Biomethane Into Natural Gas

Republic Services, Inc. announced yesterday a deal to recover methane from its North Shelby Landfill in Millington, Tennessee. Clean Energy Renewable Fuels will build the processing plant and inject the gas into the US natural gas network. In its first year of operation it is expected to produce 4 million diesel gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas fuel. That will increase to 5.7 million in ten years. Production is expected to start in 2013.

This is the second such deal Clean Energy Renewable Fuels has made. A facility at Republic's Sauk Trails Landfill in Canton, Michigan, is expected to come on line in September 2012.

When it is used as a vehicle fuel, natural gas derived from landfill biomethane generates 88% less greenhouse gases than diesel or gasoline.

Perceived Barriers To Natural Gas Adoption In Trucking

Truckinginfo has an article about what large carriers see as barriers to buying natural gas fueled trucks. More than half say they are considering natural gas vehicles, but the perceived barriers are…

• Fuel availability - most carriers would require a natural gas fueling station to be within 100 miles of their operations.
• Higher purchase price - three-quarters of carriers said they would need payback in only one or two years to facilitate a purchase.

On The Edge Of The 'Fuel Revolution'

An article in examiner.com summarizes the business of Wise Gas which is owned by Jeff Greene. Wise Gas owns one CNG station, which is the only publicly accessible station in south Florida. It handles about a hundred transactions a week.

Greene said Wise Gas offers businesses and individual motorists the ability to save money on fuel costs while also making an eco-friendly business that contributes to U.S. energy independence — all factors that appeal to his customers.

Oklahoma Leading Multi-state RFP For CNG Fleet Vehicles

Fourteen Governors have signed an MOU to support a multi-state RFP (request for proposal) for production of functional and affordable CNG-fueled vehicles for use in state fleets. Last week representatives from American auto manufacturers met with Governor Mary Fallin in Oklahoma City to discuss the RFP. Besides the 14 Governors who have signed the MOU, 22 states have indicated an interest in the RFP. "With 123,000 CNG vehicles in the nation, and 1,000 fueling stations, the Governors hope that this new commitment will help overcome the obstacles, including limited infrastructure and consumer demand, which may be holding automakers back from producing a wider variety of CNG vehicles."

Who's Got The Biggest Fleet Of CNG Trucks In Southern California?

Who? 99¢ Only Stores, that's who. The company celebrated its 30th birthday "by announcing the conversion of 40 semi-trucks from diesel to clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG). This new fleet is the largest private Class-8 CNG trucking fleet in Southern California." But wait! That's not all!

To celebrate this milestone, 99 Cents Only Stores® will offer a free reusable shopping bag to customers who visit the store on Friday, August 17th, Saturday, August 18th or Sunday, August 19th and purchase at least $9.99 worth of merchandise. In that three day period all 302 stores will also feature amazing deals on produce including three pounds of Plums for 99.99 cents, three pounds of Pears for 99.99 cents, three pounds of Nectarines for 99.99 cents, a head of Iceberg Lettuce for 39.99 cents each, five pounds of Russet Potatoes for 59.99 cents and three pounds of Persian Limes for only 99.99 cents!

American Clean Skies Foundation Proposal

American Clean Skies Foundation (which "was founded in 2007 to advance America’s energy independence and a cleaner, low-carbon environment through expanded use of natural gas, renewables and efficiency") is proposing a "Buy American" program as part of the federal government's $150 billion annual expense for third-party transportation. It would require the government to apply to third-party transportation vendors the same standards it applies to its own vehicles. ACSF estimates that initially this would save the government $7 billion and reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 20 million metric tons annually.

One key elements is "[s]tarting in 2015, federal agencies should require transportation carriers to use alternative fuels for at least 5 percent of federally contracted shipments. This requirement should increase by at least 2 percent each year from 2015 to 2025."

The complete 61-page report (PDF) is available here.

General Electric Designing Less Expensive Home Fueler

General Electric has teamed up with Chart Industries and the University of Missouri to design a home CNG fueling system that will cost about $500.

Rather than rely on conventional compression, the GE-Chart-Missouri team "will design a system that chills, densifies and transfers compressed natural gas more efficiently," GE says. "It will be a much simpler design with fewer moving parts, and that will operate quietly and be virtually maintenance-free."

"Natural Gas an Important Fuel"

Westport Innovations Inc. News Release

Natural Gas an Important Fuel for the U.S. Transportation Sector: National Petroleum Council Report


VANCOUVER, Aug. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - The largest study of alternative fuel options for on-road transportation in the United States has concluded that natural gas is a promising fuel from both an economic and technology perspective.

Released August 1, the National Petroleum Council's Report "Advancing Technology for America's Transportation Future" is the result of two years of work examining the potential for a variety of fuels and technologies for both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles.

"There are competing priorities in the pursuit of new fuel and vehicle technologies that are reliable, affordable and environmentally advanced and natural gas is well-positioned within the study," said Karen Hamberg, Vice President of Sustainable Energy Futures at Westport. "The potential for a long-term and low-cost domestic supply of natural gas driven by economically recoverable, unconventional resources provides the economic driver for the increased use of natural gas for transportation."

Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT/NASDAQ:WPRT) is the only Canadian-based company to be involved in this study. Westport representatives - Hamberg; Westport Senior Advisor and former President Michael Gallagher; and former Westport VP Graham Williams - were members of the natural gas sub-group, chaired by Gallagher and consisting of more than 60 industry representatives. Over 300 participants representing industry, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations contributed their knowledge and time to the analysis, economic modeling and development of findings.

In addition to natural gas, the study analyzed four other fuel pathways, including hydrocarbon liquids, biofuels, electricity, and hydrogen, as well as the fuel-vehicle systems that may develop over the next several decades.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu requested the Council to examine opportunities to accelerate alternative fuel prospects for passenger and freight transport through 2050. The Secretary also asked the Council to consider economically competitive ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. transportation sector.

"The study identified few technological barriers to the deployment of natural gas fueled vehicles," said Gallagher. "While infrastructure hurdles were identified as a barrier to the adoption of natural gas fueled vehicles, the study identifies solutions such as the enhancement of current infrastructure, the creation of natural gas corridors and vehicles that can run on more than one fuel."

To read the Advancing Technology for America's Transportation Future Report: http://www.npc.org/FTF-report-080112/FTF_Report_Summary-080112.pdf

First Responder Safety Training

First Responder Safety Training is critical to the overall success of moving from traditional fuels alternative fuels. The Department of Energy responded to this need by asking the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium(NAFTC) Clean Cities Learning Program (CCLP) made possible this vital program. Read on to learn more details on this program and contact us if you would like a problem designed for your group.

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee Meeting

Excerpt from an article in The Desert Sun on July 31, 2012:

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee seeks public input on transit grant

Meeting today will focus on clean transportation ideas

CATHEDRAL CITY — A regional committee that funds air pollution control projects will meet from 10 a.m. to noon today in the Cathedral City City Council Chambers to gather public input and project ideas for $14 million in grant money to be used for clean transportation initiatives in Southern California.

The Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee was created in 1990 under a state law authorizing a $4 motor vehicle registration fee to help reduce air pollution from motor vehicles. Thirty percent of the fee goes to MSRC programs.

Since its inception, the committee has designated more than $250 million for clean transportation funding projects and incentive programs and has showcased alternative vehicle technology, fuels, fueling stations and other programs that reduce vehicle air pollution.

The committee is made up of representatives from transportation, local government and air quality control agencies across Southern California, including the Southern California Association of Governments and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Powerpoint presentations (in PDF format) from the meeting:

• Funding Clean Transportation Alternatives In Your Community
• Air Quality Challenges in the South Coast Region