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President announces new initiatives to support advanced vehicles

Posted on: March 8th, 2012 by shannon No Comments

The President is announcing a new $1 billion National Community Deployment Challenge to catalyze up to 10 to 15 model communities to invest in the necessary infrastructure, remove the regulatory barriers, and create the local incentives to support deployment of advanced vehicles at critical mass.  This proposal embraces a strategy similar to that outlined by Senators Merkley and Alexander in their Promoting Electric Vehicles legislation.  This proposal, however, would be ‘fuel neutral’, allowing communities to determine if electrification, natural gas, or other alternative fuels would be the best fit.  Deployment Communities would serve as real-world laboratories, leveraging limited federal resources to develop different models to deploy advanced vehicles at scale.  The program would also support the development of up to 5 regional Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) corridors where alternative fuel trucks can transport goods without using a drop of oil.

To read more about President Obama’s plan for advanced vehicles, read  “Fact Sheet: All of the above approach to American Energy”, issued by the White House on March 7th.

Capital City’s First Dual Biofuels Station Opens with $.85 Fuel

Posted on: November 17th, 2011 by shannon

For Immediate Release

 

November 16, 2011

 

 

CAPITAL CITY’S FIRST DUAL BIOFUELS STATION OPENS WITH $.85 FUEL

Crown Express Mart One of Handful in Nation Offering E85 & B20

 

Raleigh, N.C. – The first station to offer both E85 (85% ethanol/ 15% gasoline) and B20 (20% biodiesel/80% petroleum diesel) celebrated its grand opening with dignitary remarks, a ribbon cutting and an $.85 per gallon E85 promotion. The Crown Express Mart is located at 1210 New Bern Ave., just east of downtown near the intersection with Poole Rd. The station underwent extensive renovations and began providing the renewable fuel options in early October. “We are excited to be able to offer alternative fueling options in the Raleigh area. Individual and fleet customers now have a choice and convenient place to pump E-85 & B20 fuel seven days a week,” said Kokila Amin, one of the station owners.

Ward Lenz, Director of the State Energy Office at the N.C. Dept. of Commerce showing off the new E85/B20 fuel pump

Ward Lenz, Director of the State Energy Office at the N.C. Dept. of Commerce showing off the new E85/B20 fuel pump

There are close to 2,000 E85 capable flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) located in the zip code of the New Bern Ave station according to research conducted by RL Polk and Associates in July of this year. Across the state there are 18 commercial service stations offering E85, while there are over 236,000 FFVs according to data tracked by the N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University and RL Polk. It is important to provide fuel options, as there are over 40 makes and models of FFVs offered by auto manufacturers at no additional cost to the purchaser as compared to the same model that is not E85 compatible. FFVs can be operated on gasoline, E85 or any blend of ethanol in between. A fuel sensor provides information to adapt to the specific blend of ethanol powering the vehicle. Ethanol is a cleaner burning fuel currently produced in the United States primarily from corn grown in the Midwest. A byproduct of ethanol production is distiller’s grain, a high protein animal feed. E85 has been used for over a decade in North Carolina by the Department of Administration State Motor Fleet, but has only become available at commercial service stations over the past five years.

Biodiesel is a cleaner burning fuel that is made from a variety of feedstock in the United States, including waste vegetable oil, soybeans and animal renderings. It can be utilized in a variety of blends in any diesel engine with no modifications required. In most fleet and consumer applications it is offered at a 20% blend level. B20 has been used by the N.C. Department of Transportation for over a decade and is provided at over 100 state fuel sites. The New Bern Crown Express is the third station to provide B20 to the motoring public in Raleigh, the 28th across the state.

Funding for the E85 refueling infrastructure was provided in part through a grant from the N.C. Solar Center using Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funds from the N.C. Department of Transportation. The B20 refueling infrastructure was funded partially with American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funding provided to Kargo Corp, the station owners, from the N.C. Department of Commerce. “We are grateful that the state has taken such a forward looking position on supporting the use of renewable fuels as these public private partnerships support clean air and domestic fuel and distribution opportunities” , said Anne Tazewell, Transportation Program Manager at the N.C. Solar Center. Representatives from state and local government spoke at the ribbon cutting along with Steve Walk, Protec Fuel Management. Protec and the Renewable Fuels Association partnered with the station owners on the $.85 gallon E85 for 85 minutes fuel promotion price at the opening celebration to encourage FFV drivers to try America’s home grown fuel.

 

 

About the NC Solar Center

The N.C. Solar Center, a division of the College of Engineering at N.C. State University, has operated since 1988 as a focal point for solar and other renewable energy programs, information, research, technical assistance, and training for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. For more information about the N.C. Solar Center and the clean transportation program visit www.ncsc.ncsu.edu

 

Contact:

Anne Tazewell, N.C. Solar Center, 919-513-7831, anne_tazewell@ncsu.edu

Shannon Helm, N.C. Solar Center, 919-423-8340, shannon_helm@ncsu.edu

The N.C. Solar Center awarded Green Education Program of the Year by the Triangle Business Journal

Posted on: October 28th, 2011 by shannon No Comments

The Triangle Business Journal recognized the N.C. Solar Center’s Clean Transportation program Thursday, October 27th for their Drive Green Save Green workshops that introduce North Carolina fleet managers and the general public to the technology and practices that can make a difference to every driver’s bottom line.

Bryan Hamilton, publisher of the Triangle Business Journal, presented the award to Aranzazu Lascurain, clean transportation specialist at the N.C. Solar Center, during the 2011 Green Awards luncheon at the Embassy Suites in Cary.

The Drive Green Save Green workshops emphasize that driving for fuel economy is the single fastest way to save money on fuel and reduce harmful emissions. This education and outreach program is geared toward simple, low-cost solutions that maximize fuel economy while at the same time reducing emissions. Swedish Truck manufacturer, Scania’s president and CEO Leif Ostling states, “Driver training is the single, fastest way to reduce the carbon footprint of our trucks. We know that the difference between skilled and less skilled drivers can be up to 20 percent fuel consumption.1”

The goals of the program are to convince people that eco-driving results in better fuel economy, which then translates to saving money, and also building awareness and behavior change to daily driving patterns.

The 2011 Drive Green, Save Green workshops consisted of three, free, half-day workshops focusing on driving for fuel economy, or “eco-driving” that targeted fleet managers, but were also open to anyone interested in maximizing fuel economy (including the general public). The workshops included both classroom and on-road experience with eco-driving practices and the mechanics of fuel economy.

The initial roll-out of workshops were held in Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte between the months of April and May 2011.

Alternative Fuel Incentives

Posted on: April 16th, 2011 by brianb

This program gave out ten awards totaling $98,000 between the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005 to Universities and Community Colleges, government fleets, public service stations, etc. for projects that included biomass, electric vehicles and charging stations, and compressed natural gas. There was also the Diesel Emission Reduction Project, a partnership with Environmental Defense to reduce diesel emissions in school buses and construction equipment and providing technical assistance on legislative initiatives to reduce transportation related emissions in NC.

 

Carolina Blue Skies

Posted on: April 16th, 2011 by brianb

Carolina Blue Skies & Green Jobs Initiative is a bi-state effort led by Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG). The overall goal is to reduce depending on imported petroleum, increase fleet fuel economy, reduce emissions, improve air quality and create and retain jobs. The N.C. Solar Center, along with the Centralina Council of Governments, Land of Sky Council of Governments, and South Carolina State Energy Office are working with TJCOG to help implement over 50 sub-award projects in North and South Carolina over the 4-year project period. Project objectives include:

• Increase the use of alternative fueled and advanced technology vehicles in North and South Carolina.
• Install infrastructure that supports alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.
• Ensure that vehicles capable of using alternative fuel do so to the greatest extent possible.
• Educate project partners and the public about alternative fuel and advanced technology through educational materials and training for fleets, individuals, and the public at large.
• Collect data demonstrating the success of the project.

This initiative pursues a “fuel-neutral” approach to increase the availability of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and alternative fuel infrastructure in North and South Carolina by adding approximately:

• 17 E85 and 10 B20 public fueling stations
• 5 E85 and 14 B20 shared private stations for government and private fleets
• 11 CNG stations accessible to the public and private fleets, 10 new 10 CNG vehicles, 39 CNG conversions on existing vehicles
• 9 LPG stations accessible to the public and private fleets, 355 LPG conversions of existing vehicles
• 112 electric charging stations accessible to public and private fleets, 24 NEV purchases
• 46 hybrid light-duty gasoline vehicles, 10 hybrid heavy-duty diesel vehicles.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is the primary sponsor of the Carolina Blue Skies and Green Jobs Initiative.
Click here for DOE awards announced.

 

Brochures

 

Ethanol E85 Overview Brochure

Hybrid Vehicle Overview Brochure

 

 

Free Workshops Offer Driving Solutions to Rising Gas Prices

Posted on: March 31st, 2011 by brianb No Comments

Story by: NCSC

 

 

WHO: The N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University is hosting a Drive Green Save Green workshop and the 5th Annual Mobile CARE awards with funding support from the NC Department of Transportation and ten additional sponsors.

 

WHAT: The FREE workshop will feature presentations from education and industry experts on driving practices and technologies that will reduce fuel consumption and save drivers money.  A driving component will feature a five-mile course for attendees to practice driving tips learned in the workshop with a tool that tracks instantaneous and average vehicle miles per gallon.  The 5th annual Mobile Clean Air Renewable Energy (CARE) Awards will also be given to recognize individual, fleet, technology providers and policy/organizational efforts to reduce transportation related emissions.

 

WHEN: April 13, 2011 12:30-4:45

WHERE: Jane S McKimmon Conference Center

1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606

More information: agenda and registration at www.cleantransportation.org



WHY: With the United States importing over half of the petroleum it uses and fuel prices rising sharply over the past month, fuel conservation is an important tool that can be used by all drivers. There are multiple benefits to driving with fuel economy in mind: saving money, reducing harmful emissions and increasing safety. In 2010, over 72,000 traffic accidents in North Carolina were speed related.


 


Photo/Press Opportunities:


3:00PM - Alternative fuel advanced vehicle display


 3:15PM-4:00PM – Test drive using Scan Gauge fuel economy tool


 4:15PM-4:45PM – Mobile CARE awards presented by N.C. Dept. of Transportation Secretary Gene Conti