With increasing numbers of electric vehicles hitting the road in the San Diego region, the demand for public charging infrastructure is growing.  Thanks to the EV Project, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and ECOtality, San Diego businesses have the opportunity to host charging stations at greatly reduced rates. ECOtality, along with San Diego Gas & Electric will be hosting a forum for potential hosts on Wednesday January 25^th at SDG&E’s Energy Innovation Center.   More information and registration for this free forum can be found here.

Blink units are now popping up through the San Diego region, and hundreds more are expected in the coming months.  Business interested in hosting a unit should act soon as incentives will be expiring soon

Upcoming forum for business interested in hosting EV charging stations is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The San Diego County based recycling and disposal company EDCO is now collecting vegetable oils and grease at all five of its recycling centers in the County for eventual conversion to biodiesel. The locations in La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Fallbrook, Ramona, and San Marcos will be accepting oil and grease during normal recycling hours and shipping it to New Leaf Biofuel, San Diego’s only local producer of biodiesel.

Fats, oils, and greases can cause sewer backups when poured down the drain,  but can be processed into a sustainable biofuel when properly collected. Restaurants can continue to enjoy grease collection service directly from New Leaf,  but now consumers have the chance to contribute to clean transportation fuels at the same time they drop off their recycling at any EDCO location.

EDCO Collecting Used Cooking Oil is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

Green Fleets Magazine recently announced their first-ever Sustainability All-Star award recipients, and UC San Diego fleet manager Jim Ruby was among those reconized. An active member of the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition board, Jim strives to operate the university’s 800+ vehicle fleet in the most environmental friendly way possible, and has been a great resource for other fleets in the region looking to do the same. Congratulations Jim!

Ruby brings 30 years of industry experience to direct the operation and maintenance of over 800 campus vehicles.  Under his guidance, UCSD has procured more than 50 hybrid-electric cars and has converted more than 40% of the campus fleet to Zero Emissions Vehicles. He led the conversion of the University’s diesel fleet to use ultra-low sulfur B-20 biodiesel. He developed and implemented the plans for UCSD’s Alternative Fuels Station.

During his tenure as fleet manager, UCSD obtained the UC/CSU Best Practices award for its Electric Vehicle program and has been recognized by California EPA as a “Model Pollution Prevention Vehicle Service and Repair Facility.” UCSD has received the San Diego Excellence in Energy Efficiency award for “Sustainable Transportation Program.”

Ruby serves on San Diego Regional Clean Cities Coalition’s board and served on San Diego Area Government’s (SANDAG) Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Study Team. His campus recognition includes UCSD’s “Earth Week Sustainability Award for Outstanding Staff Contribution” and the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability for contributions to UCSD’s sustainability goals. Fleet Services’ facilities have been awarded LEED EB Silver, and the University participates in the EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program.

UCSD’s Jim Ruby Named Sustianability All-Star by Green Fleets Magazine is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

MotorWeek visited San Diego recently to learn about the region’s success in promoting plug-in vehicles and public EVSE. The show aired on PBS stations nationwide as well as on Discovery HD Theater. You can view the segment below starting at minute 7.

Watch the full episode. See more MotorWeek.

MotorWeek checks out San Diego’s EV scene is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) has partnered with ROUSH CleanTech, an industry leader in propane autogas technology, and Ferrellgas, a nationwide propane supplier, as a part of an 18-month mobile exhibit program highlighting residential energy efficiency and home improvements. The CCSE Residential Energy Roadshow, which kicked off August 26-28 at the San Diego Home, Hot Tub & Landscape Show, is designed to educate and inspire Southern Californians to learn about and implement energy-saving practices in home efficiency, solar technologies and alternative-fuel transportation.

“Thanks to generous donations from ROUSH CleanTech and Ferrellgas, hundreds of thousands of Californians will be able to learn about home energy efficiency, solar energy and the products and incentives available to them when visiting the mobile exhibit,” said Irene Stillings, CCSE executive director. “This is a perfect example of how multiple clean technologies can work together to demonstrate energy savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote more sustainable practices.”

Using a Ford F-250 pickup truck with the ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane autogas fuel system, CCSE will transport the exhibit to community events throughout San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The truck will have access to Ferrellgas propane autogas stations for refueling at more than 200 locations in California alone.

The CCSE Residential Energy Roadshow is funded in part by the Department of Energy in support of the goals of its BetterBuildings Neighborhood Program and two California programs, Energy Upgrade California™ and Go Solar California! Various manufacturers and service providers have donated generously to the exhibit as well.

“Ferrellgas is proud to partner with the California Center for Sustainable Energy and ROUSH CleanTech to educate Californians about ways to save money and the environment by implementing energy efficiency solutions in their homes and at their businesses,” said George Koloroutis, president of Ferrell North America and senior vice president of Ferrellgas. “As the nation’s leading propane retailer, we’ve been doing just that for more than 70 years.”

Vehicles powered by propane autogas emit up to 24 percent fewer greenhouse gasses and 20 percent less nitrogen oxide, with significantly fewer particulates. All of this can help improve the air Californians breath and lower the emissions footprint of commercial fleets across the state. Historically, propane autogas costs 30 to 40 percent less than gasoline and requires less vehicle maintenance due to its clean-burning properties, making it an economical alternative as well.

“This is a great partnership that will showcase to Californians that propane autogas is the most readily deployable and flexible alternative fuel,” said Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing for ROUSH CleanTech. “Propane autogas can immediately address air quality concerns for residents.”

The BetterBuildings Neighborhood Program supports forty competitively selected communities nationwide that are using innovation and investment in energy efficiency to expand the building improvement industry, test program delivery business models and create jobs with an emphasis on home energy improvement.

Energy Upgrade California is a California program designed to guide homeowners in making energy-efficient upgrades to reduce energy use, conserve natural resources and create more comfortable and efficient homes. Go Solar California! is the marketing campaign for the California Solar Initiative, an incentive program designed to encourage Californians to install 3,000 megawatts of solar energy systems on homes and businesses by the end of 2016 and 585 million therms of gas-displacing solar hot water systems by the end of 2017.  Energy Upgrade California and Go Solar California! are joint efforts of the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.

As the only organization in California concurrently administering aspects of all three energy programs and a variety of clean transportation initiatives, CCSE developed this mobile showcase to provide a one-stop information resource for homeowners to help them understand their options and make their energy decisions easier. The exhibit addresses a wide range of sustainability practices to save energy and money, such as capturing rainwater, insulating homes and using new lighting technologies.

More information, including a schedule of events, is available at http://www.energycenter.org/roadshow.

On the Road for a Clean Energy Future is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

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

(Source: Environmental News Service)

SAN DIEGO, California, January 31, 2011 (ENS) – San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Monday rolled out Smart City San Diego, a broad public-private collaboration that aims to improve the region’s energy independence, empower consumers to adopt electric vehicles, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive economic growth.

Smart City San Diego partners are the City of San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric, GE, the University of California San Diego and CleanTECH San Diego, a nonprofit organization that includes business and financial leaders, academic and research institutes, government agencies and other nonprofits.

“With the San Diego region currently preparing for one of the largest initial deployments of electric vehicles in the country, the first priority for Smart City San Diego is to expand current projects to implement a comprehensive electric vehicle infrastructure,” said Mayor Sanders.

Electric car draws power from a GE WattStation in San Diego. (Photo courtesy GE)

“This is the first of many initiatives that our partners throughout the region will undertake to make San Diego the foremost resource-conscious community in the United States,” the mayor said.

Electric vehicles offer tremendous benefits to consumers and the city while posing significant challenges, the mayor said.

While electric vehicles could reduce U.S. oil importation by 52 percent, and electricity costs per mile are calculated at one-quarter to one-third the cost of gasoline, there are obstacles to overcome.

Grid reliability, consumer impact, public charging and alternative fuel options are some of the issues Smart City San Diego intends to address as part of a comprehensive plan to bring more efficient, reliable and sustainable energy to everyday living.

GE is involved through its charging station, the GE WattStation, which charges vehicles quickly and uses smart grid technology that allows utility companies to manage the impact EVs have on the local and regional electric grids.

“Increasingly, competitiveness will be determined by our ability to grow in a prosperous yet sustainable manner,” said Bob Gilligan, vice president, Digital Energy, GE Energy Services at Monday’s event. “GE is helping San Diego and cities around the world strike a balance between these seemingly contradictory goals.”

The Smart City San Diego plan includes five electric vehicle initiatives:

• To streamline EV charging, UC San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric and GE will demonstrate smart technologies to identify when and where charging will occur, and work with electric vehicle owners to better manage charging loads.
• To ensure easy and rapid deployment of electric vehicle chargers for both home and public-access locations, San Diego Gas & Electric and the City of San Diego will develop an efficient electric vehicle permitting process.
• To test the technical and economic feasibility of achieving zero tailpipe emissions, UC San Diego, GE and San Diego Gas & Electric will use UC San Diego’s solar and fuel cell renewable energy generation infrastructure. CleanTECH San Diego will link anticipated technology needs in the electric vehicle sector and innovators in the region.
• To quantify the economic impacts of the electric vehicle initiatives, such as cluster growth, incremental job growth and training needs, CleanTECH San Diego and the City of San Diego will collaborate.
• The collaborators plan to enlist a consumer focus group of 50 UC San Diego students, faculty, and staff who will be offered commercial leases on electric vehicles, charging their vehicles through UC San Diego’s planned electric vehicle infrastructure.

“UC San Diego is committed to working with our partners to develop and demonstrate innovations that will enable carbon-free transportation,” said Marye Anne Fox, the university’s chancellor.

“Through our collaboration, and the university’s significant investment in renewable energy generation and storage, smart grid communication infrastructure and the expertise of our faculty and staff,” said Fox, “we are poised to help with the successful adoption of electric vehicles in San Diego and eventually mainstream America.”

San Diego Gets EV-Ready With New ‘Smart City’ Collaboration is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

Federal Fleet Management 101 helps Federal agencies meet Executive Order (E.O.) 13514 and other Federal fleet requirements through best practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum consumption while increasing alternative fuel use and fleet fuel efficiency.

First Thursday Seminars are FEMP training opportunities targeting Federal energy, environmental, and fleet professionals offered at no cost by leading experts. The training sessions are delivered live via satellite or through streaming media at your desktop.

What you will learn:

• IDENTIFY the best strategies for reducing vehicle miles traveled, increasing fuel economy, and acquiring alternative fuel and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
• COMPLY with greenhouse gas and petroleum reduction data reporting requirements related to Federal fleets.
• UNDERSTAND how to right-size and optimize the composition of your agency’s vehicle fleet.

Registration closes 24 hours prior to the training session. It is important to test your system and trouble shoot any issues before signing on the day of the training.

FEMP First Thursday Seminars are Free of Charge. Download the Federal Fleet Management 101 seminar flyer.

Instructors:

Amanda Sahl, Federal Energy Management Program.

Amanda Sahl serves as Program Lead for the Federal Fleet Management program at the DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). She is responsible for overseeing Federal fleet reporting and drafting Federal fleet management guidance. Prior to joining FEMP in 2007, Ms. Sahl received her Masters of Environmental Science from Yale University and held positions with the Global Environment Facility and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Brad Gustafson, Federal Energy Management Program.

Brad Gustafson serves as FEMP’s Supervisor for Applied Technology Services. In 1995, he began supporting Federal energy initiatives as an employee of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. While at FEMP, he has acted as Project Facilitator for Energy Saving Performance Contracts (ESPC), Program Manager for Technology Transfer, Utility Program Manager, and Federal Fleet Program Manager. In 2002, he served as Legislative Advisor for Senator Lincoln Chafee. Before joining FEMP, Mr. Gustafson was Program Manager for the Pacific Gas (PG&E) HVAC program at the PG&E Energy Center.

For more information:
1-877-EERE-INFO (1-877-337-3463)
femp.energy.gov

Federal Energy Management Program: First Thursday Seminars is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

Below are some alternative fuel related articles found this week.

Tax Credit, Court Ruling Put Biodiesel Industry on Solid Ground for 2011

On Tuesday, a federal appeals court unanimously rejected an attempt by the oil refining industry to block the EPA’s renewable fuel standard (RFS2), which mandates blending of biodiesel into US diesel supplies. On Friday, the compromise tax and unemployment benefit bill, which included a renewal of the biodiesel producer tax credit, was signed into law by president Obama. After months of hardship brought on by policy uncertainties, the biodiesel industry can adopt on optimistic outlook on 2011. Read more about this article by Josh Garrett on HeatingOil.com.

Powering truck fleets with fried chicken

New Leaf Biofuel, based in Barrio Logan, collects used cooking oil from nearly 1,000 local restaurants and converts it to biodiesel. It sells that to distributors who market the fuel to customers running fleets of diesel trucks, including the Allied Waste fleet of trash and recycling trucks in Chula Vista and C&D Towing in Barrio Logan. Allied Waste has been using biodiesel since 1993. This article features comments and discussions by New Leaf Biofuel CEO Jennifer Case, who recently joined the Board of Directors of the San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition. Read more about this article by Peggy Peattie on signonsandiego.com.

Gasoline Demand Defies “Experts” and Drops

Defying all the “experts,” gasoline demand in the U.S. has dropped 8% since 2006 when demand peaked. Prevailing wisdom has held since the OPEC oil shocks of the mid-1970s that that supplies would not keep pace with demand, eventually leading to the end of the oil supply. Quoted by Independent presidential candidate Rep. John B. Anderson (I-Ill.) Sept. 23, 1980, while debating former President Ronald Reagan, the American Petroleum Institute predicted that world oil demand would exceed available supply by 1990. Today’s U.S. Energy Dept. report indicates that, with the new breed of fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel vehicles, gasoline demand should drop by another 20% by 2030, leaving the world awash in gasoline. Despite increased consumption by the rest of the industrialized and developing worlds, gasoline demand should continue to drop in those countries too. Read more about this article by John M. Curtis on examiner.com.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Biodiesel Blend in US Diesel Supplies, Gasoline Demand Drop, and Powering Truck Fleets with Fried Chicken is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition

On November 30, 2010, the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition hosted a Clean Start event at the CCSE. Over 35 fleet managers and alternative fuel enthusiasts attended the workshop to learn about propane fueling options, fleet conversions and the fueling infrastructure currently being developed in the region.

Here are some highlights from the speaker, Jon Van Bogart, from CleanFuelUSA:

• Propane is an national focus for alternative fuels because its carbon footprint is smaller than petroleum and diesel, it exists everywhere, is easily transportable, and large propane storage facilities already exist around the U.S.

• Propane received a lot of Federal Stimulus money.

• There are ~200 propane fueling stations nationwide. Thirteen are currently in CA. Ten million vehicles run on propane in the U.S.

• Ten new stations will be coming to San Diego (the majority will be public access although some school districts may be eligible for a private site.) Expo Propane will be installing the stations locally.

• There will be free training for CNG and Propane at service centers (to be determined) for one year. These service centers will include free classes to educate and certify technicians.

• Nationwide station locator http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/propane_locations.html

• Propane qualifies for all federal and state rebates that are based on weight/class.

• Federal funding through the IRS AFV tax credit can be found on the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/article/0,,id=202341,00.html.

• CA State incentives are available through CARB and CEC.  The CEC AB-118 Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program has vehicle buydown incentives for all the fuels and technologies including propane.  Propane has $2M in the 2009-2010 FY, and $3M in the 2010-2011 FY investment plans. The Executive Summary for the 2010-2011 Investment plan showing funding allocations:  http://www.energy.ca.gov/2009-ALT-1/documents/2010-09-13_Executive_Summary_CMF.pdf.

• Propane is now less expensive than diesel on a cost per mile basis ($.16 for propane vs. $.22 for diesel fuel)

• Propane is projected to grow from 8% of all U.S. motor fuel consumption to 20% in the next 10-15 years.

Propane Fueling Infrastructure Underway in San Diego is a post from: San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition