by Jeff Twardy | Mar 22, 2016 | March 2016 Newsletter
Question of the Month: Clean Cities uses a lot of acronyms. What are the most important ones to understand? Answer: Have you ever been on the DOE’s AFDC to learn about EVSE for EVs or PHEVs to meet EPAct requirements? Let’s take a step back. Perhaps you feel like you need a translator just to understand the basics of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. If this sounds familiar, get in the know with our list of the top Clean Cities acronyms, broken down into 10 categories: Federal Agencies and National Laboratories DOE: U.S. Department of Energy: The federal agency with the mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. Clean Cities is part of that overall mission. DOE includes: DOE National Laboratories: Organizations affiliated with DOE, focused on delivering solutions to energy challenges and transforming the way our nation uses energy. There are more than a dozen DOE national laboratories. The labs that contribute to the work of Clean Cities include: ANL: Argonne National Laboratory INL: Idaho National Laboratory NREL: National Renewable Energy Laboratory ORNL: Oak Ridge National Laboratory PNNL: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory DOT: U.S. Department of Transportation: A federal agency with the mission to ensure a fast, safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient transportation system that meets our national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is part of DOT. EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: A federal agency with the mission to protect human health and the environment. AFDC: Alternative...
by Jeff Twardy | Mar 21, 2016 | Articles, March 2016 Newsletter
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection held an Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant Workshop (AFIG) at the Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Interpretive Center on March 18th. The workshop was to let the public know about the long time program and the changes that are new to this year’ submissions. Michelle Ferguson, PA DEP Northcentral Region held the workshop to let folks know that the program is now open and will remain open through 2016. Unlike previous years the program will remain open and there will be three different times of the year when the PA DEP will look at the submission and rate them. The workshop included presentations by the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities, Pennsylvania Grain Processing LLC, PA DEP, Clean Energy and Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority (CCRRA). CCRRA runs five trucks on CNG and has ten more on order. The workshop also included a tour of the Clean Energy CNG station....
by Jeff Twardy | Mar 21, 2016 | Articles, March 2016 Newsletter
Bimbo Bakeries USA and Nestlé Waters North America recently deployed new fleets of propane autogas delivery vehicles that will service multiple cities across the U.S. “Becoming a better steward of our environment is a priority for Nestlé Waters,” said Bill Ardis, national fleet manager for Nestlé Waters North America. “We’ve been running propane autogas vehicles since 2014. Because of the proven emissions reductions and cost savings, we knew it was the right choice to expand our fleet with this domestically produced alternative fuel.” Nestlé Waters added more than 150 new Ford F-650 delivery vehicles to its existing propane autogas fleet. Bimbo Bakeries USA purchased 84 new, clean-burning Ford F-59 trucks. “This initiative is the latest in our company’s continued effort to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Gary Maresca, senior director of fleet services for Bimbo Bakeries. By operating propane autogas delivery trucks equipped with ROUSH CleanTech’s fuel system technology, both companies will cut carbon dioxide emissions in local communities by about 192,000 pounds per truck (compared to gasoline) per year. In addition to reducing the emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, Bimbo Bakeries and Nestlé Waters also anticipate fuel and maintenance savings. The new Ford F-59 and F-650 delivery vehicles will replace older diesel models. Propane autogas is a nontoxic, non-carcinogenic and non-corrosive fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency classifies the fuel as a non-contaminant. It is the leading alternative fuel in the United States and the third most commonly used vehicle fuel, following gasoline and diesel. About 23 million vehicles travel worldwide with propane in their fuel...
by Jeff Twardy | Mar 21, 2016 | Articles, March 2016 Newsletter
The Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities held their annual Stakeholder meeting on February 24th at the Community College of Allegheny County – West Hills Center. Executive Director Rick Price welcomed everyone and started the meeting by going over how the coalition is structured and its’ association with the DOE Clean Cities Program. Each of the chairs of the program committees spoke about what was going on in each committee. Rick spoke about the EV/PHEV Committee. He stated that PRCC had installed over 70 EV charging station in the area with 18 more being installed before the end of June. Rick also mentioned that the City of Pittsburgh has started to move forward with some electric vehicle purchases and plan to install more charging stations. Mac Godfrey the chair of the Gaseous Fuels Committee talked about all of the companies that are using natural gas and that 5 new natural gas stations have opened in the last year in Western PA with 2ore under construction. Companies like Giant Eagle and Pitt Ohio continue to increase the number of NG trucks they are purchasing. Mac also talked about how many schools and school bus companies are now purchasing and using propane autogas. In fact it was mentioned that Pennsylvania is fourth soon to become third in the nation for the number of propane school buses. Ian Winner stood in for our Bi-Fuels committee chair and talked about what their organization Optimus Technologies has done in the bio-diesel area with 20 trucking converted for the City of Pittsburgh and installed another bio-diesel station in the strip district. Rick Price also mentioned that the...
by Jeff Twardy | Mar 21, 2016 | Articles, March 2016 Newsletter
On February 23rd the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities and the Penn State EcoCar3 Program held an alternative Fuel Vehicle Event at the Greater Allegheny Campus of Penn State University. The Penn State EcoCar3 team were able to bring the Chevy Camaro that all EcoCar3 teams are re-engineering. Parallel Pre-Transmission PHEV During the EcoCAR 3 competition, the AVT will complete the design and build of a parallel pre-transmission plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle architecture in the Camaro. The team is going to replace the stock V6 engine and automatic transmission with a 2.0L Turbo LTG engine from a Cadillac ATS, P400 S electric motor manufactured YASA Motors, 8 speed automatic transmission manufactured by GM, and a 10.8 kWh battery pack from A123 Systems. The AVT anticipates the hybrid Camaro will achieve 5.2 sec zero to 60 mph and nearly 50 mpgge! However, there is a catch; the team must also maintain the “sports car feel”. With this architecture, the AVT will be able to maintain the performance of the Camaro in addition to providing excellent safety and consumer...
by Jeff Twardy | Mar 21, 2016 | Articles, March 2016 Newsletter
Running on natural gas The Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority purchased eight new buses that will run on natural gas. When eight new “green” transit buses hit the road today, they were nearly five years in the works. The vehicles operate on compressed natural gas. The Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority was among several authorities which piggybacked on to a mass bid started by Red Rose, a Lancaster-based transit authority, said Donna Weckoski, executive director of the MMVTA. The buses were finally ordered mid-2014. The eight CNG buses replace four, 40-foot commuter buses which service the Valley to Pittsburgh routes, and four, 35-foot local service buses. The buses were purchased from Gillig LLC, a California-based manufacturer, which has delivered buses to the authority in the past. The eight buses cost roughly $3.2 million. Every vehicle in the fleet is handicapped accessible, including a hydraulic lift ramp. “We eliminated the back door for more seating,” Weckoski said. The 35-foot buses seat 37 and the 40-foot vehicles seat 39. Each is a “kneeling” bus, meaning the stairs at the front door lower to street level for easy access. The buses were purchased with 80 percent federal funding and 16.66 percent in state grants, Weckoski said. The bulk of the local funding came from Westmoreland County. The CNG-run buses is a sign of the federal government’s move toward more environmentally sound “green” vehicles. Weckoski said In addition, the transit authority is eligible to receive a $125,000 federal Clean Air green grant. A mule carrying compressed natural gas was also delivered to the transit authority’s Donora maintenance facility from Alexandria, Virginia. Weckoski said...
