Reference Guide. EPA’s Tier 3 Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards Program page covers the regulations for light-duty, medium-duty, and some heavy-duty vehicles that will be phased in beginning in 2017.

• Emissions information should also be presented in the larger context of federal and state regulations.

• For information about federal GHG emissions standards, which are implemented in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s fuel economy standards, visit EPA’s Regulations & Standards page.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) enforces vehicle emissions standards for California that are more stringent than federal EPA standards. Vehicles may be certified as compliant with federal standards, CARB standards, or both. For information on CARB’s emissions standards, visit the Mobile Source Program Portal. Several other states have chosen to comply with certain CARB standards as well, so read up on the requirements in your state. See the AFDC Laws & Incentives website for more information.

Other Considerations It is important to take into account the entire scope of emissions when looking at an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV); again, try to anticipate questions from the audience to tease out the most relevant information.

For example, keep the following in mind:

•

Be sure you are comparing “apples to apples” when looking at AFV and conventional vehicle emissions. For instance, look at which pollutants are covered, and whether tailpipe, life cycle, and/ or evaporative emissions are being measured.

Every study is different, so it can be difficult to compare outcomes of one to outcomes of another.

Emissions Analysis Tools With all of that in mind, the following tools can be used to calculate fleet emissions and plan for overall emission reductions: • AFDC Petroleum Reduction Planning Tool • Argonne National Laboratory’s (ANL) Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) Tool • ANL’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) Model • Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Vehicle and Infrastructure Cash-Flow Evaluation (VICE) Model 2.0

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Partner Focus

Event Spotlight:

ACT Expo 2015 in Dallas

3500+ attendees. 200+ sponsors & exhibitors. 4 days of educational sessions.

3 exciting off-site tours. 1 massive expo hall. Countless networking events.

Join Fuels Fix at the 2015 Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, set for May 4-7, 2015 in Dallas. As North America’s largest clean fleet event, ACT Expo represents all weight classes and alternative fuel types—electric, hybrid, hydrogen, natural gas, propane autogas, renewables, efficiency technologies and more. A preview of the fleet-centric four-day program includes: Fleet Perspectives: Get an inside viewpoint on why it’s inevitable that oil prices will continue to head north and learn how alternative fuels are helping these fleet operators mitigate the impact of volatile petroleum prices, proactively address continually tightening emissions regulations, and gain a competitive advantage.

Industry Insight: Learn how Texas is leading the clean transportation charge with the recent filing of Senate Bill 12, which will provide financial incentives for state agencies, counties, and cities to purchase 10

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alternative fuel vehicles. This new legislation is aimed at providing a roadmap for other states to follow to transition their fleet vehicles from gasoline and diesel to cleaner, cheaper domestic alternatives.

Fleet Case Studies: Hear dozens of fleet case studies illuminating how to determine which technologies and efficiency measures offer the greatest advantage—based on paid miles, routes and logistics, refueling accessibility, grant funding, maintenance costs, and more.

Technology Focus: Hear from some of the largest vehicle and equipment manufacturers about how the clean transportation market is evolving and what exciting new products are in store for the future.

Fuels Fix readers can save $50 on registration using code FIX50. Learn more and register at www.actexpo.com.

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Goodwill has more than 20 stores with either Level 2 or DC fast charging stations in the Twin Cities metro area.

Fast Chargers See Fast Growth In Minnesota While most creatures slow down, sleep and hibernate during winter, owners of electric vehicles do not.

Minnesota, known for cold harsh winters, saw quick growth in DC fast chargers during the past winter. DC fast chargers allow electric vehicles (EVs) to receive an 80% charge in less than 30 minutes. One year ago, there were no DC fast chargers in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and only two superchargers in the entire state. Now there are 18 DC fast chargers in the area and 21 statewide. The Twin Cities is now a major hub of electric vehicle infrastructure in the Upper Midwest, thanks to the work of Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition (TC4) stakeholders who spearheaded this project.

At first glance, Minnesota seems like an odd place to experience a surge in DC fast charging infrastructure.

The state lacks an incentive program for electric vehicle purchases, and only limited models of EVs

are available on dealership lots. These challenges didn’t keep enthusiastic EV owners, TC4 stakeholders, ZEF Energy and Nissan from working together to bring the Twin Cities region its first DC fast chargers.

Thanks to such partnerships, Minnesota’s electric vehicle infrastructure is becoming more robust every day, with nearly 200 level 2 charging sites statewide in addition to the new DC fast chargers. With these new charging stations, Minnesota hopes to become not only an EV leader in the Upper Midwest but also a leader nationwide. One step toward that goal was taken last year, when Minnesota became the first state to require investor-owned electric utilities to provide discount off-peak rates and renewable fuel options to their customers who own EVs. If electric vehicle infrastructure can be built in the heart of a Minnesota winter, the future for EV growth in Minnesota certainly looks supercharged.

lisa thurstin | Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition | lisa.thurstin@lung.org | 651-223-9568

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l l s ta r s ! a l e u f e iv t s e a lt e r n a e h t w o n k get to in Each edition this year, Drive Shaft will introduce you to Clean Cities coordinators and our working partners of all kinds across the U.S.!

mark bentley

kelly gilbert

Robin erickson

Creative, diligent, good-natured

Practical, adventurous, optimist

Driven, compassionate, effective

Make: Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition

Make: Metropolitan Energy Center

Make: Utah Clean Cities

model: Executive Director

model: Transportation Programs Director

year: 2006 stat: Married to my wife, Dee, for 50 years this October.

We are enjoying grown kids, their spouses and total of six grandchildren, all in the Birmingham area…never a dull moment! learn more: www.AlabamaCleanFuels.org

year: 2008 stat: Local-food fanatic, contra dancer extraordinaire, and frustrated yogi. Mountains and rivers and forests? Yes, please. Art and design and music?

You betcha. Also, Sporting KC season ticket holder.

model: Executive Director year: 1986, driving a propane vehicle! stat: Alternative fuels are my life! learn more: www.utahcleancities.org

learn more: www.metroenergy.org; www.kcbarndance.org; www.kcfoodcircle.org

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clean cities tv Clean Cities TV is the educational video 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.

Workplace Charging Challenge Helps Atlanta Companies Go Electric

Maryland County Fleet Uses Wide Variety of Alternative Fuels

youtube.com/Cleancitiestv

cover story

Midwest Drives program

provides demo vehicles to fleets The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced last week that Clean Fuels Ohio, Earth Day Coalition (OH), South Shore Clean Cities (IN), Greater Indiana Clean Cities (IN), Ann Arbor Clean Cities (MI), and Detroit Clean Cities (MI), were awarded $500,000 for the Midwest DRIVES initiative, a comprehensive fleet vehicle demonstration and education program designed to address barriers to alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) deployment.

The Midwest DRIVES initiative was developed to offer regional fleets a wide range of AFVs for medium-term demonstrations. Detailed analysis will reveal costand fuel-saving opportunities relative to conventional vehicle models.

Vision Fleet, a company working with clients to

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analyze and manage advanced-fuel fleet vehicles, will provide data logging for demo vehicles. Cloud-based data management and analytics for fleet trials will help fuel data-driven case studies.

“This program has the potential to make a significant impact,” said Executive Director of Clean Fuels Ohio Sam Spofforth. “Case studies developed from Midwest DRIVES demonstrations will help educate fleets across the nation to facilitate further AFV adoption.”

Additional program partners include National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Truck Equipment Association, who will provide technical expertise for verification of data quality and analysis, additional fleet contacts, and suggest outlets for distributing case studies.

Various types of vehicles and alternative fuels will be available through the Midwest DRIVES program, from light-duty sedans to medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses.

The Midwest DRIVES initiative was one of 11 projects to receive a total of $6 million from the DOE Office of Efficiency and Renewable Energy for projects improving buyers’ experiences with AFVs, supporting training, and integrating AFVs into emergency planning.

& Expo September 23-24. This event will be a two-day conference focused on education and promotion of AFVs, including: tours, workshops, networking opportunities and Green Fleets Awards ceremony hosted by 100 Best Fleets in North America. For details and registration, visit: www.MidwestGreenFleets.com.

For more information on the Midwest DRIVES initiative, join us at the Midwest Green Fleets Forum

Sam Spofforth | Clean Fuels Ohio | sam@cleanfuelsohio.org | 614-884-7336

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The University of Alabama Project Manager Kaylie Crosby and Secretary of Energy, Dr. Earnest Moniz at the EcoCAR 3 reveal in Washington D.C.

2016 Chevrolet Camaro Sets the Pace

for EcoCAR 3

The University of Alabama is competing in the EcoCAR 3: Advanced Vehicle Competition series sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors.

The University of Alabama students are representing the next generation of automotive professionals who are training across both engineering and business disciplines. Through this program, the University of Alabama’s EcoCAR 3 team will experience a realworld vehicle development and launch process, from its CAD designs to developing marketing collateral.

The 2016 Camaro is a thrill behind the wheel, and now the University of Alabama’s EcoCAR 3 students are in the driver’s seat.

“We’re thrilled to have been selected for EcoCAR 3,” 18

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said Brittany Galloway, communications manager for the UA team. “We’re looking forward to the invaluable, reallife experience as we create our design, implement it into our vehicle and develop our skills as the next generation of engineers while bringing the automotive industry into the cleaner energy future.”

EcoCAR 3 challenges university students to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, donated by GM, while protecting the environment and saving American families and businesses money at the pump without compromising performance, safety or consumer acceptability. The University of Alabama looks forward partnering with the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition over the course of the next four years. Like

Clean Cities, the UA EcoCAR 3 desires to help consumers reduce their petroleum use. It is our goal to create public awareness about: • Alternative and renewable fuels • Idle-reduction measures • Fuel economy improvements • New transportation technologies, as they emerge.

Collaborating on the project is the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, which is helping UA’s team strengthen its outreach and communications capabilities to raise public awareness about advanced vehicle technology.

The UA Team is joining Alabama Clean Fuels at the State Farm Earth Day event in April and the Alabama League of Municipalities 2015 Annual Convention in May.

The UA EcoCAR 3 Team at the Winter Workshop in Austin, TX.

“We are delighted to work with these talented students,” said Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. “The technologies they are working to develop have the potential to improve our environment, enrich our economy, and increase our energy independence. Talk about national champions!”

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

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Hollywood Trucks Receives Environmental Achievement Award Hollywood Trucks’ Ecoluxe Celebrity 5th Wheel Slide-out Star Trailer (Photo Courtesy of Hollywood Trucks)

People in Louisiana know exactly when and where a production team is filming the next top box-office movie from the telling sight of a Hollywood Trucks (HT) logo. HT’s new Ecoluxe talent trailers provide an eco-luxurious home away from home, utilizing a variety of fuel-saving features and advanced technologies such as: • Generators capable of running on renewable diesel and biodiesel • The ability to plug into additional electrical (Shore) power outlets • Solar panels that power the LED lighting system and charge the battery system • Privacy windows to keep the trailer cool in any environment, reducing air conditioning costs

ur inside the o t a e k a t o t d Click ith Hollywoo w r e il a r T e x ne Ecolu hampag, LA C re d n A Trucks’ CEOports 06/05/14 WGNO NEW ORLEANS ) y Lopez Re

(Source: Kenn

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These features are expected to reduce each trailer’s annual petroleum consumption by at least 70%, significantly reducing a major line item expense in production budgets.

Film crews are impressed with the cutting edge technologies and eco-contemporary interior, a major upgrade for the industry. Corporate responsibility and leadership in environmental awareness earned HT the 2014 Joseph Didier Martinez Environmental Achievement Award in the Small Business Category from the Louisiana Section of the Air and Waste Management Association on October 28, 2014. The Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership submitted a support letter for the award.

“As each model progresses and battery systems and solar technologies become even more powerful, we expect to have them completely non-reliant on petroleum-based fuel in less than one year,” stated HT’s CEO Andre Champagne.

His advice to other fleets considering implementing new technologies: “It’s not just an en vogue choice or concept.

Being eco-friendly has substantial, positive impacts both on our environment and your company’s profitability. Our

31st ANNUAL

It’s not just an en vogue choice or concept. Being eco-friendly has substantial, positive impacts both on our environment and your company’s profitability.

assets are lasting longer and running better, with less vital down time, and ultimately a higher ROI [return on investment] for our company.”

Ecoluxe trailers have a 5-10% up-front cost increase over current models but the technology extends each units life by significantly reduced idling time, reducing wear and tear as well as fuel consumption and ultimately resulting in a higher ROI. HT currently has 40 Ecoluxe trailers in the field and expects to have orders for 100 -200 by the end of the year.

The state-of-the-art trailer is eco-friendly, contemporary and able to handle substantial rental abuse, addressing the needs of high-profile and luxury clientele while remaining functional, durable and profitable.

PROMOTING

INNOVATION CONNECTING THE INDUSTRY

Networking Opportunities Rebecca Otte

Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuels Partnership rotte@norpc.org | 504-483-8513

All Ethanol Facilities Receive 2 Free Passes

CNG Delivers food for thought Family services/food now benefit from collaboration with City of Desert Hot Springs and Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region

Family Services of the Desert (FSOD), which provides affordable counseling and family support services and operates Food Now, a food assistance program, recently benefited from its collaboration with the City of Desert Hot Springs and Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region (C3VR), announced co-coordinator Richard Cromwell III. The Coachella Valley-based nonprofit, which has provided services in Eastern Riverside County since 1959, has taken possession of two clean fueled vehicles: a 2014 Honda Civic and 2012 Ford

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F450 truck, modified for food transportation. Both operate on compressed natural gas and were part of a joint grant application submitted to South Coast Air Quality Management District by the City of Desert Hot Springs.

“We have offices in various parts of the county so we will utilize the CNG Civic for administrative needs,” said Michael Russell, executive director, Family Services of the Desert. “The truck will primarily be used to pick up food at FIND food bank in Indio and distribute it to our various

This Honda Civic and the Ford F450 at left run on compressed natural gas while helping a food and family service agency work on their mission.

sites. When I opened the back of the truck and saw it was a state-of-the-art environment, perfect for transporting food products, I almost cried!” he added.

“We’re usually the recipient of hand-me-downs. It will be an honor to use these vehicles to assist members of our community.”

Natural gas vehicles provide significant air quality benefits to the Coachella Valley, which is noncompliant for PM10. FSOD and Food Now worked with project partners the City of Desert Hot Springs, and Mission Springs Water District on a $1+ million grant that enabled the collaborative to purchase 17 dedicated natural gas vehicles and upgrade an existing Clean Energy CNG station at the water district. C3VR facilitated the application, which was funded by

South Coast Air Quality Management District through the Sentinel Mitigation Fund.

Family Services of the Desert strives to improve the quality of life in Eastern Riverside County by strengthening families through culturally diverse mental health and family support services. The Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region is a public-private partnership designed to reduce petroleum use and advance the use of alternative fuels.

For more information, contact Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region, 760-329-6462, www.c3vr.org; or Family Services of the Desert, 760-288-7878, www.thefamilyservicesofthedesert.org.

Richard Cromwell III | Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region | rcromwell@cromwellandassociates.com | 760-329-6462 FuelsFix.com

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Partner Focus

AmeriPride announced their alternative fuel program expansion plans at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

AmeriPride Advances Alternative Fuels Program After a successful alternative fuels pilot, AmeriPride Services is expanding its program to include additional propane autogas-fueled trucks.

AmeriPride is one of the largest textile rental and supply companies in North America. The company has been testing various alt fuels in its fleet for well over a year now—natural gas, propane autogas and electric.

In addition to the five ROUSH CleanTech Ford F-59 delivery trucks in Topeka, the uniform and linen company is adding 20 more in Northern California later this year.

“We’ve been extensively testing fuels and vehicles to find the right area and application that gives us the best environmental and economical benefits,” said Banny Allison, fleet services manager for AmeriPride. “Propane autogas reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has easy, cost-efficient fueling infrastructure. Because of our success in Kansas, we are implementing the same propane autogas vehicles in the Sacramento and Fresno areas.”

Each of AmeriPride’s propane autogas trucks will emit about 95,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime. Propane autogas is a low-carbon fuel that reduces greenhouse gases by up to 25%, carbon monoxide by up to 60%, nitrogen oxide by 20% and virtually eliminates particulate matter when compared to conventional fuels.

The alternative fuel is a non-contaminant of soil, air and water.

To fuel its vehicles, AmeriPride installed a private autogas station with a 1,000-gallon tank at its Topeka facility.

Currently, the company pays $1.55 per gallon for propane autogas that, historically, has cost up to 50 percent less than diesel.

AmeriPride has received recognition for its environmental initiatives. In 2014, it earned Clean Green certification for its production facilities and won a Top 50 Green Fleet award for its use of alternatively fueled vehicles.

Article Courtesy of

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Do you know about the that are

tools available to you?

Check out the Alternative Fuel Data Center’s Tools page to help assist fleets, fuel providers, and stakeholders.

Click here to get started!

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Chris Benzak, Newport Biodiesel; Bob Morton, Newport Biodiesel; Wendy Lucht, Ocean State Clean Cities; Tom Malloy Sr., Malloy Energy; Jim Malloy, Malloy Energy; Tom Malloy Jr., Malloy Energy

John Stewart, City of Nashua Fleet Manager; Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public Works, City of Nashua; Dolores Rebolledo, Granite State Clean Cities Coordinator; Felice Janelle, Mobile Sources Manager, NH Department of Environmental Services.

northern stars of new england Seven vehicle fleets have been selected as Northern Stars of New England by the New England Clean Cities Coalitions for their efforts in cutting carbon emissions, reducing the use of petroleum, and promoting and utilizing alternative fuels to power their vehicles. The designation as a Northern Star required that the fleets be a stakeholder in their local Clean Cities Coalitions and that they meet a list of criteria showing their commitment to Clean Cities initiatives.

In Maine, the Greater Portland Transit District (METRO) runs 18 CNG buses, and provides fuel for 15 CNG school buses for the Portland School District. Additionally, Oakhurst Dairy runs 40 heavy-duty trucks on biodiesel made locally by Maine Standard Biofuels. The City of Nashua, NH received the honors for the transition of its refuse, transit and parks vehicles to run on CNG. The City was able to secure a fuel provider to install a public access CNG station as well, the first in the

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state. Rhode Island’s award is a nod to two fleets using biodiesel, one being Newport Biodiesel, who in 2014 used 6,580 gallons of B99 and 4,700 gallons of B20. The second, Malloy Energy, used 2,850 gallons of B99 and 24,500 gallons of B20 in 2014. The University of Vermont has nine CNG buses, one hybrid diesel-electric bus, and practices anti-idling and fuel efficient driving. The City of Boston uses biodiesel and electric vehicles in their fleet, with plans to further diversify by adding propane vehicles in the near future.

The Northern Stars of New England program was funded through a U.S. Department of Energy grant that identified barriers to the proliferation of alternative fuels and how to remove them.

Where will the most effective and productive fleet managers be this September?

natiOnaL green COnFerenCe Columbus, OH September 23-24, 2015

annOunCing tHe green FLeet award winnerS FOr 2015 Learn more at the100bestfleets.com

dOn’t miSS yOur CHanCe tO Learn SeCretS FrOm tHe mOSt SuCCeSSFuL FLeetS in tHe natiOn!

Partner Focus

The Challenge Ride and Drive at Clean Fuels Ohio was a great success.

Clean Cities Charges-Up

Workplace Charging Efforts

Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging access at work has nearly doubled in the last two years. Looking at the many benefits and supporters of workplace charging, it is easy to see why. More than 180 employers across the country are partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge, which is nearly halfway to its goal of 500 U.S. employers offering workplace charging by 2018. In communities across the country, Clean Cities coalitions are reaching out to employers and providing technical support for the development and deployment of workplace charging.

In the past year, coalitions in Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington have hosted workshops and convened stakeholder meetings to encourage workplace charging.

A number of coalitions are slated to have similar events in 2015.

Steve Russell, Massachusetts Clean Cities coordinator, said, “By working with a corporation that was already embracing workplace charging, we were able to host an event that provided an even greater platform for engaging with new employers and potential stakeholders.”

When a dedicated workshop was not possible, coalitions have featured workplace charging as a topic at a stakeholder meeting or other event. For example, more than

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70 stakeholders participated in a workplace charging discussion organized by Western Washington Clean Cities as part of their National Alternative Fuels Day Odyssey event.

“As a coalition firmly planted in the fleet realm, the workplace charging discussion was a great way to focus on single occupancy travel,” said Western Washington coordinator Scott DeWees. He explained that it helped the coalition break into the area of “employee engagement with existing stakeholders in fleet management and new stakeholders in facilities and human resource management.”

In other instances, coalitions have encouraged their interns to focus their efforts on workplace charging.

Thanks to these efforts by Clean Cities coalitions and other essential stakeholders, Workplace Charging Challenge partners have installed more than 3,000 charging stations that are available to more than one million employees across the country.

To learn more about the Challenge or find out how your coalition can get involved, contact Challenge coordinator, Sarah Olexsak, at Sarah.Olexsak@ee.doe.gov.

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FuelsFix.com

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4/12/2

Ivan Smith Furniture visionary owners spark CNG adoption in Northern Louisiana

On Earth Day, April 22, 2014, Ivan Smith Furniture celebrated the opening of one of Louisiana’s first public, heavy-duty CNG stations, Freedom Fuels. To commemorate the one year anniversary of its opening, Louisiana Clean Fuels would like to share this stakeholder’s success in bringing public CNG infrastructure to the Shreveport area.

In 2012, Ivan Smith Furniture became the first furniture chain in the country to convert their fleet to CNG. To fuel their fleet, the company built their private CNG station at Ivan’s Distribution Center. The success of the project led to the new Freedom Fuels public station that provides additional fleet operations support for other nearby distribution centers. The City of Shreveport is also benefitting from the success of this project as it has stimulated local spending and created jobs for the installation of the station, including production of storage spheres and compression equipment.

part owners of Ivan Smith’s Furniture. Coordinated through the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the project was funded with $500,000 from the Energy Department’s State Energy Program.

“We are excited about the success of Ivan Smith’s successful CNG fleet expansion. The Freedom Fuels station is opening up some significant opportunities for heavy-duty fleets in the area. It’s great to see our state’s Department of Natural Resources actively supporting progressive projects like these, and we’re looking forward to working with both Freedom Fuels and DNR to ensure this new station’s success,” says Ann Shaneyfelt, Executive Director of Louisiana Clean Fuels.

Ivan Smith Furniture currently operates 22 heavyduty CNG delivery trucks with plans to add more CNG vehicles to their fleet in 2015. The company reports that their fleet has reduced GHG emissions by approximately 318.6 tons over the last two year.

The station was built by Trey and Jonathan Smith,

Ann Shaneyfelt & Lauren Lambert-Tompkins | Louisiana Clean Fuels Coalition

info@louisianacleanfuels.org | 225-342-3476

FuelsFix.com

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Great Smoky Mountain National Park is making significant progress in implementing alternative fuels and technologies in the most visited park national in the nation. They have propane-powered lawn mowers, electric vehicle charging, and use B20 in some vehicles. Roaring Fork, noted for wildflower viewing and historic buildings, is pictured here.

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