Clean Energy Fuels introduces Redeem - fuel from waste

Know a Vehicle's Environmental Impact

Clean Cities presents a new resource to help determine the environmental impact of a vehicle. It's called the Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation Tool or just AFLEET. It's a downloadable spreadsheet that a fleet owner can use to "estimate vehicles' petroleum use, greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, and cost of ownership."

New SunLine Transit Agency General Manager

SunLine continues to be a leader in advancing real live testing in the alternative fuel arena in the nation.

Anyone who follows clean technology transit trends is no doubt familiar with SunLine Transit Agency in the Coachella Valley of Southern California. Two weeks ago Lauren Skiver, the first woman in SunLine's history to head the Agency, stepped into her new role as General Manager. She was shaped by her service in the U.S. Army and brings that training to SunLine, along with a commitment to advancing the clean transportation efforts observing, "SunLine is really the hub of testing real transit applications for the rest of the country."

Free CNG Fuel Offer From Westport WiNG Power System Vehicles

Click for PDF.

New iPhone App To Find Stations

The Alternative Fueling Station Locator app, now available through the App Store, allows iPhone users to select an alternative fuel and find the 20 closest stations within a 30-mile radius. Click here to go to the App Store. "The Alternative Fueling Station Locator app helps you find fueling stations that offer electricity, natural gas, biodiesel, E85, propane, or hydrogen."

Alternative Fueling Station Locator App For iOS

The Alternative Fueling Station Locator app is available from the iTunes Store.

Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with support from the Energy Department, the Alternative Fueling Station Locator app provides information on more than 15,000 stations across the country. Users can search for stations that offer electricity, biodiesel (B20), natural gas (compressed and liquefied), ethanol (E85), hydrogen, and propane. After the user selects a fuel, the app maps the stations closest to his or her current location. The app also includes the stations' addresses, phone numbers, and operating hours. Using the app's filters, drivers can also search for stations that meet certain parameters, such as whether the station is open to the public and what payment methods it accepts.

The app was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the Department of Energy.

Electric Vehicle Charging In Coachella Valley

Video on Palm Springs charging stations, now on youtube. We took out the introduction at the beginning of the video. Palm Springs now has over 30 charging stations:) Thanks again for your participation in this production.


Here's a map of the 13 locations in Palm Springs where the 30 charging stations are located.

Newport, California, firm building 'natural gas highway'

News from Orange County on one of our key stake holders of the Coachella Valley Clean City Region Holders - Clean Energy. Clean Energy Fuels has spent $300 million over the past two years on infrastructure, building natural gas fueling stations from Seal Beach to Staten Island.

The firm has yet to turn a profit. But [CEO Andrew J.] Littlefair and [T. Boone] Pickens, who holds a fifth of the company's stock, are betting that a significant share of the nation's buses and trucks will switch from diesel to natural gas in the next five years.

"We are at the tipping point of a huge market," Littlefair says. "We're not dinking around competing in some little niche."

Massachusetts Is The Most Energy-Efficient State

ACEEE: MASSACHUSETTS MOST ENERGY-EFFICIENT STATE IN 2013 WITH CALIFORNIA CLOSE BEHIND AT #2, MISSISSIPPI IS MOST IMPROVED

Top 10 States Ranked in Energy Efficiency Scorecard: MA, CA, NY, OR, CT, RI, VT, WA, MD, and IL

5 States Most Needing Improvement: ND, WY, SD, AK, MS

5 Most Improved States: MS, ME, KS, OH, and WV

WASHINGTON, D.C., (November 6, 2013): Energy efficiency measures are thriving in state capitals around the United States, with several states---including Mississippi, Connecticut, Illinois, and West Virginia---taking major steps that moved them up the ranks in the seventh annual edition of the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). For the first time in the history of the State Scorecard, the 2013 ranking of the states is being released with the participation of a U.S. Department of Energy secretary, Dr. Ernest Moniz, along with a top elected official of a state, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.

Available online, the State Scorecard shows that the top 10 states for energy efficiency are: Massachusetts, California, New York, Oregon, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Maryland, and Illinois. Massachusetts retains the top spot for the third year in a row based on its continued commitment to energy efficiency under its Green Communities Act. In California, requirements for reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have led it to identify several strategies for smart growth, keeping the state in a top position at #2. Connecticut is also closing the gap due to passage of a major energy bill in 2013, and Illinois is making its first appearance in the top 10 this year, reaping the benefits of increased energy savings called for in the state's energy efficiency resource standard.

According to the 2013 State Scorecard, the five states most in need of improvement (starting with dead last) are: North Dakota; Wyoming; South Dakota; Alaska; and Mississippi. However, Mississippi also appears on ACEEE's list of the top five most improved states, revealing an upward trend as more and more states embrace energy efficiency. Last year Mississippi passed comprehensive energy legislation that included energy efficiency as a major component. The bill included provisions setting an energy code for commercial and state-owned buildings. Mississippi is now set to become a regional leader in energy efficiency. West Virginia's score improved due to the state adopting stronger building codes. The other three most improved states in 2013 were: Maine, Kansas, and Ohio.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz said: "Energy efficiency is a critical tool for cutting harmful carbon emissions and the best way to reduce energy bills for America's families. We applaud the continued progress in energy efficiency nationwide and stand ready to help states as they make their communities cleaner and more sustainable, while saving taxpayer dollars and fostering greater economic growth."

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said: "Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in energy efficiency because we have made the choice to shape our future, rather than leave it to chance. We will continue to focus on policies that create jobs, decrease dependence on imported energy sources and protect our environment by reducing emissions."

ACEEE Executive Director Steve Nadel said: "In every region we are seeing states embrace energy saving measures with growing enthusiasm. From Massachusetts, which continues to be the pacesetter in the race to cut down energy waste, to Mississippi, which is emerging as a regional star, state governments are proving that smart policy can still cross partisan divides."

California Energy Commissioner Andrew McAllister said: "California continues earning its reputation as an energy leader by instituting the nation's most advanced energy efficiency standards for buildings and appliances, and for pushing the envelope on ratepayer-funded efficiency programs. Our standards alone have helped save ratepayers more than $75 billion since 1975, grown California's economy with local jobs, and protected our climate by reducing carbon emissions. ACEEE is providing a valuable service by recognizing energy efficiency leaders that other states can follow. We are proud to be one of the leaders."

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner and Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Brandon Presley said: "Cutting down on energy waste has become an integral strategy for securing Mississippi's energy future, and we are proud to become the most improved state in this year's State Scorecard. Investing in energy efficiency helps utilities meet growing energy demand, provides reliable service for our customers, and produces economic benefits like energy cost savings. We look forward to seeing Mississippi emerge as a regional leader in tapping the vast economic benefits of energy efficiency."

In the seventh edition of the State Scorecard, ACEEE ranks states on their energy efficiency policy and program efforts, and provides recommendations for ways that states can improve their energy efficiency performance in a variety of policy areas. The State Scorecard report serves as a benchmark for state efforts on energy efficiency policies and programs each year, encouraging states to strengthen their efficiency commitments as a pragmatic and effective strategy for promoting economic growth, securing environmental benefits, and increasing their communities' resilience in the face of uncertain energy costs and supplies.


OTHER KEY FINDINGS

Facing uncertain economic times, states are continuing to use energy efficiency as a key strategy to generate cost-savings, promote technological innovation, and stimulate growth. The ACEEE Scorecard documents the following trends:

• Several states have made concentrated efforts related to energy efficiency. Arkansas, Indiana, and Pennsylvania continue to reap the benefits of their energy efficiency resource standards (EERS), leading to substantially greater electricity efficiency investments and savings compared to what ACEEE reported in the 2012 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.
• A total of 20 states fell in the rankings in the 2013 State Scorecard report, due to both changes in the report's methodology and substantive changes in their performance. Idaho fell the furthest, by nine spots, largely because it did not keep up with peer states in utility efficiency spending and savings. Wisconsin dropped six spots, due to a significant drop in energy savings realized by the state's efficiency program.
• Connecticut passed a major energy bill in June 2013, calling for the benchmarking of state buildings, expanding combined heat and power programs, and doubling funding for energy efficiency programs.
• The leading states in utility-sector energy efficiency programs and policies are Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island. All three of these states have long records of success and continue to raise the bar on the delivery of cost-effective energy efficiency programs and policies.
• The leading states in building energy codes and compliance are California, Washington, and Rhode Island. During the past year, seven states adopted the latest iteration of building energy codes.

METHODOLOGY

The 2013 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard provides a broad assessment of policies and programs that improve energy efficiency in our homes, businesses, industries, and transportation systems. The State Scorecard examines the six policy areas in which states typically pursue energy efficiency: utility and "public benefits" programs and policies; transportation polices; building energy codes and compliance; combined heat and power policies; appliance and equipment standards; and state government-led initiatives around energy efficiency.

Clean Cities has helped put 20,000 PEVs on the road

Clean Cities has "helped deploy more than 20,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), including plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles." "[By] using these vehicles, Clean Cities stakeholders have displaced more than 50 million gallons of petroleum just since 2010."

oneDRIVE

Here's a NY Times article about KLD Energy Technologies, a company that believes it has the next great innovation in electric-vehicle technology. It's called oneDRIVE It reduces magnetic losses and eliminates driveline losses. It does this with an electric motor that has only one moving part. A vehicle with this motor would have no "gears, clutches, spark plugs, filters, belts, oil or tune-ups."

One vehicle demonstrated for the NY Times article is called the "Skeletor." It has a top speed of 25 MPH and a range of 24 miles. The company's chief scientific officer, Ray Caamano, says it's capable of 50 MPH, but regulations in the U.S. require it to be restricted to half speed. The vehicle can use a smaller array of lithium batteries than similar vehicles. The vehicle operates at a lower voltage than other electrics, providing improved efficiency and extended battery life.

Their website lists four vehicles that use oneDRIVE:

• A lightweight delivery vehicle called Kombi City. It has a range of 45 miles and a top speed of 50 MPH.
• A three-wheeled EV that is considered a motorcycle in the U.S. It's top speed is 37 MPH with a range of 32 miles.
• A four-passenger EV that fits the definition of a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle. Top speed is 25 MPH and the range is 24 miles.
• A two-wheel scooter that can reach 50 MPH and has a range of 53 miles.

Here's a video from Fox11 in Los Angeles during a recent KLD promotional tour. You can ride the scooter wearing high heels!

Comparing Diesel, CNG and LNG

An article in The Province discusses some of the differences between natural gas, gasoline and diesel for powering trucks.

• Using natural gas can save $200,000 to $240,000 (Canadian dollars) over diesel.
• Four times as much compressed natural gas (CNG) is required to get the energy of one gallon of diesel.
• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is more compact. 1.8 cubic feet of LNG equals 1 cubic foot of diesel.
• Combusting natural gas requires a spark-ignited natural-gas engine (CNG or LNG) or high-pressure direct injection (LNG only). The latter uses a small amount of diesel to ignite the gas.
• Some companies retrofit trucks to burn a mix of CNG and diesel.
• There are about 1,300 CNG stations in North America, but only 80 LNG stations.
• Since 2010 natural gas and diesel engines have fairly similar environmental profiles.