Domestic Fuel

The University of South Carolina has launched an ambitious program that will convert all of its campus vehicles to biodiesel, ethanol and more green fuels.

This press release from the school says the “Genesis 2015 Initiative” will reduce the campus fleet’s carbon dioxide emissions by 90 percent within five years:

The plan puts Carolina among the nation’s first campuses committed to reducing its dependence on petroleum by introducing alternative fuels to power the buses, cars, trucks, motorcycles and maintenance vehicles needed in the everyday life of the university…

Within five years, all vehicles on the Columbia campus will be powered by ethanol, biodiesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity or hydrogen fuel cells. A hydrogen hybrid bus will become part of the university’s shuttle service in January.

University officials say they already have 156 vehicles that can be converted to run on alternatives right away. The total carbon savings is expected to top 2,000 tons.

Oil-rich Texas is beginning to look like an alternative fuel paradise. Drivers in Texas will soon have more opportunities … thanks to new infrastructure … to run their electric vehicles.

Reliant Energy and Nissan Motor Company have announced that the two companies will work together to establish infrastructure, policies and services to support electric vehicle owners across Texas. The
Dallas Environmental Policy Examiner reports the move comes as the state has put into effect a new law that requires Texas government agencies to use alternative fuels in half of the state fleet of 27,000 vehicles 80 percent of the time:

“We can now see a clear path to having thousands – even hundreds of thousands – of zero-emission vehicles on Texas roads in the next several years”, said Jason Few, President of Reliant Energy. “By adding a robust charging network and services dedicated to electric vehicles, we will be able to offer a viable alternative to fossil-fuel powered transportation”.

“House Bill 432 addresses the fact that our state is a leader in the research and production of alternative fuels, but we lack the infrastructure to get drivers who would use it to fuel their vehicles”, Governor Perry said at a ceremonial bill signing in Dallas in August. “Since our state already spends money on a fleet, this bill requires it to include vehicles that use alternative fuel. That will drive the creation of a basic distribution infrastructure and take advantage of the fuels we produce in Texas, including natural gas coming from the Barnett Shale”.

This alternative energy kick seems to be a trend for Texas. As you might remember from my post on March 16, 2009, Dallas-based AT&T is putting 15,000 alternatively-fueled vehicles on the road… a $565 million venture aimed at helping the environment and saving the company gasoline costs. Part of AT&T’s plan includes building up to 40 new compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations.

Americans want green energy choices, with the largest motivating factor for those choices being saving some greenbacks. And the top choices for that green-saving energy are solar and wind.

The latest Nielsen Company Energy Trends report shows that 80 percent of the 32,000 respondents polled cited cutting costs as their main motivation for conserving energy:

Overall, the study shows that many consumers have adopted more environmentally friendly habits, while others have not acted as quickly. “The current momentum surrounding green initiatives and reduced energy consumption presents utilities and home improvement companies with a golden opportunity,” says Jonathan Drost, Account Executive, Energy for The Nielsen Company. “When going green is cost effective, such as opting for Energy Star appliances or government incentive programs, customers migrate in that direction. The biggest hurdle for energy companies is educating the consumer on things like Smart Grids, Energy Efficiency programs and Renewable Green Energy.”

Renewable energy sources are at the heart of the emerging green economy, and if consumers have any say, solar would be their carbon neutral source of choice. “I believe solar came out on top as a preference because it is a technology that consumers can identify with,” Drost offers. “Not only can a consumer place solar panels on their home or purchase solar water heaters, but also they see retailers installing solar panels on their roof and hybrid cars with solar roof options. It’s been a media hot topic as well.”

The survey shows that 37 percent of respondents prefer solar power, and 16 percent want wind.

Only 3 percent of those households surveyed say they plan on buying a plug-in hybrid, but about one-fourth say they would purchase one once the technology became more widely used.

Nielsen officials say more consumer education is needed to bring in the next wave of renewable energy “early adopters.”

A mix of electrically powered and biodiesel and E85 ethanol fueled vehicles lead the list for the Automotive X Prize.

This story from Consumer Reports says the $10 million prize will go to the team that makes a production-ready car that gets 100 mpg or the energy equivilant AND is sold at a profit for a reasonable price:

“The teams and vehicles represented in this group are the most viable in our competition and we believe that together they are positioned to make a huge impact on the automotive marketplace,” noted X Prize CEO and Chairman Dr. Peter Diamandis.

The finalists represent a diverse group, with teams heralding from 14 states and 10 countries total. The vehicles use a wide range of powertrains, with 16 running on gasoline, 22 battery-sourced electric, six E85, six biodiesel, two diesel, and one natural gas.

The next step for the 43 teams of finalists will be test their vehicles next spring.

The Biofuels Digest has reported that a new study found that cars running on corn-based E85 have 30 percent lower CO2 emissions over the car’s lifetime than the Tesla Roadster, an all electric vehicle running on coal-based electricity. These results are based on the new CAFE standards that were passed this summer. But maybe more interesting, the study found that the Tesla will actually create 21 percent more C02 emissions than a car running on conventional gas.

The full study, based on the GREET model for corn ethanol emissions, can be downloaded here. Additional criteria used included the e85 fuel economy figures as established in the most recent University of Nebraska study; Tesla’s reports on miles per KWh, Department of Transportation figures on auto lifespan, EIA data on electricity prices, E85 price data from e85prices.com, and EPA figures on emissions from coal-fired power generation.

Although the operating costs of driving a car vary from state to state, the Digest also found that, “based on current ethanol prices, the total increase in cost of ownership for running an E85 vehicle in the US is $19 per year, compared to a non-flex fuel vehicle running conventional gasoline (with up to 10 percent ethanol content). E85 saves an average of 6 tons of CO2 emissions over the average life of a vehicle, when utilizing corn ethanol, and up to 36 tons of CO2 when running on cellulosic ethanol derived from waste biomass.”

The “FUEL“ caravan, which includes the Big Green Energy Bus and the Algaeus, is arriving in Chicago tomorrow for the launch of the award winning film. The October 10th event, taking place at Loews Pipers Alley 4 beginning at 4:00 pm, will be kicked off with a motorcycle ride-in. Director Josh Tickell and Producer Rebecca Harrell will ride a Harley Davidson with a diesel engine that tops 100 mph and boasts nearly 80 miles per gallon at legal highway speeds. Movie patrons will also be able to check out the Zero S, the first fully electric high-performance motorcycle.

The Veggie Van Organization has been touring the country in support of the documentary, “FUEL“. The film opened in theaters nationwide on September 18th in New York. As part of the showing, Tickell and Harrell will be available for a question and answer session on Saturday. Click here for more information about the film and ticket information.

The race is on… but this time it’s to build a cleaner burning snowmobile.

This post on the Good Green Cars blog says the Society of Automobile Engineers… aka SAE International… has challenged college engineering students to build a snowmobile that runs on biodiesel, ethanol or electricity:

The snowmobiles will be rated in categories like emissions, noise, and acceleration.The idea is to make internal combustion snowmobiles suitable for use in fragile natural areas, like in national parks. The quieter and cleaner a machine is, the less it will disturb both plant and animal life.

The goal for the zero-emissions category is even more specific: make a snowmobile that won’t skew the research being done at Summit Station in Greenland. Scientists there are working to understand the absorption of atmospheric gases by the ice cap, and any emissions from fossil fuels burned at the site can mess up the results of their measurements.

Biodiesel- and ethanol-powered vehicles are expected to be the first to hit the showrooms and are expected to do well in sales. Let’s see if they can get this race going by the time those first few snowflakes begin to fall.

The energy company serving Philadelphia with electrical power is going to use its own product to run some of its vehicles.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Peco Energy Co. is buying and modifying about 20 Ford F550 utility trucks to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The move is part of a bigger, nationwide U.S. Department of Energy pilot program:

The Philadelphia company is one of about 50 utilities participating in a consortium to demonstrate PHEV performance in 378 mid-sized trucks. The consortium, organized by the Electric Power Research Institute, was given a $45 million stimulus grant. The utilities will receive matching grants up to $2.5 million to pay for the vehicles, which will be manufactured in the next two years in Michigan and Kentucky.

The article adds Peco also has 16 natural-gas vehicles, 47 hybrid electric SUVs and 650 trucks that run on biodiesel.

Nearly $300 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act… aka the “Stimulus Bill”… funds are being handed out by the U.S. Department of Energy to replace or change more than 9,000 vehicles so they will burn alternative fuels and/or make them more fuel efficient, as well as establish nearly 550 alternative refueling stations across the U.S..

Energy Secretary Steven Chu made the announcement today about the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program:

“The Clean Cities program is helping give state and local governments the tools they need to build a greener transportation system that will create new jobs and help to put America on the path to a clean energy future,” said Secretary Chu. “Advancing the number of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles on the road will increase our energy security, decrease our dependence on oil, and reduce pollution across the country.”

The projects announced by Secretary Chu will support a combined total of more than 9,000 light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles and establish 542 refueling locations across the country. The vehicles and infrastructure being funded include the use of natural and renewable gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, and hybrid technologies. And with the cost share contributions from the recipients, every federal dollar spent will be matched by nearly two dollars from the project partners.

The move is expected to save 38 million gallons of petroleum per year.

ZAP, a company leading the way in electric vehicle (EV) development, announced that it has secured $25 million in new financing with Cathaya Capital, L.P. Ultimately the investment will be managed by its affiliate partner Better World International who is developing EV charging infrastructure. ZAP will use a portion of the funding to pursue longer-term contract production and assembly commitments, and to accelerate deliveries of trucks and vans to fill current fleet and government orders. With the addition of this funding, ZAP has now raised up to $31 million in new financing for ZAP’s electric vehicle capital expansion since June.

“This is a critical juncture for ZAP as we now have the means and resources to begin addressing the opportunities at hand on a global basis and to fully realize the leadership position possible in the electric vehicle marketplace,” said Steven Schneider, CEO of ZAP.

ZAP has 15 years of experience in the distribution and sale of 100 percent electric vehicles. They are leveraging this with their expertise in the design and manufacture of electric vehicles to improve on the current technology and accelerate development of powertrain technology that improves overall performance of its vehicles while achieving cost reductions.

The proceeds of this financing also will enable ZAP to expand its vehicle distribution network into the European Union (EU) where recent government incentives supporting the adoption of electric vehicles have increased demand for practical models at affordable prices. In addition to targeting market opportunities in the EU, ZAP intends to pursue automotive opportunities in China. Last month, the China Daily called for government incentives on the purchase of vehicles that reduce pollution and minimize dependency on oil.

Drivers now can take a popular tool on the road thanks to the staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The Mobile Alternative Fueling Station Locator (MAFSL) helps on-the-go drivers find the five closest biodiesel, electricity, E85 (ethanol), hydrogen, natural gas, and propane fueling sites using any mobile device with Internet access.

Before launching the device, NREL said that their Alternative Fueling Station Locator was among the top five applications used on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC) website. The station locator was developed by NREL which manages AFDC.

The mobile station locator works through well-known, easy to use applications such as Google Maps, which generates maps to fueling sites. In addition to the location, the locator will also give the user the contact information, including phone number and business hours for the station.

NREL says that it is taking some changes into consideration due to consumer feedback. In the past, private fueling stations were not included but they have been added. In addition, they are considering adding automatic location detetection using GPS installed in the device, a special applicaton for the iPhone and creating a similar application for truck stop electrification sites. In addition, the database will be updated continously.

Federal grants totaling $2.4 billion will be handed out for the development of fuel-saving, battery-powered vehicles.

CNN reports President Barack Obama made the announcement at an RV plant in Elkhart County, Indiana:

“For too long, we’ve failed to invest in this kind of innovative work, even as countries like China and Japan were racing ahead,” he said.

The president said the plant, which makes recreational and hybrid vehicles, will receive a $39 million grant to build 400 advanced-battery electric trucks.

Elkhart has been a popular destination for the president. He’s been there four times in the last 15 months, with his last appearance in February to garner support for the economic stimulus package.

Year after year Portland is named the county's most sustainable city. Well, yesterday, San Fransisco, tired of its runner-up status, challenged Portland to The Great Electric Vehicle Race. San Fransisco Mayor Gavin Newsom threw down the gauntlet and Portland Mayor Sam Adams declared a war. It looks like they're off to the races.

The challenge is being hosted by Gas 2.0 (and yes, I do write for this site as well but does not lessen the coolness factor of this challenge) with the intent to help communities across the country" develop the charging infrastructure needed for full-scale electric vehicle deployment." The goal is to engage cities across the country to embrace electric vehicles and develop infrastructure which will help revitalize the auto industry (or the new one in its place) help create jobs, help the environment, and help bring non-fossil fuel based technologies to market more quickly.

Before you jump the gun and call me stupid, yes, I'm very much aware that a major portion of our electricity comes from dirty fossil fuels such as coal. That is why the development of wind and solar is an important part of our energy portfolio moving forward.

On the Great Electric Vehicle Race website, there is a map with all the cities listed. In addition to San Fran and Portland, is Seattle. And that's it. Come on America, let's not make electric vehicles a technology for the Northwest but a technology for the entire country. Check out the site (www.electriccarrace.org) to see how you can work with your local government to create similar electric car programs for your community.

A recently exhausted rebate program in California is being credited with helping the state really increase its use of alternative fuels in vehicles.

From its inception in February 2008 to its end this past April, the Fueling Alternatives program handed out $2.6 million to encourage consumers to buy alternative fuel vehicles. And this article from the San Diego (CA) Daily Transcript says 948 rebates for as much as $5,000 were handed out to state residents who bought low- or zero-emission vehicles:

The program was funded by the California Air Resources Board with a portion of Assembly Bill 1811, which dedicated $25 million to promote alternative fuel infrastructure and vehicles. San Diego-based nonprofit, California Center for Sustainable Energies administered the program, which helped offset the cost of purchasing or leasing electric, compressed natural gas and fuel cell technologies.

Purchases of the Global Electric Motorcars’ line of neighborhood electric vehicles were awarded the second-largest number of rebates at 116. Other popular vehicles included the Vectrix electric scooter and the high-performance electric Tesla Roadster. Six owners of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell car, Honda FCX also received rebates.

If lawmakers in California approve more funds, there could be about $5 million available for low-emission cars and motorcycles.

In what could be considered a paradox, an oil company has a car that won’t need any non-renewable petroleum.

This article from the Gas2.0.org Web site says ExxonMobil is introducing the Maya 300, a lithium-ion battery powered car that can drive up to 120 miles on one charge… but looks and feels like a gasoline-powered car:

The Maya 300 was developed in conjunction with Electrovaya, a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of Lithium Ion SuperPolymer battery systems. The two companies have worked together to, “develop the innovative urban vehicle that will be a ‘game changer’ in advancing transportation alternatives.” ExxonMobil actually developed the lithium-ion battery separator film and was the first company to introduce the lithium-ion battery in 1991.

The Maya 300 charges in 8-10 hours, plugs into a regular household 110 volt outlet and will be available to consumers for around $20-25,000 in 2011. To my knowledge, this will be one of the most affordable consumer electric vehicles on the market. The Tesla Sedan sells for around $50,00, the Chevy Volt is expected to retail around $30,000 and the bare-bone Toyota Prius starts at $22,000.

The article goes on to say that ExxonMobil and Electrovaya have teamed up with the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore to educate residents and visitors, including being able to rent the Maya 300 to get a real feel for how it drives.