New York Gov. Pataki’s energy plan supports alternative fuels
New York Governor George Pataki has proposed a nine-point Strategic Energy Action plan to help reduce the state’s dependence on foreign oil. The plan calls for an increased use of alternative fuels and provides tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles, incentives for alternative fuel production and HOV lane access.
Source: Pataki unveils energy plan, The Empire Journal

Santa Clarita supporting alternative fuels
Santa Clarita, CA has invested $4 million in a compressed natural gas fueling station at its soon-to-be-open $24 million transit depot. The city also recently purchased 14 CNG buses and plans to replace the 34 diesel buses by 2012.
Source: Fuel prices provide a push, Los Angeles Daily News

Green fuels for your car
With Hurricane Katrina wreaking havoc on the national energy scene, alternative fuels are becoming a more widely recognized option. Ethanol, biodiesel and natural gas are all alternative fuel options available today that can help alleviate the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.
Source: ‘Green’ fuels for your car, CBS News

Ohio Gov. Taft orders state to use more alternative fuels
Governor Bob Taft has mandated one of every four gallons of fuel used to power Ohio’s fleet of diesel vehicles will be biodiesel. Taft has also ordered the 193 existing flex-fuel vehicles to start burning more ethanol. All new vehicles purchased by the Ohio Department of Transportation will also be required to be flex-fuel.
Source: Taft orders state to use more alternative fuels, The Plain Dealer

Pakistan to continue 6-day work week
While the Pakistani government has decided to keep its 6-day work week, it has also discussed greater use of CNG in urban transport for public use and fiscal incentives for importing CNG conversion kits.
Source: Govt. to continue with 6-day workweek, Online News Network

Diesel engine converted to natural gas meets EPA standards
The ESI Phoenix NG 7.6L is a dedicated natural gas OEM engine that utilizes a diesel engine as its base platform. ESI re-designed the diesel engine into a natural gas engine that meets and exceeds the EPA 2007 emission requirements.
Source: Independent lab confirms ESI Phoenix NG 7.6L natural gas engine will meet and exceed 2007 EPA emission standards, Emissions Solutions Inc.

New prize: alternative fuels
The impact of Hurricane Katrina on gasoline prices has been a bracing reality check, leading many to steer away from gas-gulping sport utility vehicles and toward more fuel-efficient vehicles. E85, a fuel consisting of corn-based ethanol with a splash of gasoline, has emerged as a viable alternative to gasoline.
Source: The new prize: alternative fuels, The New York Times

Berkeley reduces greenhouse gas
Berkeley, CA has reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the city by 14 % in the past two years with the use of alternative fuels. The greatest cut in greenhouse gases, 47%, came from city vehicles, resulting from the use of biodiesel, electric, natural gas and hybrid electric-gasoline powered vehicles.
Source: Greenhouse emissions reduced by biodiesel, SFGate.com

Railway showcases new technology for cleaner air quality
Public officials and community leaders were given demonstrations of the latest environmentally-friendly rail equipment, including displays of BNSF’s “Green Goat”, a hybrid switch engine that uses a clean and efficient micro-turbine ad battery. Guests also viewed the only four LNG locomotives in the US.
Source: BNSF Railway showcases new technology for cleaner air quality and more efficient freight movement in southern California, Yahoo! Finance

Toyota plans all vehicles to be hybrids
The Toyota Motor Corporation claimed that all its vehicles would eventually run on hybrid gasoline-electric motors. The announcement comes on the heels of record high fuel prices and consumers’ heightened interest in hybrid vehicles.
Source: Toyota says it plans eventually to offer an all-hybrid fleet, The New York Times

New Jersey Clean Air Measure approved
A plan to reduce pollution from diesel garbage trucks, transit buses and school buses was signed into law by Acting Governor Richard Codey. If financing is approved by voters in a Nov. 8th ballot referendum, the money will be used to retrofit vehicles over the next 10 years to reduce emissions.
Source: Clean Air Measure approved, The New York Times

Montana examining coal-to-gas fuel
Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer believes Montana’s vast supply of coal could answer the growing fueling cost problem by turning coal into ultra-clean-burning diesel fuel. Schweitzer predicts the fuel could be produced at approximately $1 per gallon if large-scale commercial plants are developed in the state.
Source: Coal rush, Missoula Independent

Michigan more than ready for move to alternative fuels
Bay-area Democratic Party legislators are preparing bills that would require all gasoline sold in Michigan to contain 10% ethanol and all diesel fuel to contain 5% vegetable oil. Today’s gasoline engines can run on a 10% ethanol blend and service station equipment can handle such a blend without changes.
Source: Michigan more than ready for move to alternative fuels, Mlive.com

Bangladesh cuts workweek to save fuel costs
The workweek in Bangladesh has been reduced to five days in an effort to reduce fuel costs. All government, semi-government and autonomous organizations will add an extra hour to a five-day workweek rather than commuting on a sixth day. The government has also ordered all public transport to convert to CNG, with some 40,000 vehicles already converted since 1996.
Source: Fuel-hungry Bangladesh introduces two-day weekend, Reuters

Metro Van Lines switch to biodiesel
Metro Van Lines is switching its entire fleet over to biodiesel. The transition began with the purchase of a Dodge biofuel van and the company now plans to convert the rest of its fleet to the alternative fuel source.
Source: Working with alternative fuels, The Sudbury Town Crier

Automakers steer fuel-cell cars to California Roads
General Motors Corp., Honda Motors and BMW have plans to introduce hydrogen-powered, “zero-emission” cars in California. BMW plans to introduce a vehicle powered by a gasoline engine and hydrogen fueling system, while GM is developing a demonstration car called the Sequel, powered by a compressed hydrogen engine.
Source: Automakers steer fuel-cell cars to California roads, Reuters

Boston responds to higher gas prices with CNG
In response to soaring gas prices, Massachusetts’s Executive Office of Transportation plans to have nearly half its vehicles running on CNG within the next few months. Switching the vehicles to CNG could save the state as much as 60 cents a gallon.
Source: State transportation agency looks for cheaper fuel sources, Boston.com

Biodiesel next big thing in Minnesota
Minnesota’s biodiesel law, which goes into effect September 29, will require diesel fuel to contain a 2 percent vegetable oil blend. The law has existed for the past two years, but remained dormant until the fuel’s producers proved they could make at least 8 million gallons of biodiesel per year.
Source: In Minnesota, biodiesel is next big thing, The Washington Post

Santa Clarita running on CNG
14 CNG-fueled buses were recently added to Santa Clarita’s local fleet. The remaining 27 diesel-powered buses will eventually be phased out and replaced with more CNGVs.
Source: Santa Clarita now running buses on CNG, The Los Angeles Daily News

Rising fuel costs pinching Inland school districts
Inland districts are trying to avoid passing cost increases on to riders, with many dipping into their general fund to pay fuel bills. Mike Fine, deputy superintendent for the Riverside Unified School District, said money put into fuel costs could have gone into the classroom.
Source: Rising fuel costs pinching Inland school districts, PE.com

DOE Awards provide over $5 million for alternative fuels and vehicles
The DOE’s Clean Cities program has been granted $5,444,138 to promote an AFV infrastructure, acquire AFV school buses and refueling stations and promote sustainable heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle fleet markets.
Source: Energy Department awards $16.5 million for state energy saving projects, U.S. Department of Energy

Honda Civic GX: clean, green and seen in the car-pool lanes
The Honda Civic GX may be the most provocative car to ply California’s polluted freeways this year. With a new home refueling device, Honda is preparing to expand the GX’s customer base to include more private owners.
Source: Honda Civic GX: clean, green and seen in the car-pool lanes, The New York Times