QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Question of the Month: What driver behaviors can help reduce petroleum consumption?

Answer: There are many simple changes fleet managers and individual drivers can adopt to improve vehicle efficiency, decrease fuel consumption, save money, and reduce emissions. In fact, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that improved driving behavior can reduce fuel consumption by an average of 10% and up to 20% for aggressive drivers; see the final report at http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/vsa/pdfs/50836.pdf. Below are strategies fleet managers and individuals may consider to improve fuel efficiency.

Fuel Conservation Techniques for Drivers
Both fleets and individual drivers can save fuel by implementing the following practices:

•  Reducing Speeding: Though different vehicles reach optimal fuel economy at different speeds, fuel efficiency generally decreases significantly at speeds above 50 miles per hour. This is because at high speeds, more fuel is needed to overcome resistance from aerodynamics and tire rolling. The fuel economy benefit of reducing your speed is 7% to 14%. The FuelEconomy.gov “What is the speed penalty for my vehicle?” (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp) tool allows drivers to calculate the fuel economy reduction for their specific vehicle and typical driving behavior.
•  Conservative Driving: Gradual braking and accelerating can improve a vehicle’s fuel economy by 33% on highways and by 5% on city roads. Driving conservatively not only helps conserve fuel and save money, but it is also a safe practice for drivers.
•  Combining Trips: Using one trip for multiple purposes, rather than making multiple trips, can save fuel, time, and money by reducing driving distance and avoiding unnecessary cold starts. When the engine is cold, starting a vehicle can use twice as much fuel.
•  Reducing Load: By offloading unneeded items from the vehicle, drivers can reduce the amount of fuel consumed by up to 2% for each 100 pounds.
•  Vehicle Maintenance: Proper and regular vehicle maintenance can improve fuel economy by 40%. This includes keeping the engine properly tuned, maintaining proper tire inflation, and using the recommended grade of oil. For more information on vehicle maintenance techniques used to conserve fuel, see the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Vehicle Maintenance to Conserve Fuel page (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/conserve/vehicle_maintenance.html).

Fuel Conservation Strategies for Fleet Managers
Fleet managers can adopt the following fuel conservation strategies to maximize their fleet’s fuel efficiency:

•  Train Drivers: Driver training courses can teach new and veteran fleet drivers basic fuel conservation techniques (see the above Fuel Conservation Techniques for Drivers section) that they can use to improve their individual fuel economy. These courses teach ways to minimize the negative impacts of idling, speeding, aggressive or frequent accelerating or breaking, improper shifting, and taking unnecessarily long routes. National Clean Fleets Partner Coca-Cola has a successful “eco-driver” training program: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/coca-cola.html.
•  Employ Advanced Technologies: Technologies, such as telematics systems, can greatly increase efficiency and fuel savings in fleets. These tools allow fleet managers to: 1) Give Feedback: Fleet managers can use fuel-tracking devices or GPS-based telematics systems to track fuel economy, idle time, vehicle routes, and driver performance to provide drivers with feedback on how to improve. Some systems even provide drivers with instantaneous alerts when they are exhibiting inefficient driving behaviors, such as speeding. Some fleets pair drivers with coaches to critique driver behaviors. Driver feedback may improve fuel economy by 3% to 10%. 2) Optimize Routes: Route optimization technologies help drivers plan routes that can reduce mileage, stops, acceleration events, number of vehicles needed, and time spent in traffic. Fleet managers can view data for individual drivers or for the entire fleet to view their progress and target areas of improvement.
•  Provide Incentives: Incentives, including driver recognition, special privileges, and monetary rewards, encourage drivers to use efficient driving behaviors. Polk County, Florida, provides an excellent case study of a fleet that developed a successful incentive program for its employees: http://www.government-fleet.com/article/print/story/2011/01/incentivizing-drivers-toconserve-fuel.aspx.
•  Implement Policies: Corporate policies that require drivers to participate in training courses, meet fuel-efficiency targets, comply with a maximum speed limit, and set goals can reduce emissions and improve driving efficiency.
•  Use Fleet Fueling Cards: Fleets that use fueling cards can monitor, control, track, and manage fuel and maintenance costs based on card transactions. One example is the WEX (formerly Wright Express) card (http://www.wexinc.com/).

More information on adjusting driver behavior to improve fuel efficiency can be found on the AFDC Efficient Driving Behaviors to Conserve Fuel page (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/conserve/driving_behavior.html) and on FuelEconomy.gov (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml). Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team

 

GLICCC’s Stakeholder For February 2014

Congratulations to Manhattan Beer Distributors for being selected as GLICCC’s Stakeholder of the month!

Founded in 1978 by Simon Bergson (now President and CEO), Manhattan Beer Distributers began operations with one facility and just three delivery trucks. Based in the Bronx, the company has grown into a major distributor, with four facilities in the metropolitan area, including a distribution center in Suffolk County, in Wyandanch. Their fleet now boasts nearly 300 trucks. Starting as a beer distributor, their product line now includes water, energy drinks, spirits, tea and soda.

Manhattan Beer Distributors has long history of supporting the environment. A major component of their Green Initiative involves converting their diesel fleet to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, along with hybrid vehicles. The company put its first 15 CNG vehicles into service in 2002. They now have 75 CNG vehicles, with 27 in operation on Long Island. 

In November, Manhattan Beer Distributers hosted an event at their Wyandanch facility to celebrate their latest vehicle purchase. The event was hosted by Mike McCarthy, Senior Vice-President of Operations. The company replaced 12 of its diesel trucks serving Long
Island with CNG vehicles. The 12 new trucks (pictured below) were paid for, in part, by an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant from GLICCC. By adding these vehicles to their existing fleet, the company further reduces their fueling costs, while at the same time improving the environment by lowering green house gases — and reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign petroleum. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Once again, congratulations Manhattan Beer Distributors for being selected as GLICCC’s Stakeholder of the Month. You’ve earned it!
If you would like to nominate someone for Stakeholder of the Month, please contact the GLICCC office.

STATE ALTERNATIVE FUEL & ADVANCED VEHICLE LAWS & INCENTIVES: 2013 REVIEW

The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) provides a searchable database (www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/) of state and federal incentives, laws, and regulations related to alternative fuels and vehicles, air quality, vehicle efficiency, and other transportation-related topics. With direct support from ICF International, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory updates state-level information annually, after each state’s legislative session ends, and on an ongoing basis. The Laws and Incentives website also includes representative examples of incentives and regulations at the local level.

On the site you can find information and trends related to state incentives, laws, and regulations promulgated or otherwise enacted in 2013. It also provides examples of noteworthy actions at the state level. While this article focuses on incentives and laws established in 2013, the AFDC Maps & Data page shows trends back to 2002.

State Incentives
In 2013, states established 25 new incentives related to alternative transportation. This is considerably more than the 11 incentives established in 2012, a sign that state budgets may be rebounding and states are giving additional consideration to alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. The largest numbers of incentives were related to natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and natural gas infrastructure development.

The most common types of incentives were grants, and several states initiated funding programs for biofuels via grants. For example, Illinois and Minnesota introduced ethanol infrastructure grants, and Kentucky began offering grants for biofuel production for use in farm equipment. New tax incentives include infrastructure tax credits in New York and vehicle tax credits in Indiana.

Private/Utility Incentives
Private entities and utilities implemented seven new incentives in 2013, most of which apply to customers in specific areas or utility service territories. These incentives add to the 16 similar incentives established in 2012, but several of those expired or lapsed. The majority of the public/utility incentives were related to electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), specifically grants and rebates, including the Central Maine Power grant program and the Glendale Water and Power EVSE rebate in California.

Laws and Regulations
In 2013, state governments enacted 54 new laws and regulations related to alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, as compared to 36 newly enacted laws and regulations in 2012. The most common subject matter for these laws and regulations included fuel taxes, and acquisition and fuel use. Approximately 25 regulations and laws were related to natural gas, including states that redefined the way natural gas vehicle fuel is taxed, such as Florida, and states that implemented requirements for NGV safety, such as Texas.

Several states are staying ahead of the curve in implementing new policies and procedures that address PEVs and EVSE. Eight states, including Massachusetts, signed a memorandum of understanding to support the deployment of zero emission vehicles
(ZEVs) through involvement in a ZEV Program Implementation Task Force.

States are also responding to the potential for an increase in biofuels in the fuel supply, due to the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. For example, in Maine it is now illegal to offer, sell, or distribute gasoline that contains ethanol at a level greater than 10% (E10).

HILL DAY AT ENERGY INDEPENDENCE SUMMIT 2014

JOIN US FOR HILL DAY 2014! Members of GLICCC’s Executive Committee and coalition stakeholders will be joining the other New York Clean Cities coalitions in D.C. to meet with our state’s U.S. Senators and House Representatives. We will be discussing our accomplishments in 2013 and goals for 2014. To join us for Hill Day, contact Rita Ebert at the GLICCC office.

There is still time to register for the Energy Independence Summit 2014, the nation’s premier alternative transportation policy summit.

The 2014 Summit will provide the latest information on what the current state of play in Washington means for alternative fuels and vehicles, as well as an opportunity to meet the key Administration and Congressional leaders who will chart the future of the transportation energy industry. The Summit will feature educational sessions and presentations from the nation’s leading clean transportation experts on:

• Federal funding and incentives to promote alternative fuels, vehicles and infrastructure;
• Successful alternative fuels and vehicle projects across the country; and
• Innovative state and local policies and programs, which are advancing markets for cleaner fuels and vehicles.

Special Guest Speakers Include:
Robert Sakar, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation
Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Summit will include a day of briefings and meetings on Capitol Hill where Clean Cities Coordinators and our industry partners will talk directly with Congressional and federal agency officials about alternative fuel and advanced vehicle and infrastructure projects, and other successes achieved with support of government leaders and industry.

The 2014 Energy Independence Summit is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT as we seek to maintain momentum for the clean transportation industry. As Congress and the Administration focus on reducing the deficit, all federal programs and tax incentives are under scrutiny and vulnerable to significant cuts. The Summit will provide a critical opportunity to demonstrate the broad-based grassroots support among business leaders, state and local government officials, and community leaders for clean transportation energy policies that enhance energy security and create new jobs.

Please contact Ken Brown at Transportation Energy Partners at ken@akbstrategies.com or (202) 674-7777 if you have questions or would like additional information about the Summit. We look forward to seeing you in DC!

Register Today!

Transportation Energy Partners (TEP) works closely with and provides policy support to the nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions and their 18,000 stakeholders.

GLICCC – LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

I hope this letter finds you and your families surviving the last of what has truly been a very rough winter. 

With Spring approaching, the coalition is ramping up for a number of activities. On April 1st, Program Coordinator Rita Ebert and I will be in Washington, D.C., to take part in “Hill Day.” Hill Day is the centerpiece of Transportation Energy Partner’s Energy Independence Summit 2014. GLICCC, and the other New York State Clean Cities coalitions, will be meeting with New York’s U.S. Senators and members of the House of Representatives. We will be discussing the Clean Cities program, our accomplishments and plans for 2014. GLICCC stakeholders are welcome to join us for Hill Day. See the article in this newsletter for additional details.

On Monday, May 12th, GLICCC will be hosting its 4th Annual Golf Outing at the beautiful St. George’s Golf & Country Club in East Setauket, New York. We anticipate another great day of fun and friendship. The outing is one of our major fundraisers for the year. The support given by our participants goes a long way in providing the funds necessary to run the day to day operations of our coalition. On behalf of all our members, I encourage you to be a part of this great event.

We will soon be kicking off our annual membership drive. 2013 was the first year GLICCC offered memberships. Memberships start as low as $245. Stakeholders companies that become members receive a number of benefits, including: free entry into GLICCC education events, advance notice of funding opportunities, special recognition at our ATC conference, company’s logo on the  GLICCC website, and more. Look for emails and other announcements about GLICCC’s membership drive.

Progress continues on the electric vehicle (EV) charging station grant that GLICCC received from NYSERDA. The coalition will be installing 10 EV charging stations at multifamily locations in Nassau and Suffolk. We will keep you posted on the progress of these stations and announce when they are up and running.

If we can all hang on a few more weeks, Spring – and warmer weather – will finally return. I look forward to seeing you on May 12th at GLICCC’s golf outing.

Dominick A. Longobardi
Chairman

P.S. – Enough with the snow already!

THE GREATER LONG ISLAND CLEAN CITIES COALITION 4TH ANNUAL GOLF FUNDRAISER MAY 12, 2014 · ST. GEORGE’S GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Please join us on May 12th, 2014, for GLICCC’s 4th Annual Golf Outing Fundraiser, which will again take place at St. George’s Golf & Country Club.

Opened in 1917, the St. George’s Golf and Country Club in East Setauket plays 6,218 yards from its longest tees, and is a par 70 course. The course’s rating is a 70.4. A private club, St. George’s is typical of courses built in the early part of the 20th Century in that it has narrow fairways as well as quick and small bent grass greens. Designed by well-known golf architect Devereux Emmett, St. George’s has a dress code, a driving range and practice putting green. It also has a fully equipped pro shop, a clubhouse and locker rooms.

Following their rounds, golfers can take advantage of the club’s dining room and upstairs bar area.

Last year’s outing was a terrific success for the coalition, and we are planning for an even bigger day this year!

Check the GLICCC website for updates concerning this event.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Question of the Month: What provisions in the enacted “fiscal cliff” legislation relate to alternative fuels and advanced vehicles?

 

Answer: On January 2, 2013, President Obama signed Public Law 112-240, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. In addition to averting tax rate increases and postponing government spending reductions, this legislation extends several tax credits and other incentive programs related to Clean Cities portfolio items. Updated information on these incentives is available on the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Federal Laws and Incentives page (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/fed_summary). The changes are also summarized below.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act retroactively extends several tax credits that had expired on December 31, 2011. The following incentives are now effective through December 31, 2013:

• · Alternative Fuel Excise Tax Credit:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/319 (Public Law 112-240, Section 412)
• · Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/10513 (Public Law 112-240, Section 402)
• · Alternative Fuel Mixture Excise Tax Credit:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/417 (Public Law 112-240, Section 412)
• · Biodiesel Income Tax Credit:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/396 (Public Law 112-240, Section 405)
• · Biodiesel Mixture Excise Tax Credit:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/395 (Public Law 112-240, Section 405)

The legislation expands the tax definition of second generation biofuel (previously referred to as cellulosic biofuel) to include biofuel from cultivated algae, cyanobacteria, or lemna, and extends two incentives related to these fuels through December 31, 2013:

• · Second Generation Biofuel Plant Depreciation Deduction Allowance:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/413 (Public Law 112-240, Section 410)
• · Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/10515 (Public Law 112-240, Section 404)

Section 403 of the Act expands theQualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Tax Credit (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/409) to include a credit for eligible two- and three-wheeled plug-in electric drive vehicles, valid through December 31, 2013.

In addition, Section 701 extends discretionary funding for the following U.S. Department of Agriculture programs through September 2013:

• · Advanced Biofuel Production Grants and Loan Guarantees:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/9172
• · Advanced Biofuel Production Payments:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/8503
• · Biodiesel Education Grants:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/8504
• · Biomass Research and Development Initiative:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/378
• · Ethanol Infrastructure Grants and Loan Guarantees:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/9172

To view the full text of the American Taxpayer Relief Act, select the Enrolled Bill version from the following website:http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.00008:.

The changes outlined above became effective immediately. It may take time, however, for the relevant agencies to update documentation to reflect these extensions and changes. For further information, please refer to the following websites:

• · U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Forms & Publications:http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs
• · U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Energy Programs:http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/Energy.html

 

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team

 

technicalresponse@icfi.com

800-254-6735

 

GLICCC’s Stakeholder For July 2013

Congratulations to America Honda and Cummins Westport for being selected as GLICCC’s Stakeholders of the Month!

At the Clean Cities 20th Anniversary Celebration, American Honda and Cummins Westport were each recipients of the Industry Marathon Champion Award. This award is given to those companies who have shown great initiative in the development and maintenance of alternative fuel technologies.

American Honda is dedicated to finding ways to improve on gasoline. With a history of firsts in technological advances to the internal combustion engine, Honda continues to attack  fuel economy on two fronts: reducing fuel consumption while minimizing exhaust emissions. With that being said, Honda proudly boasts that their Civic Natural Gas sedan is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

While the Civic Natural Gas satisfies all three of Honda’s environmental targets: low emissions, high fuel economy and use of an economical North American-based alternative fuel, Honda continues to push the envelope with groundbreaking innovations. They want consumers to know that they  haven’t designed clean cars like the Civic Natural Gas to only satisfy fleet or government customers, but to satisfy Civic customers as well.

Cummins Westport designs, engineers, and markets 6 to 12 litre spark-ignited automotive natural gas engines for commercial transportation applications such as trucks and busses. More than 34,000 Cummins Westport engines are in service worldwide. Designed to meet the most stringent emissions regulations, they provide efficient and reliable service.

“Cummins Westport has been instrumental in advancing the alternative fuel vehicle market in the heavy-duty arena. Thanks to the innovation, dedication and perseverance of the Cummins and Westport teams over the past 20-plus years, petroleum can no longer claim to be the only game in town when it comes to powering America’s trucks and busses” said Dennis Smith, the Director of National Clean Cities.

Once again, congratulations to American Honda and Cummins Westport for being selected as GLICCC’s Stakeholder of the Month.

If you would like to nominate someone for Stakeholder of the Month, please contact the GLICCC office.

Eric Rosenberg, Assistant Manager of American Honda Alternative Fuel Vehicles, with Rita Ebert

Bill Boyce, Eastern Regional Manager for Cummins Westport, with Rita Ebert

 

NYSERDA EV Workshop

On Tuesday, June 18^th, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and GLICCC joined together to host an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Workshop in Salten Hall at New York Institute of Technology’s Old Westbury campus. The workshop was an introduction to EVSEs for Planners, Building Code Officials, Electrical Installers and Inspectors on Long Island. The workshop was one of 6 throughout the state hosted by NYSERDA and the New York based Clean Cities coalitions.

The first half of the morning program featured several presentations. Dominick A. Longobardi, speaking on behalf of GLICCC, gave an update of regional EV activity on Long Island. Next up was Bryan Roy of Energetics, who worked with GLICCC and NYSERDA to put together the series of workshops. His presentation, entitled EV and EVSE Considerations, provided a detailed overview of the numerous types of EVSE equipment currently on the market, along with installation factors to be considered. Adam Ruder of NYSERDA concluded the first portion of the workshop with an informative presentation that focused on current and planned NYSERDA EV programs, its involvement in the Transportation & Climate Initiative and current statistics for EVs and EVSEs in New York and Long Island. All of the presentations are available on the GLICCC website, http://www.gliccc.org/category/events/.

Following a presentation by Adam Lubinsky of WXY Design Studio, the second half of the program focused on a pair of panel discussions. The first – for Electrical Planners and Installers – included Robert Ceriello of Certified Electrical Inspections, Inc., John Guadagno of IBEW Local 25 and Edward Werbeck of Leviton. The second – geared to Planners and Building Code Officials – featured Terese Kinsley from the Town of Huntington and Mark Schwarz from the Town of Hempstead, as well as Adam Ruder.  Thank you to all of our panelists for taking the time to be a part of this educational day.

Special thanks to Dr. Nadia Anid and Greg Banhazl of NYIT for their help arranging in for our workshop to be held at NYIT’s Old Westbury campus.

 

NYSERDA Cng Outreach Workshops

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and GLICCC joined together to host a series of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) outreach events on Long Island during the month of May.  These workshops were geared to private fleet owners and managers, but were open to all, and asked the question, Is CNG right for your fleet?

First up was a CNG 101 workshop, held on May 3rd. The feature discussion was given by Stephe Yborra, Director of Market Analysis, Education & Communication from the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation. His presentation was entitled The Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles in Public and Private Fleets. Stephe gave an extremely detailed overview of the NGV market in the US today, and the savings that can be achieved by converting to a CNG fleet. On May 15^th, GLICCC held a CNG Maintenance Facility Compliance Workshop. Pat McClave of Engineered Energy Solutions was the main speaker at this event. His presentation focused on the steps that need to be taken in order for a garage facility to be modified to service CNG vehicles. The workshop also featured a tour of a CNG compliant garage facility. Special thanks to Middle Country Central School District for arranging for us to tour their garage. GLICCC also held an alternative fuel vehicle display, held in conjunction with the APWA-LIOSA Equipment Show. The vehicle display included a Dueco electric hybrid truck, Toro lawn equipment, a Freightliner CNG roll off truck and a CNG ambulance

The other New York coalitions held similar events, in an effort to make fleet managers aware of how to convert their fleets to CNG. Stephe Yborra’s CNG 101 presentation is posted on the GLICCC website. Contact the GLICCCC for additions information regarding converting your fleet to CNG.