News > April

Texas Makes Grant to Replace Heavy-Duty Diesel Fleets with Natural Gas
Texas has announced a $5 million grant program to provide 20 counties with an incentive to switch their fleets of heavy-duty vehicles to run on clean-burning natural gas. The program, funded through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, will help cover the cost of replacing diesel fleet vehicles—including street sweepers, forklifts, buses and refuse trucks—with natural gas-powered vehicles. Commissioner Jerry Patterson hopes the grant program will trigger a clean switch for as many as 30 heavy-duty fleets, helping to replace up to 500 heavy-duty diesel vehicles in cities such as Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston. Natural gas vehicles are a proven way to reduce emissions and are substantially quieter than diesel engines, which could dramatically reduce the noise-level of neighborhood trash pick up.
Source: Patterson announces plan to clean up garbage trucks, Austin-American Statesman

Chinese Government Makes Cleaner Cars a Policy Priority
A variety of alternative vehicles showcased at the recent Shanghai Auto Show were created not by well-established global automakers but by China's small but ambitious car companies. China's leaders are encouraging the development of clean-energy cars that can run on fuels such as natural gas, ethanol and hydrogen in an effort to reduce pollution and oil dependence—and to make China a creator of profitable technologies. Beijing has made cleaner cars a policy priority, targeting the field as one of 11 priority areas in a 15-year technology development plan issued in February 2006. It has promised grants and tax breaks to support industry efforts.
Source: Chinese Automakers Showcase Eco-Cars, Forbes Autos

Mercedes-Benz Shows Natural Gas Sprinter Van at UK Show
Mercedes-Benz displayed its prototype Sprinter 316 NGT natural gas van at the Commercial Vehicle Show in the UK. The new version of the dual-fuel van is slated for series production in 2008. The new Sprinter meets the European Community’s stringent “enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles” (EEV) standard and produces 25% less CO2 than the gasoline version. DHL, Deutsche Post, and UPS are currently testing the vehicle in Germany.
Source: Mercedes-Benz Shows Upcoming Natural Gas Sprinter at UK Commercial Vehicle Show, Green Car Congress

Alabama Port Switches to Biodiesel to Reduce Petroleum Dependence
The Alabama State Port Authority has approved a biodiesel program it says will “achieve energy independence and cleaner air." Involving nearly 125 pieces of equipment, the program follows a year of research that included a three-month pilot program. All of the port's diesel equipment, including eight locomotive engines, three cranes, and dozens of vehicles, will immediately start using a fuel that is 20 percent biodiesel. Using a biodiesel blend, rather than pure biodiesel, does not require equipment to be retrofitted, so the program costs are minimal because the price per gallon for the fuel is about the same.
Source: Port Authority starts using biodiesel fuel, The Press-Register

GM’s New Volt Now Uses Half as Much Hydrogen
General Motors Corp. has unveiled a Chevrolet Volt with a new twist on the ``E-flex'' plug-in electric vehicle system: it uses half as much hydrogen as GM's previous fuel cell required. This version combines a lithium battery with a hydrogen fuel cell that fits in the same space as a traditional four-cylinder engine to provide up to 300 miles of petroleum- and emission-free electric driving. The vehicle can also drive 20 miles on a plug-in charge alone. GM says it is working to develop a vehicle that costs no more than equivalent traditional internal-combustion propelled vehicles as early as 2010.
Source: New Volt gets jolt from fuel cell, The Beacon Journal

Major U.S. Oil Company to Develop Alternative Fuels
ConocoPhillips has become the first major U.S. oil company to implement programs to develop alternative fuels. The company, the fifth largest oil company in the world, has doubled research spending on alternative energy to $150 million and is also funding a $22 million project at Iowa State University to develop biofuels over the next eight years. Other members of the big oil club—Chevron, BP and Royal Dutch Shell—have already begun programs to develop alternative fuels. The world's largest oil company, Exxon-Mobil, however remains strictly focused on petroleum and has funded research that questions the human impact on global warming.
Source: ConocoPhillips Accepts Climate Change, Develops Alternative Fuels, Voice of America

Natural Gas Vehicles: One of Best Choices for ‘Green’ Motorists
Gasoline-electric hybrids are the glamorous celebrities of the automotive world these days, but there are other choices for those who want to drive green. One of the best could be cars or trucks that run on compressed natural gas, or CNG. They run far cleaner than gasoline or diesel vehicles, their fuel costs about 33% less and most of the stuff is natural gas produced in the U.S., helping reduce dependency on foreign oil.
Source: Natural gas: It's the alternative alternative, Los Angeles Times

Air Force Explores Biofuel Use to Cut Costs
The Air Force is optimistically looking at alternative energy sources, including biofuels, to help cut costs in the future. Undersecretary of the Air Force, Dr. Ronald M. Sega, said the service is interested in biofuels as one of many possible alternative energy sources to help cut the service’s enormous fuel costs. The Air Force, which uses 2.5 million gallons of gasoline per year, already uses renewable energy sources on many of its bases and is experimenting with use of such fuel sources in aviation.
Source: Air Force explores biofuel use, The Coloradoan

New York Times Tests Plug-In Hybrid Van, First on East Coast
The New York Times has received the first medium-duty plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) on the East Coast. The van, a Dodge Sprinter PHEV, was made available through a partnership the Times struck with DaimlerChrysler, Con Edison, the New York Power Authority, and Electric Power Research Institute. The agreement was formed to test and evaluate plug-in hybrid technology. The collected data will help determine future design and functionality to make PHEV’s available to consumers.
Source: 'NYT' Uses Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle for Distribution, Editor & Publisher

Biofuel Pioneers Cover 21,000 miles and 16 Countries
Two kayakers from Montana have just completed the longest gasoline-free road trip in the world. Seth Warren, 29, and Tyler Bradt, 20, began their international trip in Alaska in July 2006, heading down the PanAmerican highway in a fire engine fueled by any kind of oil locally available—including Alaskan salmon oil, Mexican lard, Colombian palm oil and Chilean restaurant grease. Nine months, 16 countries, and 21,000 miles later they drove into Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Warren and Bradt have founded the Biofuels Education Coalition, a non-profit group aimed at educating youth to make sustainable lifestyle choices through alternative energy.
Source: Biofuel pioneers cover 21,000 miles, The Financial Times

School Districts Seeking CNG Plug-in Hybrid School Buses
A group of California school districts and transportation organizations is seeking $3.25 million in funding to acquire CNG Plug-in Hybrid school buses through a grant from the California Air Resources Board and other entities. As a group, these districts would become the first fleet operators to deploy the clean-burning CNG Plug-In Hybrid School Bus. Among the school districts seeking the grant is Fresno Unified. Last year, the city of Fresno ordered a heavy-duty refuse truck with the same plug-in series-hybrid CNG fueling system—the first of its kind.
Source: California School Districts Seeking Funds for CNG Plug-in Hybrid School Buses, Green Car Congress

Biobutanol: More Promising than Ethanol
Biobutanol, the plant based fuel similar to ethanol, promises more power and less transport headaches. Biobutanol is nearly as efficient as gasoline, whereas corn-based ethanol is only about 70 percent as efficient as gasoline. Biobutanol doesn't absorb water like ethanol, so the fuel could be added to gasoline right at the refiner and shipped via the same pipeline and infrastructure. The production of biobutanol is nearly identical to ethanol, but can it be done cheaply enough?  The key difference is the enzyme and a breakthrough in finding the right enzyme at the right price is the trick. Scientists at the government's National Renewable Energy Laboratory are cautiously optimistic, suggesting a breakthrough with the enzyme is still needed.
Source: Better than ethanol, CNNMoney.com

Scientists Warn of Environmental Impact of Biofuel Boom
Biofuel has been touted as the renewable energy source that allows us all to carry on driving our cars while at the same time protecting the environment. An entire industry has grown up around it, with more and more land being given over to its production. Yet a growing body of scientists, economists, environmental campaigners and development experts are expressing doubts about the biofuel boom. While there is broad consensus that such fuels are in themselves less carbon-emitting and therefore less atmospherically damaging than fossil fuels, their growth, production, distillation and transport to point of retail do all have a substantial environmental impact. An impact that, critics argue, offsets, and in many instances actually outweighs, the environmental benefits.
Source: Biofuel: Green savior or red herring?, CNN

Hybrids Staging a Comeback
Hybrids and other small cars are carving out a growing market share in America as consumers come to the realization that high gas prices are here to stay. Toyota's U.S. division has reported that, "Record U.S. sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids have now topped the half-million mark." So far this year, Toyota has sold 61,635 hybrids in the United States, up 68 percent from the first three months of last year. That includes 28,453 hybrids last month. California and Washington, D.C. are the two hottest markets in the country for the popular Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle.
Source: Hybrids and Small Cars Staging a Comeback, Consumer Affairs

City of Dallas First in the Nation to Use NOx-Cutting Biodiesel Technology
The City of Dallas runs much of its fleet on biodiesel, and the city’s fleet will now become the first in the nation to utilize a new biodiesel additive that reduces NOx (oxides of nitrogen) emissions—one of the primary causes of ozone pollution in North Texas. The additive, which is blended with B20 biodiesel, recently received approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). TCEQ-supervised testing shows the ORYXE Energy additive cuts NOx to a level that is acceptable for biodiesel to meet state air-quality standards. The City of Dallas is fueling several hundred vehicles with the new biodiesel blend, including sanitation trucks, utility trucks and construction equipment.
Source: City of Dallas First in the Nation to Use NOx-Cutting Biodiesel Technology from ORYXE Energy, eMediaWire

USPS & UPS are Leaders in Powering Large Vehicle Fleets with Alternative Fuels
By using more alternative fuel vehicles, the Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx are showing their commitment to reducing oil consumption and environmental impacts. The U.S. Postal Service has the largest alternative vehicle fleet in the world—almost 13 percent of its 289,000 vehicle fleet are alternative fuel vehicles such as hybrids, biodiesel, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. UPS operates the largest private alternative fuel fleet in its industry, using more than 1,500 compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, hydrogen fuel cell, and hybrid vehicles. FedEx is using close to 100 hybrid-electric diesel trucks in its fleet.
Source: Twenty in Ten: Powering Large Vehicle Fleets with Alternative Fuels, The Auto Channel

French Government Aims to Raise Biodiesel Blend Level to 7%
France aims to raise the maximum level of biodiesel that can be blended with standard diesel—a move key to reaching the country's ambitious biofuel targets. France, the second biggest European producer of biodiesel after Germany, has set a goal for biofuels to account for 5.75 percent of fuels sold in the country by the end of next year and seven percent in 2010. Raising the blending ceiling should enable the country to meet the 5.75 percent target. Biofuel industry players have praised the objective, which goes beyond targets set by the European Commission.
Source: France aims to lift maximum biodiesel blend level, Reuters

Gas Company Helps LACMTA NGV Bus Fleet Grow to Largest in U.S.
The nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, Southern California Gas Co., has successfully renewed its status as a ‘Climate Action Leader’ with the California Climate Action Registry. Among other environmentally responsible achievements, the utility has helped the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority create the largest fleet of natural gas-fueled buses in the United States. The natural gas vehicle fleet grew from 200 NGV buses in 1994 to more than 2,200 NGV buses today. In just six years, the use of NGV buses in the Los Angeles area brought about a 7,200-ton reduction in nitrogen-oxide emissions, which are a component of smog.
Source: The Gas Company Earns 'Climate Action Leader' Distinction From California Environmental Registry, PrimeNewswire

DHL Plans for 50% of its United Arab Emirates Fleet to be CNG Vehicles
Under the slogan ‘we travel naturally', DHL has announced plans to add compressed natural gas powered vans (CNGs) to its United Arab Emirates fleet. The company will endeavor to have natural gas vehicles account for at least 50 percent of the DHL express delivery fleet in the UAE by 2009. With gasoline and diesel powered vehicles contributing significantly to pollution in the UAE, natural gas is emerging as the alternative fuel of choice. The fuel is forecast to account for 20 percent of road traffic fuel consumption in the UAE by 2012.
Source: DHL commits to introducing environment friendly alternative fuel vehicles, Arabian Business

Energy Companies Rethink Value of Palm Oil as a Biofuel
Palm oil was once seen as an ideal biofuel, but in calculating the carbon count of producing palm oil fuel, the balance appears increasingly negative. A research report has claimed some plantations produce far more carbon dioxide than they save and major power companies in Britain and the Netherlands have put plans to switch to palm oil on hold. The palm oil debate is just one example of many that question the value of vegetable oils as substitutes for fossil fuels.
Source: Energy companies rethink palm oil as biofuel, CheckBiotech.org