Wisconsin Clean Cities May Coalition Newsletter

ReFUEL May 2012 | Wisconsin Clean Cities - Southeast Area | Monthly Newsletter

Resources to Find the Pre-Owned Alternative Fuel Vehicle for You

Also In This Issue:

Did you know? Clean Cities partners with National Parks Member Spotlight: We Want You! Welcome New and Returning Members Question of the Month: Alternative fuel lawn mowers?

How did WCC do in 2011? Survey results are in!

Eye on Wisconsin Clean Cities “Driving Wisconsin Forward”

C onnec t W i t h Us O n T h e Web!

www.wicleancities.org

www.facebook.com/wisconsinCC

twitter.com/wccsea

www.youtube.com/wccsea

www.flickr.com/wicleancities

www.linkedin.com/ company/2442742?trk=tyah 1 | May ReFUEL

ReFUEL is Wisconsin Clean Cities Southeast Area’s (WCC-SEA) monthly coalition newsletter.

WCC-SEA is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3), organization, and is one of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions across the U.S. WCC-SEA works to reduce emissions, encourage the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, and develop the refueling infrastructure necessary to sustain the industry.

If you would like to contribute to ReFUEL, please contact Lorrie Lisek at lorrie.lisek@wicleancities.org or call 414-221-4958.

May ReFUEL | 2

C o nte nts Page 5

Did you know?

Clean Cities partners with the U.S. National Parks

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Member Spotlight

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Welcome New and Returning Members

Page 9

It could be you!

Question of the Month

Can I purchase lawn maintenance equipment that runs on alternative fuels?

Good As New

Page 11

Resources to Find the Pre-Owned Alternative Fuel Vehicle for You

Page 13

Eye On Clean Cities

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Are you a member yet?

Start m ak i ng an impact by joining Wi s co ns i n Clean Cities today!

It ’s al l a bo ut i m p r o vin g q u a l i ty o f life fo r t he pe o ple living in Wis c ons in.

WCC-S EA r e l i es o n s u p p o r t f r o m o ur me mbers. Dues and co rpo rate mem be r shi p s e n a b l e W C C - SE A to ho ld me et ings, spo nso r educat ional work shop s, a n d p r o vid e v i ta l out reach mat e rials.

What ca n W CC - S E A d o f o r y o u ?

• Netw o r k i ng o p p o r tu n iti e s w i t h fleet s & indust ry part ners wit h ex pe r i e nce i n a l te r n a ti ve f u els & advanced ve hicle s • Tec hni ca l t r a in i n g , w o r ks h o p s, and we binars • I nfor ma t i on r e s o u r c e s o n a l t ernat ive fuels, advance d ve hicle s , idle r ed uc t i o n, a n d o th e r te c h n o lo gie s t hat re duce pe t ro le um use • I ndi v i d ua l c o n s u l ta tio n a n d technical assist ance • Fund i ng o p p o r tu n iti e s f r o m the U. S . Depart me nt o f Energy, st ate and local g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c ie s , no npro fit s, and fo undat io ns • P ub l i c r e cog n iti o n f o r p r o g r ess in reducing pet ro le um co nsump tion • Assi st a nce with m e d ia o u tr e ach

J oin toda y !

Visit w w w.w i c l e a n c i ti e s . o r g /j oin. php, e mail info @wicle ancit ies.org, o r cal l 4 1 4 -2 2 1- 4958.

Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Members:

Did yo u k now?

Clean Cities partners with the U.S. National Parks

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lean Cities partners with the National Park Service (NPS) through the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative to support transportation projects that educate park visitors on the benefits of reducing dependence on petroleum, cutting greenhouse gases, and easing traffic congestion.

This initiative complements the NPS Climate Friendly Parks program by demonstrating the environmental benefits of reducing petroleum use.

Projects currently include: • Acadia National Park (1), • Blue Ridge Parkway, • Glacier National Park, • Golden Gate National Recreation Area, • Grand Canyon National Park, • Grand Teton National Park(2), • Great Smoky Mountains National Park, • Greater Yellowstone Area, • Mammoth Cave National Park, • Mesa Verde National Park, • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, • Shenandoah National Park (3), • Yellowstone National Park, and • Zion National Park (4).

Learn more about Clean Cities and the National Parks Initiative!

Clean Cities: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/ index.html.

National Parks: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/national_parks.html

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(1)

(2)

(3)

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Re my Batter y Tra ns i t i o ns to Co mpr e ssed N at ur al G as Veh i cl es Remy Battery, a member of Wisconsin Clean Cities and Milwaukee area battery retailer, has added its first CNG van to its fleet of vehicles and is currently exploring adding three additional CNG vehicles. “Clearly our dependence on foreign oil is having a negative impact on business today,” Mike Moeller says. “Oil prices can spike at any given time and in the past, there wasn’t much we could do about it. Now, as we move to CNG vehicles, we can stay confident that our fuel costs will remain stable, which means we can plan long-range to use available funds to invest in our business and keep our pricing competitive.”

Mike Moeller shares that Remy also recently purchased two Ford Transit Connect vehicles which feature best-in-class fuel economy. “In today’s challenging economy, we are looking at every possible way to optimize our delivery costs, so that we can provide the best possible value to our customers,” he notes.

CNG vehicles are just one of the many ways Remy Battery works to make smart, environmentally sound business choices. The company offers one of the most comprehensive battery recycling programs in the region, a reload program to give products with rechargeable batteries a new life, and fast, affordable testing for hybrid batteries.

To learn more about Remy, visit www.remybattery.com.

Clean Cities on Your Phone!

• Find alternative fueling stations.

• Find a vehicle’s fuel economy rating, emissions, and more.

• Find truck stop electrification location.

www.eere.energy.gov/m/cc

M e m be r Sp otl i g ht

We want you!

Have your organization featured in the Wisconsin Clean Cities monthly newsletter. It’s your chance to tell others what your company is doing to promote petroleum reduction and other green initiatives.

You must be a Wisconsin Clean Cities member to be featured.

Contact Heather Goetsch to be in the member spotlight at (414) 221-4487 or email heather.goetsch@wicleancities.org

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from

Clean Cities!

A one-stop resource for fleet managers about plug-in electric vehicles. It covers: • PEV Basics, • PEV Benefits, • Buying the Right PEVs, • Driving and Maintaining PEVs, and • Charging PEVs. Check it out today by clicking the link below or copy & paste it into your browser. http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/ pev_handbook.pdf

Welcome and

new

returning

Members

Trillium CNG Robert Behling Probe Alternative Fuel Services

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Q A

Ques tion o f the Mo nt h

: Can I purchase lawn maintenance equipment that runs on alternative fuels?

: Yes! Whether you are looking to purchase a lawn mower for your home or new equipment for your commercial lawn maintenance fleet, there are a variety of mowers available. Mowers, like vehicles, are able to run on a variety of fuels based on your personal needs: compressed natural gas, biodiesel, electricity, and propane.

Turf grass is the nation’s largest irrigated crop, covering more than 40 million acres. The annual economic impact of the U.S. turf grass industry has been estimated at more than $62 billion. Mowers consume 1.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually, about 1% of U.S. motor gasoline consumption.

Commercial mowing accounts for about 35% of this total and is the highest-intensity use. Large property owners and mowing companies cut lawns, sports fields, golf courses, parks, roadsides, and other grassy areas for 7 hours per A cordless, all electric lawn mower. day and consume 900 to 2,000 gallons of fuel annually depending on climate and length of the growing season. In addition to gasoline, commercial mowing consumes more than 100 million gallons of diesel annually.

Some mowers are designed to run on alternative fuels with little or no modification. Others are not. Using alternative fuels or fuel blends that are not specifically approved for your equipment can cause serious damage to the engine or significantly reduce performance. To ensure alternative fuel or fuel blend use will not damage your mower, be sure to consult your equipment’s owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer or dealer.

H e re are s o m e r e s o urce s to g et yo u st ar te d: All Propane Mowers: www.allpropanemowers.com Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center: www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc Clean Cities Guide to Alternative Fuel Commercial Lawn Equipment: www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/52423.pdf Metro Lawn: www.gogreenmetrolawn.com National Propane Gas Association: www.npga.org Natural Gas Vehicles for America (NGVAmerica): www.ngvc.org A propane-powered commercial lawn mower.

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Propane Education & Research Council: www.propanecouncil.org

How Did Wisconsin Do in 2011?

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ach year, Clean Cities coalitions across the United States submit data about their stakeholder’s alternative fuel use, vehicles, and other initiatives, to track the progress made toward the program’s petroleum savings goal. It is also a chance for individual coalitions to see their progress from year to year.

In 2011, Wisconsin Clean Cities coalition stakeholders reduced:

1,755,598 gallons of gasoline equivalents

8,446

tons of greenhouse gas emissions

How much is that?

Approximately

41,799 barrels of oil

Enough CO2 to fill

8,446

2-story, 3-bedroom homes

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Good A s N ew

Resources to Find the Pre-Owned Alternative Fuel Vehicle for You

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urchasing pre-owned alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) is a good way to acquire quality AFVs at reduced prices. AFVs offered for resale can dramatically reduce the incremental costs associated with a fleet’s or consumer’s transition to AFVs. Some AFVs, however, may have high mileage if they were regularly used in fleet applications.

A consistent and reliable source for pre-owned AFVs is the General Services Administration (GSA), which leases vehicles to federal government agencies.

When these government AFVs need to be retired, GSA Fleet Vehicle Sales makes them available to the highest bidders at GSA auctions throughout the year. Interested individuals and fleets can register to receive e-mails notifying them of auction dates and locations and information on vehicle availability through the GSA website.

A used 2004 Toyota Prius.

AFVs also enter the resale market from state, county, and municipal fleets. Although these AFVs strengthen the AFV resale market, there is no central source for finding them online. However, some auctions are advertised online. These vehicles are usually auctioned at regularly scheduled state, county, or privately run auctions that are preceded by a public announcement of the auction time and place. In addition to auctions and the GSA, fleets and individuals can contact local dealerships and use online vehicle search engines to find locally available resale AFVs.

Resale Values

Compared to conventional pre-owned vehicles, used AFVs can be obtained at a good value at auction.

Depending on the market, bi-fuel vehicles usually sell at a 20% discount from the book value of conventional vehicles. Dedicated vehicles, especially those that run on gaseous fuels, can sell for as much as 60% less than the book value of conventional vehicles. Flexible fuel vehicles usually sell at book value because they operate on gasoline or E85. The lower capital cost of owning used AFVs can make owning and operating them more attractive to smaller companies and individuals that want to start using AFVs.

Pre-Owned AFV Availability A used 2010 natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX. 11 | May ReFUEL

Many organizations are sponsoring online marketplaces where sellers can post information about used AFVs. Here are a few of the

available sites with listings or information about resale AFVs (click or copy and paste into browser): • GSA Fleet Vehicle Sales (http://autoauctions.gsa.gov/autoauctions/home.seam) • Best Auto Sales (http://www.gobestauto.com/) • CarMax (http://www.carmax.com/enus/alternative-fuel-vehicles/default.html) • CNG Vehicles Homestead (http://cngvehicles.homestead.com/About_Us.html) • CNG Motors (http://www.cngmotors.com/Home_Page.html) • Electric Auto Association (http://www.electricauto.org/) • Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition Market Exchange (http://www.ngvc.org/mktplace/market_exchange.html)

Additional Resources

Documents with more information on the alternative fuel vehicle resale market: • Successes and Challenges in the Resale of Alternative Fuel Vehicles http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/usedafv.pdf • GSA Fleet Vehicle Sales: AFV Remarketing http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/allin.pdf • An Examination of the AFV Resale Market http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/mcconahy.pdf Websites to Find a Local Auction: • Wisconsin Car Auctions http://www.carbuying.us/wi-auctions.htm • Wisconsin Surplus Online Auction http://www.wisconsinsurplus.com/

A used 1997 Ford F700 that runs on propane.

A used 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

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Eye on Wisconsin Clean Cities O

n April 25, the City of Milwaukee, member of Wisconsin Clean Cities, revealed their first of five public charging stations at Discovery World. In addition, AT&T, member of the National Clean Fleets Partnership, celebrated the nearly 200 alternative fuel vehicles they have deployed since April 2010. On May 4, Wisconsin Clean Cities co-hosted the 9th Annual Green Vehicles workshop at Milwaukee Area Technical College in Downtown Milwaukee. The event attracted around 80 people and featured nearly 20 light- and heavy-duty vehicles.

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1) The charging station at Discovery World pictured with: (left to right) Dave Hansen, ElectriCharge Mobility; Scott T. VanderSanden, AT&T; Joel Brennen,

Discovery World; Matt Howard, City of Milwaukee Office of Environmental Sustainability; Lorrie Lisek, Wisconsin Clean Cities; Erick Shambarger, City of Milwaukee Office of Environmental Sustainability; 2) One of AT&T’s compressed natural gas vans pictured with: (left to right) Joel Brennen, Discovery World; Matt Howard, City of MilwaukeeOffice of Environmental Sustainability; Lorrie Lisek, Wisconsin Clean Cities; Scott T. VanderSanden, AT&T; 3) The vehicle showcase at the 9th Annual Green Vehicles Workshop; 4) Keynote speaker Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, 4th District Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors

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