Jason Greenblatt of SDG&E Clean Transportation Program sent us this notice:

Clean Transportation News From SDG&E

As a company with fleet operations, I wanted to provide an update on opportunitiesthat will help you if you’re considering using alternative fuel vehicles.

Energy Showcase

Please save the date for SDG&E’s 6th Annual Energy Showcase. During this yearly event, SDG&E invites local businesses to learn more about how to save energy and money through our programs and services, as well as new technologies. This year’s event will have a clean transportation section featuring alternative fuel/technology vehicles, from medium- and heavy- to light-duty sizes.

• WHEN:    Thursday, April 28, 2011, 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• 7:30 a.m. Exhibitor’s Pavilion with Transportation Section opens
• 8:30 a.m. Seminars Begin
• 11:30 a.m. Awards Luncheon
• WHERE: San Diego Convention Center

Reserve your spot and register online today! There is no charge for this event.

If you are unable to visit the transportation section at the Showcase, or if you would like to learn more about alternative fuel vehicles, we will also be holding a Commercial Vehicle Demonstration the next day, April 29, from 9am to 1pm. Please contact our Clean Transportation program specialist, Jason Greenblatt for more details.

APCD Funding Opportunity

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District recently announced availability of funds for projects that achieve early or extra emission reductions.  The funding is currently available for owners of heavy-duty diesel trucks used in freight movement to upgrade to cleaner technologies. Applications are due April 29, 2011. For more information, including how to apply, click here.

SDG&E’s Clean Transportation Program promotes electricity and natural gas as low carbon fuels and environmentally sound energy solutions for vehicles. For more information about the program,visit www.sdge.com/cleantransportation or contact me today.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles to San Diego April 28th and 29th, 2011 is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The 25,000 EVs will constitute most of GE’s fleet.

NEWS |  TRANSPORTATION

MICHAEL KANELLOS: NOVEMBER 11, 2010

The electric car industry has clamored for a case study to showcase they economics of electric cars. General Electric is giving them one.

The conglomerate said it would purchase 25,000 electric cars for its fleet. GE’s global car fleet right now is 30,000 cars so electrics will come to predominate. GE will buy 12,000 next year, including many Chevy Volts (General Motors only plans to make around 10,000 Volts through 2011, but could expand to 15,000). By 2015, half of the fleet cars will be electric.

This will likely make General Electric one of the largest owners of electric cars in the world. Wal-Mart, UPS, and other delivery companies are converting to electric and hybrid deliver trucks, but the size of GE’s fleet will be tough to match.

Fleet owners will be one of the important drivers for EVs. Nearly half of the cars sold are actually fleet cars, said Brandon Mason, Global Powertrain Lead Analyst, U.S. Auto Practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers at The Networked EV this week. It is also easier for fleet owners to incorporate technologies like high-powered charging stations or even battery swapping into the mix. Fleet cars ply circumscribed routes for the most part–employees aren’t taking them skiing on the weekend. As a result, charging stations and infrastructure can be localized.

Better Place, the battery swapping and charging guys, will launch in Israel with fleet customers. Proterra, the electric bus company, sells its buses with high speed chargers.

Electric cars, of course, would help GE’s bottom line. The company sells the WattStation charging station, but also transformers, smart grid equipment, sodium sulfur batteries and all those other components that will be required to beef up the grid for electric drive. Kevin Dasso at PG&E estimates that it will cost $150 million to $175 million to upgrade the grid for uncontrolled (i.e. peak hour) charging. Even with off-peak charging, upgrades will be needed.

General Electric to Purchase Massive Flotilla of Electric Cars is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

ATLANTA GA-Governor Perdue has officially declared August 23-27, 2010 as the first-ever “Georgia Telework Week.” The event will call attention to the tremendous potential for telework in Georgia to boost economic productivity, reduce traffic, improve air quality and save money.

Georgia employers who start or expand telework programs may qualify for tax credits up to $20,000 for program design and assessment, and up to an additional $1,200 for each new teleworking employee. This is the fourth and possibly final year such a credit will be available. The deadline to apply is October 31st, 2010.

In many areas of Georgia, more than half of all smog-forming emissions come from the tailpipes of cars. “When stricter air quality standards for the state are announced later this month, many areas will fail to meet air quality standards,” says Erin Clark, Alternative Workplace Arrangements Specialist for The Clean Air Campaign. “Telework is a highly cost-effective pollution reduction strategy, as every mile driven adds a pound of pollutants to our air.”

Formed in 1996 by government, business, civic, health, environmental and educational organizations, The Clean Air Campaign is a not-for-profit organization that is designed to motivate Georgians to take action to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion by encouraging commuters to use alternatives such as carpooling, transit, vanpooling, teleworking, biking and walking.

For more information about Georgia Telework Week and The Clean Air Campaign, visit http://CleanAirCampaign.org/TeleworkWeek or contact Mike Williams, Director of Programs (678.244.7708, mwilliams@cleanaircampaign.org).

Governor Declares First Ever Georgia Telework Week is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The 2010 San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition Survey is currently underway, we are gathering data regarding many organization’s alternative fuel/advanced technology fleets in order to complete our 2010 annual report for the Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Cities Program. The DOE uses this data to report to Congress, as required by the Energy Policy Act, on the success and benefits of the program and to calculate the millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel displaced in the nation due to the conversion of fleets from gasoline and diesel fuels to alternative fuel/advanced technologies.  The survey will ascertain the number and types of alternative vehicles currently in use, their various fuels and the frequency of use, the fueling station availability for both public and private entities, the idle-reduction and fuel economy improvements for fleets, vehicle miles traveled reduction and incentive programs, and other general information such as operational, stakeholder, and outreach activities of the Clean Fuel Coalition.

The survey will span various city governments of San Diego County, School Districts, Transit Systems, Private Enterprises, and many other fleet types. If you are a fleet manager in San Diego County please take some time to complete the linked survey; your most accurate information is truly appreciated.

Click here to take survey

As part of this years San Diego Clean Cities Survey there will be an updated list of the contributors, collaborators, and companies that have completed the survey and would like to be noted for their efforts in reducing petroleum fuel use. Thank you to all whom have put forward your efforts in transportation sustainability:

Private:

Allied Waste Services, Cloud Nine, EDCO, Kick Gas Co-op , TerraMoto Transportation , Port of San Diego, San Diego Zoo,

Public:

City & County:

Carlsbad , Chula vista , Coronado , Del Mar ,  El Cajon , Encinitas , Escondido , Imperial Beach , La Mesa , Lemon Grove , National City , Oceanside , Poway , San Diego , San Marcos , Santee , Solana Beach , Vista

State & Federal:

Airport Authority, Air Pollution Control District, Camp Pendleton,  California Highway Patrol, CalTrans, Olivehein Water District, Valley Center Water District, US Navy, US Postal Service,

Educational:

Transit Systems:

Chula Vista Transit, MTS, North County Lifeline Transit, North County Transit, SD Transit Authority

Non-Fleet Contributors:

NewLeaf BioFuels

2010 San Diego Clean Cities Progress Report is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

STORAGE WEEK 2010:

The Premier International Networking Hub for Grid-Scale Energy Storage and Renewables Integration

July 12-15, 2010 | Rancho Bernardo Inn | San Diego, CA

Four Integrated Events  Exploring  the  Accelerating Opportunities in Energy  Storage! Four Meetings in One Week  Covering  All Aspects  of a Game-Changing Set of Technologies & Applications Worth  Billions  in Future Market Share

#1. Community Energy  Storage

#2. Making  the  Business  Case  For Grid-Scale Storage  Projects

#3. The Energy  Storage  Summit  - Policy,  Opportunities & Economics

#4. The Technology & Investment Showcase

www.infocastinc.com/storage10

About the Summit In the tradition  of the previous two sold-out editions  of this flagship event, the expanded programming  of Storage Week promises  to be the ultimate  networking event of the year for anyone with a stake in the integration  of storage into the grid. The conference’s four separate  but complimentary events will cover the complete range of storage policies,  markets, project  applications and technologies. Storage Week will kick off with a pair of Workshops on July 12 – Community energy Storage and Making the Business Case For grid-Scale Storage Projects. The two-day energy Storage Summit – Policy, opportunities & economics (July 13 & 14) will examine  the market design, policy incentives  and barriers that apply to all storage systems. The Summit will be highlighted  by two separate  tracks: Bulk Storage and Grid Services.

Storage Week will conclude on July 15 with the Technology & Investment Showcase; a future-oriented day dedicated to investment  potential,  market trends and astonishing  new technology. All four days of the meeting  will not only tackle current  policy and market barriers but will provide a robust environment  for networking and deal-making  between storage vendors and users as well as investors and storage companies seeking venture  or growth capital.

Infocast would like to offer you a special discount valid for 10% off any
new registration for Storage Week 2010. This discount code is valid on any
new registration through June 12th. Please use code ACAA. Please feel free
to share this discount. Discount codes cannot be combined with any other
offer and are valid on new registrations only (valid with early-bird rate
through 6/12/10). If you have any questions about the event or would like to
register by phone please feel free to call me at (818) 888-4444.

Once  again, Storage Week is the place to be this July for anyone with a stake in the integration  of storage into the grid. Storage Week Event Structure  At A Glance: MONDAY July 12 #1 Community Energy Storage 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. #2 Making the Business Case for Grid-Scale Storage Projects 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. TUESDAY July 13 The Energy Storage Summit DAY ONE Policy, Opportunities & Economics 8 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. WEDNESDAY July 14 The Energy Storage Summit DAY TWO Morning Session 8 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Storage: Making It Real Afternoon Session 1:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Track One Bulk Storage Track Two Grid Services THURSDAY July 15 The Technology & Investment Showcase 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Grid-Scale Energy Storage and Renewables Integration is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

5-27-10 EPBF Future of the Electric Car (Business and Community)

The forum is a presentation of Net Impact, the Environmental Policy and Business Forum, and IR/PS.

Future of the Electric Car in Southern California – UCSD Event for San Diego Community – May 27 is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

County of San Diego:

Cut down on pollution while cutting your grass.  It’s possible by switching to the right mower, and this Saturday is a great chance to make the move.

The 11th Annual Lawn Mower Trade- in Event is scheduled for May 1, 2010 in the north parking lot of the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway.  County residents who drop off their gas-powered mower will be able to purchase a Black & Decker cordless, battery-rechargeable mower, at a discounted price.

Watch Public Service Announcement

“Save May 1st and join us in reducing air pollution by switching to an electric mower,” said County Supervisor Ron Roberts.  “You’ll get a great deal on the purchase of a new zero-emission, cordless electric lawnmower and you will be doing your part to ensure we have clean air to breathe and are reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

By participating in this event, you can eliminate the air pollution from your gas-powered lawn mower, which emits as much air pollution in one hour as driving a car 200 miles.

“In the last decade we have provided 4,395 mowers and eliminated more than 150 tons of air pollution – equivalent to taking 175,800 automobiles off the road,” Supervisor Roberts said.

Requirements

• Photo I.D. and proof of San Diego County residency (includes cities and unincorporated area).
  (Any of the following: California Driver License, state-issued Identification Card, passport, utility bill, or your personal check that shows your local address.)
• One (1) lawn mower per household, oil and gas emptied from tank prior to arrival.
  (To recycle your oil, call Waste Management at 619-596-5100 or 760-439-2824 or City of San Diego Environmental Services 858-492-5060.)
• Lawn mower must be in proper working condition and have all appropriate parts attached.
  (Lawn mower will be inspected, and fuel will be available in the event it is necessary to verify that your mower is in working condition.)
• $99.99
  (Cash or credit card with proper I.D.)

Parking

The North parking lot will be made available to participants, using the driveway on Pacific Highway to enter. Participants may also park in the South parking lot. Parking in the North lot and half of the South lot will be free; however, the other half of the South lot is paid parking run by Ace Parking. Metered parking is also available in the surrounding area. (Meter requirements on Saturdays begin at 8 a.m.)

Note to Participants

• There is a limited number of lawn mowers that will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.  (We suggest participants arrive earlier than the 8 a.m. start time. Feel free to bring a lawn chair for your comfort while in line.)
• One lawnmower per person.
• The “Start Line” will begin at the East driveway of the North parking lot on Pacific Highway.
• Important: Please do not leave your mower unattended until you have received your Participant Number. You must be in line with your old mower before a number can be given. A number cannot be given to a fellow participant holding your place in line or keeping an eye on your mower for you.

Lawn Mower Information

We will be distributing a Black & Decker 24 volt cordless mulching lawn mower (Model CMM1200).  The rechargeable battery operates the mower for about 1-hour. The unit comes with a 2-year factory warranty. For more specifications, visit the Black and Decker website.

For more information, call (858) 586-2707

Lawn Mower Trade-in: May 1st is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The San Diego Clean Fuel Coalition will be assisting Argonne National Labs in the EcoCAR Challenge – the 2010 EcoCAR Challenge Competition is May 17-27, 2010 in Yuma, Arizona and San Diego, CA. The Outreach event will be held May 24-25 in San Diego at the Westin Gaslamp. For more information please visit the EcoCAR Challenge website or GreenGarageBlog website.

ABOUT EcoCAR (From EcoCarChallenge.Org):

EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge is a three-year collegiate advanced vehicle technology engineering competition established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors (GM), and is being managed by Argonne National Laboratory.

The competition challenges 16 universities across North America to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles by minimizing the vehicle’s fuel consumption and reducing its emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance, safety and consumer appeal. Students use a real-world engineering process to design and integrate their advanced technology solutions into a GM-donated vehicle.

Students are designing and building advanced propulsion solutions that are based on vehicle categories from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) regulations. They explore a variety of cutting-edge clean vehicle solutions, including full-function electric, range-extended electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell technologies. In addition, students will incorporate lightweight materials into the vehicles, improve aerodynamics and utilize alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel and hydrogen.

Teams are following a real-world approach modeled after GM’s global vehicle development process (GVDP), giving students valuable experience in real-world engineering practices, resource allocation and meeting deliverables. While previous student engineering competitions focused primarily on hardware modifications, EcoCAR includes a unique focus on modeling and simulation, as well as subsystem development and testing.

During the three-year program, General Motors will provide vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, will provide competition management, team evaluation and technical and logistical support. Through sponsoring such advanced vehicle engineering competitions, GM and the U.S. Department of Energy are helping to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Year One

In the first year of EcoCAR, participating teams will use math-based design tools—such as Argonne’s Powertrain Systems Analysis toolkit (PSAT) or similar vehicle models research—to compare and select an advanced vehicle powertrain that meets the goals of the competition. Teams also use software to ensure that their chosen components fit into their vehicle and that the electrical, mechanical and software systems function properly. Teams also use software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) to better develop controls and subsystems.

Years Two and Three

In Years Two and Three, students translate their design into reality and develop a working vehicle that meets the competition’s goals. The teams come together at the end of each academic year to compete against the other university teams in more than a dozen static and dynamic events.

During the weeklong competition, student teams will demonstrate the vehicles so when compared to stock production vehicles they meet or exceed the following goals:

• Incorporate technologies that reduce petroleum energy consumption on the basis of a total fuel cycle
well-to-wheel (WTW) analysis;
• Increase vehicle energy efficiency;
• Reduce criteria and WTW greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria emissions; and
• Maintain consumer acceptability in the areas of performance, utility and safety.

EcoCAR Challenge is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

Air Resources Board unveils $3.7 million in rebates for clean vehicles

SACRAMENTO – On March 17th the California Air Resources Board announced $3.7 in rebates for zero-emission and plug-in hybrid vehicle rebates for
California drivers as part of an overall $42.3 million program that Governor
Schwarzenegger approved in 2007 to spur technological innovation in the
transportation sector.

The rebates offer up to $5,000 for the purchase of zero-emission and plug-in
hybrid light-duty vehicles and up to $20,000 for the purchase of
ARB-certified or approved zero-emission commercial vehicles on a first-come,
first-served basis.  Funding for the program comes from a dedicated revenue
stream that draws from smog abatement, vehicle registration, and vessel
registration fees.

“These rebates will make cleaner cars more affordable for California
consumers and give businesses and local governments an incentive to add
advanced vehicles to their fleets,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “The
monies get innovative vehicle technologies on the road more quickly so
California can meet its clean air and climate change goals.”

Rebates are available to individuals, business owners and government
entities in California that purchase or lease new eligible zero-emission or
plug-in hybrid electric light-duty vehicles now. Eligible vehicles are cars,
trucks, commercial
medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, motorcycles or neighborhood electric
vehicles.

In October 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 118 which provides
approximately $200 million annually through 2015 to the California Energy
Commission, the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the ARB to fund air quality
improvement projects that will accelerate clean engine technologies.  ARB
was appropriated approximately $42.3 million to fund air quality improvement
programs that will pay for cleaner equipment such as hybrid truck and buses,
zero-emission and plug-in hybrid cars, and motorcycles. The amount of
funding available to pay for these technologies is dependent on the amount
of revenues generated from vehicle and smog abatement fees.

Cars and trucks account for over half of the emissions that contribute to
ozone and particulate matter as well as about 30 percent of the total
greenhouse gas emissions in California.
Zero-emission vehicles and near-zero emission vehicles are a key element of
California’s plan for attaining health-based air quality as required in the
federal Clean Air Act.

Exhaust from cars and trucks have been known to exacerbate a variety of
conditions such as lung and heart disease, and asthma, and even contribute
to premature death.  Cleaner vehicles reduce California smog and climate
change emissions, and save consumers money.

A complete list of eligible vehicles, application and rebate instructions
can be found at: http://cvrp.energycenter.org

To learn more about what you can do to reduce your individual greenhouse gas
emissions, visit ARB’s carbon calculator at http://www.coolcalifornia.org

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental
Protection Agency.  ARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health,
welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air
pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy.  The
ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and
maintain health based air quality standards.

Incentives speed the introduction of advanced technology is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The San Diego Region has made great strides towards clean air.

Ozone concentrations have decline significantly during the past 20 years, and the number of days each year that the air basin exceeds the State and federal standards has also decreased. In addition, the San Diego Air Basin has not recorded a Stage I ozone episode (commonly called a smog alert) since 1991 nor a Stage II episode since 1979. A Stage I occurs when ozone levels reach 20 pphm and a Stage II alert is called at 35 pphm. The last health advisory for smog occurred in July 1998. A health advisory is issued when ozone levels reach 15 pphm.

Except for during the wildfires of October 2003 and 2007, particulate matter levels have also improved – the annual average declining 25% since 1986, the earliest year with comparable particulate data. This is in part due to reductions in emissions of ozone precursors, which also contribute to the formation of fine particulates.

Also, local emissions of toxic air contaminants from industrial sources have decreased about 82% since 1989 (the year when toxic air contaminant data became available).

To find out more about air quality, visit the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, APCD.

San Diego Air Quality is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition