2013 was a great year for propane autogas and CleanFUEL USA!
Here are the top 10 most-read posts from our blog (click each story to read)...
Monday, December 30, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
‘Tis the season to go green and save green with propane autogas
But there are a lot of vehicle fleets around Texas that saving big on fuel costs by using propane autogas instead of gasoline—and, at the same time, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions substantially. State and local governments, school districts, and many businesses are experiencing the benefits of propane autogas.
Propane autogas is an ideal vehicle fuel for many reasons. The fuel and fueling stations are affordable. “The fuel itself is significantly less expensive than gasoline for fleets, and there is a wide range of factory-direct and aftermarket conversions available,” said Jackie Mason, Education and Marketing Director for the Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT). “Autogas powers school buses, sedans, pickup trucks, vans, box trucks, and even off-road equipment like forklifts and commercial lawn care equipment.”
Propane autogas is an American-made alternative fuel. One hundred percent of our nation’s propane supply is now produced in the United States—and two thirds of that amount is produced in Texas. Texas is also home to the world’s largest propane storage facility in Mont Belvieu.
So, while the holiday season speeds past us in a whirlwind of gifts, gatherings and greenery, remember that your vehicle fleet could be saving a sleighful of money just by switching to propane autogas. Read more here.
State of the Industry: Exploring engine fuel opportunities
Retailer responses were to the point. The economy, congressional performance, presidential leadership and haphazard national energy policy were among critical issues retailers expected to hurt business. And, when looking back, business prosperity felt harder to reach with every passing year – but retailers would trudge on.
In 2012, we broached the topic of autogas as a potential opportunity to stabilize propane sales. Is autogas just an industry pipe dream? Or is it a realistic plan to reclaim growth in gallons for the average propane retailer? This year, we asked retailers to peer deeper into their crystal balls and share what they see in their futures. We think you’ll find this year’s report particularly interesting and worth comparing to your own business prognostications. Read more here.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Texas school bus fleet still keen on propane after 30 years
Today, more than half of Alvin ISD’s buses run on propane autogas, including 70 dedicated propane Blue Bird Vision Type C buses and 36 converted gasoline buses. The remaining fleet is made up of 80 diesel-fueled buses.
Performance, maintenance
According to Juan Mejias, Alvin ISD’s fleet maintenance manager, drivers have developed a preference for the propane autogas buses, and the district relies on them for their power and ease in maintenance.
“Our bus drivers love the acceleration with propane autogas,” Mejias said. “When we take the buses out of rotation for routine maintenance and drivers use the spare diesel buses, they come back and ask us how soon they can get their propane bus back. The drivers don’t have the same hesitation accelerating and merging in traffic like they do with the diesel buses. The performance is that good.” Read more here.
Propane Council of Texas Offers Business Fleet Incentive Program
The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) defines a private fleet as a business fleet with three or more vehicles registered in Texas. Incentives are available for the purchase of new, dedicated original equipment manufacturer (OEM) propane autogas vehicles up to $7,500. The Propane Council is also offering incentives for vehicles converted to propane autogas up to $5,000. The program cap is $15,000 per fleet. In return for the incentive, vehicle incentive recipients will be required to provide data on their fleet.
“The funds are seed money for fleets for to try their first two or three propane autogas vehicles,” said Jackie Mason, Education and Marketing Director for the Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT). “We believe after their first couple propane autogas vehicles fleets will see the benefits of going propane without the incentive and continue to adopt propane into their fleet.”
The benefits of propane autogas include a 30 to 50 percent reduction in fuel costs, a significant decrease in the amount of harmful emissions, and reduced vehicle maintenance due to propane’s high octane rating. Propane is an American made alternative fuel, with two-thirds of the nation’s supply being produced right here in the Lone Star State. Read more here.
Going Green in the Bluegrass State
For nearly two decades, Howell has been working with fleets, fuel providers, vehicle manufacturers, policymakers, and other transportation stakeholders to cut emissions and petroleum use in the Bluegrass State and beyond. In 1994, a year after the U.S. Department of Energy launched the national Clean Cities program, Howell helped found KCCP. She has held the reins ever since, making her the longest-serving coordinator among the nation’s nearly 100 local Clean Cities coalitions.
“Thanks to Melissa Howell’s tireless dedication and commitment, Kentucky is less reliant on petroleum, and its residents are realizing tangible economic and environmental benefits,” said National Clean Cities Director Dennis Smith.
Howell has assisted with alternative-fuels deployment projects undertaken by fleets of all shapes and sizes, including those of Fort Knox army base, UPS, the universities of Kentucky and Louisville, and Murray State University. Howell has worked closely with Mammoth Cave National Park for many years, helping it become the first national park in the country to operate all its vehicles on alternative fuels, including propane autogas, biodiesel, electricity, and ethanol blends. These efforts are helping the park reduce its transportation-related emissions and showcasing these fuels and technologies to visitors. Read more here.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
The industry can thwart threats by banding together
In the early 17th century, German Lutheran theologian Rupertus Meldenius coined the phrase “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”As true today as it was then, the wisdom found in this phrase is a good reminder for groups and organizations with a common purpose. The propane industry in the United States would be well served to reflect on this when considering the role of our National Propane Gas Association (NPGA).
Many members of the propane industry, consumed by the challenges of running a business, often have little time to understand the association’s value. To skeptics, the benefits reported by the association are often obscure, irrelevant and abstract. NPGA’s value is not tangible to them. Is this a fair conclusion about its value? Consider the following:
The U.S. business climate is increasingly regulated due to the current political landscape. This makes NPGA’s work to protect our industry from increased regulation, onerous rules and mountains of bureaucracy more important than ever. Most government officials who craft these laws and regulations have little understanding of the propane business. The advocacy programs of NPGA help educate them on the consequences of their rules.
In addition, the propane industry is a very small player in the vast energy sector. Propane’s continued omission from legislation to give tax incentives for alternative fuels is the perfect example of this point.
Finally, the entire propane industry coalescing together is the best way to defend our businesses and customers from the onslaught of legislative threats and unfair regulations. Not even the largest MLP propane producers or marketers can defend themselves in the legislative battles on Capitol Hill. We need the association to work on our behalf. Read more here.
Governor, Illinois EPA, Chicago Clean Cities Coalition designate nine new Illinois Green Fleets
The Illinois Green Fleets program provides for “Green Environment, Green Energy, & Green Economics for a Green Illinois,” through the use of clean “American fuels.” It recognizes businesses and local governments for the implementation of alternate fuel vehicles, such as natural gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel and electric vehicles, in their fleet operations.
“These businesses and communities are taking a smart and responsible course, saving natural resources and money at the same time,” said Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D). “I salute these businesses for the example they are setting for people across our state and nation.”
Following are the nine new Illinois Green Fleets designated Dec. 12:
• Menards, a family-owned Midwest chain of hardware stores, selected Illinois to start implementing propane vehicles and propane autogas sites at many of its stores.
• The City of Springfield converted 24 of its police cars and pickup trucks to propane this past summer, which will use about 35,000 gallons of this clean-burning fuel annually and save the city about $82,000 in fuel costs each year.
• Two Chicago-area bakeries, the Turano Baking Company and Alpha Baking Company, recently implemented propane-powered delivery trucks into their fleets.
• Windy City Limousine in Chicago has converted 11 of its limousines to propane. The company has helped to develop public alternate fuel stations in the area around O’Hare International Airport and plans to convert more of its fleet, possibly including natural gas for its buses, in the future.
• Amerigas Propane was also recognized for implementing several propane-powered trucks in its fleet, with plans to have 20 percent of its Chicago-area fleet operating on this clean fuel by 2015.
Read more here.
State of New Hampshire : Propane Auto Gas Fueling Station Opens in Concord, NH
Concord, NH - Today, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services' Granite State Clean Cities Coalition, in partnership with Patsy's Bus Sales, hosted a ribbon cutting and grand opening of Patsy's Propane Auto Gas fueling station located at 112 Hall Street in Concord, NH. The station is open to the public 24 hours/day.
Concord Mayor Jim Bouley joined DES Air Resources Director Craig Wright, Patsy's Bus Sales Owner Joe Alosa, and CleanFUEL USA Marketing Director Crystelle Markley in opening the station.
Concord Mayor Jim Bouley joined DES Air Resources Director Craig Wright, Patsy's Bus Sales Owner Joe Alosa, and CleanFUEL USA Marketing Director Crystelle Markley in opening the station.
"DES applauds the efforts of Patsy's Bus Sales in opening a public access propane filling station. Use of propane as a transportation fuel helps protect public health and the environment by reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions." said Craig Wright, Director of the DES Air Resources Division. "The Granite State Clean Cities Coalition, our statewide alternative fuel vehicle program, is pleased to have helped identify funding for this station and is grateful to have Patsy's Bus Sales as a stakeholder in the Coalition."
Propane, a domestic fuel low in particulates, is gaining popularity as a transportation fuel for cars, trucks and buses. Patsy's new propane fueling station for motor vehicles has a user-friendly design that is similar to gas and diesel dispensers.
"We have always been a proponent of alternative fuel vehicles and adding this retail autogas station is proof that we believe propane autogas is a sustainable fleet fuel," said Joe Alosa, owner of Patsy's Bus Sales. "When you combine the cost savings with the reduction in emissions, you can't beat the benefits that autogas offers."
This project was made possible through a partnership between Patsy's Bus Sales and CleanFUEL USA. Funds for this project were provided by the U.S. Department of Energy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as part of a national effort to establish networks of propane (autogas) refueling stations. Through this effort, the DOE estimates millions of gallons of petroleum will be displaced annually, thereby reducing the country's dependence on imported petroleum products. Read more here.
U.S. Energy Outlook: More Oil, More Gas, Less Carbon. Yay America!
The federal government’s Energy Information Administration is out today with an early version of its Annual Energy Outlook for 2014. Their headline finding: that the United States will continue to grow less dependent on foreign oil as the miracle of our tight oil boom adds to supply and more efficient vehicles reduce demand. Yay America!By their reckoning, domestic crude oil production will continue its surge, adding another 800,000 barrels per day in 2014 and about the same in 2015. By 2016 we should reach 9.5 million barrels per day, approaching the historical high of 9.6 million bpd back in 1970.
The boom won’t last forever, and will level off around 2020. But when domestic oil supplies do start slipping, we won’t feel it too much at first, because our vehicles will be using a lot less fuel.
Total miles traveled will be up an average 0.9% per year between now and 2040. But factor in greater fuel economy, and the total amount of energy used in light duty vehicles will decline by a quarter between now and 2040, to 12.1 quadrillion Btu annually. Read more here.
Price DROP on ALL Autogas Station Equipment!
CleanFUEL
USA is happy to announce lower prices on all makes and models of our CFT, Gasboy and Gilbarco dispensers and skid packages.
Thanks to several large overseas orders, strategic decisions by our purchasing
department and process improvements by our production staff, our purchasing
power with our chief suppliers has improved tremendously. All of these things
combine to dramatically lower our cost of production on our station equipment
and we are passing those savings on to you. Our most popular dispensers, the Pro2000 Series, for example, now retail for 12% less than before. The new prices go into effect immediately. Please contact us today to help you save money and gain the benefits of fueling with propane autogas!
512.864.0300
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Alternative Fuel: Here to Stay
Switching an entire fleet to electric or propane power might not make sense for every landscaper, but it could in the near future if the current trends continue.
“Five to six years ago, there was only a handful of OEMs with models available on propane,” says Jeremy Wishart, senior programs manager for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). “Flash forward a few years and many of the OEMs are being pulled into the propane market by consumers/buyers who originally needed a propane mower to meet alternative-fuel specs in bids but quickly realized using the fuel allowed them to cut fuel costs.”
At this year’s GIE+EXPO, major manufacturers showcased this sustainable evolution with features like mower propane conversion kits and electronic fuel injection (EFI) engines. There are 16 OEMs that manufacture propane mowers, Wishart says.
The once completely gasoline-dictated industry is making room for battery packs, propane tanks and electronic engines. And it doesn’t look like they are going anywhere. Read more here.
Is your garage ready for alternative fuels?
If you’re modifying a repair garage or building new to suit your green fleet, here are the top questions to ask before you begin.
1. Is your facility code compliant?
The first step in readying a garage for alternative fuels is making sure your facility is compliant with general code requirements for traditional liquid fuels. Since propane autogas has similar requirements to gasoline and diesel, facilities operating within these regulations can easily accommodate propane autogas-fueled vehicles without modifications for ventilation, gas detection or electrical requirements.
However, this is not the case for all alternative fuels. For example, a CNG repair and maintenance facility requires additional gas detection and ventilation equipment.
Secondly, a review of national codes and regional compliance codes with your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is recommended before making any changes. The two codes fleets need to review for propane autogas-fueled vehicles can be referenced online at www.nfpa.org - the website for the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA).
2. Will the facility provide minor repairs, major repairs or both?
Repair garages are placed in two different categories for code purposes. A major repair garage is where actions such as engine overhauls, painting, bodywork and motor vehicle fuel tank drainage are performed.
A minor garage is used for basic tasks, such as tune-ups, parts replacement and fluid changes.
Major and minor repairs may take place in independent facilities or can be performed in separate areas within the same building.
A review of compliance to existing local and national codes for liquid fuels is recommended before making modifications to facilities.
With propane autogas, there are no additional requirements for minor and major repair facilities. They are the same as gasoline and diesel requirements. Read more here.
CleanFUEL USA Celebrates Additional Propane Autogas Station Opening at Patsy’s Bus Sales
The
new station is located at 112 Hall
Street, Concord, NH 03301.
Patsy’s will celebrate the station opening on Tuesday, December 17th
at 2pm. The event is open to the public. Contributors to the project as well as
city and state officials, including Concord Mayor Jim Bouley, will be on hand to speak on autogas and the impacts it continues
to make on the industry.
Funds for this project were provided by the
Department of Energy (DOE) and the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), as part of a national effort to establish
networks of propane (autogas) refueling stations. Through this effort, the DOE
estimates millions of gallons of petroleum will be displaced annually, thereby
reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
“We have always been a proponent of alternative fuel vehicles and adding this
retail autogas station is proof that we believe propane autogas is a
sustainable fleet fuel,” said Joe Alosa, owner of Patsy’s Bus Sales. “When
you combine the cost savings with the reduction in emissions, you can’t beat
the benefits that autogas offers.”
About CleanFUEL
CleanFUEL USA, the nation’s first developer of liquid propane fuel injection systems, is a leading manufacturer of propane autogas dispensers and refueling infrastructure. Headquartered in Georgetown, Texas with an engineering division in Wixom, Mich., CleanFUEL USA celebrates more than 20 years of innovation. Setting industry standards with a complete alternative fuel solution, CleanFUEL USA products offer unsurpassed economic and environmental advantages. Learn more at cleanfuelusa.com.
###
Contacts
Crystelle
Markley
CleanFUEL
USA
(512)
864-0300
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thomas Built donates $10K to schools for photo contest winners
HIGH POINT, N.C. — Five schools across the U.S. were each awarded $2,000 for their programs in science, technology, engineering and math in recognition of the winning entries of the inaugural Thomas Built Buses Back to School Photo Contest.The schools to receive the prize money are:
• McEndree Elementary School, Flora, Ill.
• Chancey Elementary School, Louisville, Ky.
• Spencer School, Middletown, Conn.
• Central School, Huntsville, Ala.
• Kalama (Wash.) School District
The photo contest invited parents across the country to submit a photo of their child that best represents the spirit of back-to-school season. The photos were then posted to the Thomas Built Buses Facebook page for public voting.
The top 50 photos with the most online votes were presented to a panel of judges, who then determined the five winners based on originality, applicability to the back-to-school theme, inclusion of a school bus or school bus driver, composition, and photo quality.
Each of the five winners was awarded a $2,000 donation to their child’s school from the Daimler Education in Motion campaign. Daimler Trucks North America, the parent company of Thomas Built, launched the Daimler Education in Motion campaign this year to support educational initiatives focused on manufacturing career path development. Read more here.
Bus firm to open propane station
Patsy’s Bus Sales plans a ribbon cutting Tuesday that is expected to include Mayor Jim Bouley, state environmental officials and clean air advocates.
“This is the first of its kind in the state that looks like a gas station,” said Dolores Rebolledo, who coordinates the Granite State Clean Cities Coalition for the state Department of Environmental Services. She said the station will feature a dispenser pump and a swipe to accept debit cards.
U-Haul and Energy North provide other, less traditional dispensers of propane for alternatively fueled cars.
The Patsy’s station will be at 112 Hall St., and be open 24 hours.
The Propane Education and Research Council estimates that 270,000 propane vehicles are on the road.
Rebolledo said it’s hard to estimate how many alternative fuel vehicles are on the road in New Hampshire, but efforts are under way to compile a database through the state Division of Motor Vehicles.
Schwan Frozen Foods, propane companies and school districts in Merrimack Valley and Cornish operate vehicles that run on propane, she said.
“Within five years, the numbers are going to be in the thousands,” she said. Read more here.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
City of Austin Saves More Than $299,000 per Year by Going Green With Propane Autogas
The City of Austin began using propane in 1999, and currently uses an estimated 120,000 gallons of propane per year. The City's propane fleet includes 224 Ford F-150s, Ford F-250s, Chevy 2500s and Chevy 3500s; 36 Toro lawn mowers; and 10 off-road propane vehicles. Fleets that switch to propane autogas can expect to save 30-50 percent on fuel costs and experience reduced vehicle and mower maintenance.
"The City of Austin is committed to the use of alternative fuel," Bruce Kilmer, Operations Support Division Manager, explained. "We are working with many manufacturers and technologies to broaden our alternative fuel usage. We continue to expand the use of propane vehicles in our fleet. Our fuel usage must be as diverse as possible to meet our alternative fuel goals, as well as ensure we do not become tied to one technology. Propane offers a stable fuel source that has a well-established supply chain and an evolved technology."
The City of Austin is one of many municipalities across Texas that are choosing propane autogas. "More and more local governments are recognizing the benefits of propane autogas," said Jackie Mason, Education & Marketing Director for the Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT). "In addition to reducing fuel costs and saving taxpayer dollars, propane lowers harmful emissions and contributes to cleaner air." Read more here.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Five Frequently Asked Questions About Propane Autogas
The Fueling Texas campaign has been participating in events all across the state. From Lubbock to San Antonio, Dallas to Houston, Austin to Corpus Christi, we’ve been all over Texas to talk to fleet owners and operators about clean, domestically produced propane autogas. We’ve collected the top five questions we’re asked most frequently at events. Check them out below!1. What will my fuel savings be using autogas?
Fleets can generally expect to reduce their fuel costs by 30-50 percent with propane autogas. For some real world examples of fleets saving money with propane-powered vehicles and mowers, check out our mower and vehicle case studies.
2. What does it cost to convert a vehicle?
It depends on the make and model of your vehicle, as well as the conversion system, but the general range is $5,000-$7,000. While there is an upfront cost associated with conversion, fleets see a significant return on investment in very little time — with many fleets reporting a full ROI in as little as six months. To learn more about EPA-certified conversion kits, click here.
3. I used propane in the 1970s. Has it changed at all since then?
Yes! Just as other technologies have become more effective and streamlined, so has propane autogas (after all, we don’t use giant cell phones any more, right?). With the introduction of liquid fuel injection systems, propane autogas has become even more dependable, reliable and easy to use. Many fleets across Texas are choosing propane, including local governments, state agencies, delivery and service companies, and more than 75 independent school districts.
4. Where is the propane tank located in the car?
It depends on what vehicle model you are converting, but propane autogas tanks can be installed in several different locations. Common areas are pickup truck beds, trunks of sedans, between the frame rails and even in place of the spare tire. Tanks can be custom configured for specific applications. Ask your conversion center about where the best place on your vehicle is.
5. Is propane the same thing as natural gas?
No, propane is slightly different than compressed natural gas (CNG), although both are alternative fuels with a lower carbon content than gasoline. Propane autogas is far more available than CNG in terms of refueling. Currently, Texas has only a handful of CNG stations compared to more than 700 propane autogas facilities. For the cost of one CNG station, you can install up to 10 autogas stations. The range of a propane vehicle is a few hundred miles, while it would take CNG several fuel cylinders to achieve the same distance that propane can do with just one fuel tank. For more information on how propane autogas stacks up against CNG, click here.
Read more here.
Buster Brown Propane expands with new shopping center and high hopes
The expansion continues as the company enters a new chapter, opening a new building to accommodate their growing customer base, as well as a shopping center featuring businesses such as Fish Tales restaurant, and even a coffee shop owned by Buster Brown’s owners, which will be known as “Buster’s Brew.”
“When we started leasing out the shopping center, we had no idea it would fill up so quickly,” said Jan Peterson, who owns the business, along with her husband, Mark, and son, Matt. “I’m really excited to be a part of the coffee shop because it was always my dream to own a coffee shop. As Matt becomes more involved in the propane aspect of the business, I will start taking over the coffee shop.”
Buster Brown Propane is a true family business after it was established by Jan’s stepfather, Lewis “Buster” Brown. Matt even jokes that his young daughters are already asking to join the propane business.
“When my grandfather was the owner, I grew up sitting on his lap listening to the truckers call in on the radio,” said Matt. “I always knew that I wanted to do this and go into the business. I like the industry and I like the people. I never really saw myself doing anything else.”
Following close to a year’s worth of planning, in September construction began on the new building, which sits next door to the former Buster Brown building, located at 20126 Texas 494 Loop in New Caney, along with the new shopping center. The project is expected to be finished by Jan. 2014.
The Peterson family is extremely excited to expand their efforts in the community and to serve an even wider base of customers.
“We are the voice for propane in this area,” said Jan. “We have been a part of the Texas Propane and Gas Association (Jan has been a regional vice president and director for the association, as has Mark). It’s really amazing that what we say and do makes a difference, but it really does.” Read more here.
Clean Cities has transformed transportation markets for alternative fuels
When the Energy Department first established Clean Cities in 1993, many people had never heard of alternative fuels. Today, organizations in the public and private sectors are striving to become more sustainable, the price of oil continues to fluctuate, and the impacts of climate change are growing, making the need for alternative fuels self-evident. "Clean Cities addresses these issues that are increasingly important no matter what your political background is," said National Clean Cities Director Dennis Smith.
Spurred in part by Clean Cities, there are now nearly 200 alternative fuel and hybrid vehicle models on the market and more than 27,000 alternative fueling and charging stations in operation.
In particular, the 25 Clean Cities projects across the country supported by $300 million from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have played a special role in Clean Cities' growth. The funding directly deployed more than 8,000 alternative fuel vehicles and nearly 1,500 fueling and charging stations, but that was only the beginning. "The level of experience coalitions and stakeholders gained in deploying these technologies is unparalleled," Bluestein said. Based on their experiences with these projects, many organizations are independently investing in alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure. Some have even become passionate advocates, informing other fleets and creating new business models based on alternative fuels. The Recovery Act projects created "the critical mass, the tipping point," said Smith. Read more here.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Mary Barra Named GM CEO, Automaker's First Female Chief
Akerson, who has been GM’s chairman and chief executive since September 2010, had been considering a departure but decided to advance his succession plan because his wife was recently diagnosed with a late stage of cancer.
“I will leave with great satisfaction in what we have accomplished, great optimism over what is ahead and great pride that we are restoring General Motors as America’s standard bearer in the global auto industry,” Akerson said in a message to employees, the company reported. Read more here.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Alternative Fuels at a Crossroads
The truth is that globally, of the more than 1 billion vehicles on the road, those running on alternative energy – bio-fuel, electric, hydrogen, natural gas, propane autogas, and so on – make up less than 2 percent of the total automotive fleet. Of the estimated 60 million vehicles being built worldwide this year, the overwhelming majority will be fueled by oil. That means that most cars are fueled the same way as the Model T’s that rolled off Henry Ford’s assembly lines.
Diving even deeper into those statistics, when you analyze the number of alternative fuels competing for sales, what’s left is a volatile alternative-fuel marketplace where the good guys often fight each other to gain market share among early adopters or favored status among policy makers.
Rather than putting more alternative-fuel vehicles on the road, we’re spinning our wheels, with alternative fuels getting too little traction beyond their small share of the world’s vehicles.
Like other representatives of major alternative fuels, I do my part to tell decision makers about propane autogas’ affordable infrastructure, American-made fuel supply, and new technology that cuts emissions compared with gasoline and diesel vehicles. Other alternative–fuel advocates make the case for CNG, electric, or bio-diesel. But we are all coming from the same side. We want to find ways to make the U.S. more energy independent and greener while also helping consumers who have had to struggle with fluctuations in oil prices for decades. Read more here.
Monday, December 2, 2013
CleanFUEL USA November Newsletter
Click here to view our November newsletter
A wise person once said that we often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. It is so easy to become caught up in the chaos of the holidays and forget how thankful we should be and for that reason we wanted to take a brief moment to thank all of you who have supported us over the past twenty years.
When I started this company in a tiny Texas town with a 1,200 square foot building and a staff of three, I had little capital and big dreams. I will never forget standing in front of the fax machine and watching our first “big” order for 4 dispensers come in from Mexico in 1994. I will never forget getting the call that we finally received EPA and CARB certification on the first Liquid Propane Injection vehicle in the US in 2006. And I will never forget watching our manufacturing facility in Texas burn to the ground in 2011. And with all of these memories come gratitude. Gratitude to the people who played key roles in these and many other events in our company’s history. We owe so much of our success not just to our employees and our shareholders, who are second to none, but also to our partners, our customers and our friends.
As the years have passed, my dreams have grown and so has our success. We continue to make tremendous progress in the propane autogas market and we couldn’t do it without people who believe in us. So thank you, to each and every one of you who have worked for us, with us or beside us for one year or twenty and helped us reach our goals. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for you.
Curtis Donaldson
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
The Tie That Binds Alternative Fuel Vehicles And A Commercial Laundry
Years ago, the laundry that Andrew Gold and business partner Abdul Razzak Khanani owned was operating on a propane-fired boiler. There were no spots nearby for consumers to buy propane, so the partners took advantage of the 1,000-gallon tank on site and began selling LPG on a retail basis. Norgetown Propane was born.
Fast-forward to today, and the mini-mart has been razed, and Norgetown's headquarters has evolved into the only public-access propane autogas station anywhere near Miami. Gold tells NGT News that providing fuel for propane vehicles is an immense opportunity for companies like his.
"It's a coming trend," he says. "We really see this as the future of the industry."
Last week, Norgetown welcomed the public and local dignitaries to a ribbon-cutting at the company's HQ. The site has undergone a complete facelift, courtesy of a 50/50 partnership between Norgetown and the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency, which is focused on helping businesses improve their facilities and, in turn, attracting new commercial activity.
The above-ground 1,000-gallon propane tank at 1005 NW 119th St. is gone, replaced by a 2,000-gallon underground tank. That installation required "major pumps," Gold says, in order to get the gas out of the ground at the rate Norgetown wanted.
Ultimately, the company installed a 7.5 hp pump that yields 10 gallons of propane to the nozzle in 30 seconds. There are four autogas dispensers on site, and the facility is manned 24/7. Read more here.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Propane provides stunning fuel savings
LPG, also known as autogas, can be unbelievably cheap – if you buy it in bulk. Anyone who fills up the tank for their barbeque grille, or heats their home with it, will tell you that it's as expensive as gasoline. But fleets that commit to buying in bulk can get a substantial discount.
"Today we're buying LPG at $1.14 a gallon and we get a 50-cent federal tax credit, so we're actually paying 64 cents a gallon. It's been a real winner for us," says Edgar Benning, the General Manager of the Mass Transportation Authority for the city of Flint, Michigan.
The city of Flint, which is struggling through hard economic times, is saving so much money on fuel that the LPG vehicles are actually paying for themselves. Benning says it costs the city 13 cents per mile to operate its vehicles on LPG versus 41 cents a mile using diesel fuel.
The interest in propane as a fuel is a direct result of the shale bonanza that is transforming the US energy sector. As recently as only five years ago, propane was largely produced from petroleum and its price was directly tied to the price of oil. Today, propane is largely a by-product of natural gas production. The US has such a surplus that it has become a net exporter, and in some areas there is such an abundance that producers are pumping it back into the ground. Read more here.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Hansen: State easing off gas, onto alternative fuels
We cannot meet in his office, because he doesn't have an office.
I don't need to schedule an interview through his public relations person, because he doesn't have one of those, or an assistant, or any employees.
Instead, Jim McGee plops down beside me at a coffee shop, greets me with a pat on the back and hands me a homemade business card that says, “Nebraska Clean Cities Coalition.”
McGee, a longtime Nebraska Department of Roads official, now runs a nonprofit devoted to weaning Nebraskans off gasoline-powered cars.
Only one tiny hurdle: Nearly every single Nebraskan, including McGee and yours truly, drives a gas-powered car.
“I am more encouraged than I ever thought I would be,” McGee says. “The more I see, the more I sense that the glass is filling up.”
So far as I can tell, Jim McGee is not delusional.
Rather, his is an exercise — a lesson, really — in looking at the marathon ahead and then simply deciding to put one foot in front of the other.
Here's a step: Omaha and Millard students are now transported to their schools by 434 propane-powered buses. It's the largest propane-powered fleet of its kind in the country.
Here's a step: A local plumbing company runs its service vans on compressed natural gas — an energy that, while not exactly clean, at least comes from inside the United States.
Here's a step: Nebraska truck stops are starting to explore truck electrification, which allows truck drivers to live in their semis without constantly idling their engines.
McGee just started his new job as the first paid director of Nebraska Clean Cities, a position paid for temporarily by a federal grant. Read more here.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Alternative-Fuel Tax Credits for Fleets
In addition to the $7,500 IRS tax credit available for the purchase of certain plug-in electric vehicle as covered in the September/October 2012 issue of Green Fleet magazine, there is also a 50-cents-per-gallon tax credit available for dispensing certain alternative fuels used to operate a motor vehicle.
In essence, this program funds back 50 cents for each gallon of a “qualified alternative fuel” dispensed. This easy-to-apply-for tax credit is available to fleets that qualify even if they are exempt from income taxes with only a minimum expenditure of time and effort. Most fleets will be able to gather the required records and complete the required paperwork in less than one hour.
What Alternative Fuels are Eligible?
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended the 50-cents-per-gallon federal alternative motor fuel tax credit through Dec. 31, 2013, and also made it retroactive for all of 2012. Qualifying fuels under this program include compressed natural gas (CNG), based on 121 cubic feet; liquefied natural gas (LNG); liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), aka propane autogas; P-Series fuel; liquid fuel derived from coal through the Fischer-Tropsch process; and compressed or liquefied gas derived from biomass.
While this federal program has been around since 2005, many eligible fleets may not be aware of its existence and could be missing out on an opportunity to bring external revenue into their operation.
Who Qualifies?
Fleets dispensing CNG, LNG, LPG/propane autogas, and the less common alternative fuels previously noted are all eligible for this tax credit. The operative word here is “dispensing,” as the fleet claiming the tax credit must be what the IRS refers to as an “Alternative Fueler.” Read more here.
Propane Autogas Event Planned for March in Texas
The summit, now in its fourth year, will include the latest propane autogas technologies, product offerings, industry partnerships, funding opportunities, end-user fleet applications and more. Event partners include Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities, North Central Texas Council of Governments and TSN Communications.
The summit will be available live via online webcast, free of charge.
Contact Greg Zilberfarb at (703) 779-4890 for more information, or click here.
HDT's Top 50 Green Fleets
Green strategies vary greatly depending on the operation. For one company, natural gas might make sense. For another, green might mean solar-powered warehouses. For others, it’s all about fuel-efficient specs and driver training.
So the end result is a bit more subjective. We asked fleets, through e-mails, posts on social media, stories on Truckinginfo.com and in our daily Headline News e-newsletter, to fill out a short online survey about their vehicles, alternative fuel and other green initiatives, and tried to choose those who were ahead of the curve in their sustainability efforts. In some cases, we relied on publicly available information. Our focus was primarily on medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Our picks are presented in alphabetical order.
We did not include leasing fleets, but did ask leasing companies for names of their lease customers for consideration. Leasing companies such as Ryder and PacLease have been proactive in helping fleets research and test alternative fueled vehicles and get the most fuel efficiency and productivity. Read more here.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The Propane Effect
Among the considerations fleets must review before switching to an alternative fuel are vehicle miles driven in a day, total cost of ownership, infrastructure improvements, and fuel price. For some fleets, answering that quartet of questions opens a number of possibilities. For Lake Michigan Mailers, though, the answers led to a single conclusion.
“Not only did propane autogas fulfill all of our requirements, but a study showed it would give us the fastest return on our investment,” says David Rhoa, president. “When we saw the results, we were absolutely convinced that propane autogas was the most viable option for our needs.”
A typical Ford E-150 van in Lake Michigan’s 30-vehicle fleet runs more than 100 mi. a day, making electric vehicles an impractical option, Rhoa says. Compressed natural gas was rejected because of the costs associated with building a supporting infrastructure for a fleet the size of Lake Michigan. The E85 blend of gasoline was also not a viable solution because fewer Michigan gas stations support that fuel. But propane was the answer to each question asked. With the help of propane supplier AmeriGas, which has installed a 1,000 gal. propane autogas tank at Lake Michigan’s Kalamazoo, MI, facility, the company is on its way to a fleet conversion. Read more here.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Five Green Trends in Fleet
Natural gas is taking over the universe.
Not really, but it feels that way. In recent years, the movement to compressed natural gas (CNG) was advancing with the help of third-party CNG conversion manufacturers such as Westport, Landi Renzo and Venchurs. These companies are not only surviving, but they’re also expanding their offerings. But when the auto manufacturers initiate their own product offensives, you know that CNG has come into its own.
General Motor’s next generation HD pickups will have a bi-fuel CNG option for all cab styles, while dedicated CNG options continue to be available on GM vans. Chrysler’s CNG Ram 2500 went on sale this year. Ford has expanded CNG offerings with four QVMs now. Large truck makers, including Kenworth, Navistar and Mack, are adding options for CNG and LNG (liquefied natural gas). Navistar head Dan Ustian has called natural gas “the most realistic alternative fuel option to the trucking industry.”
The premium on CNG conversions is shrinking. Materials costs for tanks are coming down and economies of scale are being realized. A few years ago, light-duty conversions retailed for more than $11,000; today, Venchurs’ conversion for Ford’s F-250 and F-350 models with a 24-gallon tank costs $8,350.
At Green Fleet, when the conversation centered on fleet implementation and measurable return on investment, fleet managers were talking about CNG more than anything else.
Propane is still a part of the conversation and is expected to grow, especially in vocational applications such as school transportation and shuttle buses. Though per-gallon pricing is generally higher than CNG and pricing is subjected to more fluctuation, propane is particularly attractive because the costs to install a fueling station are significantly less than one for CNG.
The EV market has stalled (at least with fleets).
Again, when truck manufacturers either expand or abandon their alt-fuel or power product portfolios, it’s a good way to gauge how the trade winds are blowing. Last year, Ford ditched its Transit Connect Electric upon the bankruptcy of electric components maker Azure Dynamics. Navistar is no longer making its eStar electric truck, while Eaton has quietly dropped its Hydraulic Launch Assist system for diesel-electric hybrids.
At a Green Fleet seminar, Andrew Douglas of Kenworth reported “a dramatic drop off in sales of diesel-electric hybrids in favor of CNG.” In general, fleets report that they are staying on the sidelines when it comes to electric because the technology still relies on government subsidies, and no one thinks that existing subsidies will remain for much longer. Read more here.
Propane and Natural Gas Vehicles Could Get a Nice Boost from New Legislation
Central to the proposed bill is a gaseous fuel vehicle conversion program, covering vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) or propane autogas. Through the program, the state would offer grants to public fleets - namely, state and municipal entities, school districts and public transportation agencies - as well as nonprofit corporations.
These grants would cover 100% of the cost of CNG, LNG or propane vehicle conversions, or 100% of the incremental cost of buying an OEM natural gas or propane vehicle.
Should the bill be enacted, the specific eligibility requirements would need to be specified. But the bill does note that the cap on these grants would be $500,000 per "eligible entity." And O'Brien's office tells NGT News that the grant program overall would be capped at $16 million annually.
For private business fleets and individuals, the bill would enact tax credits for alternative fuel vehicle purchases or conversions. Like the public fleet grant program, these tax incentive would cover CNG, LNG or propane vehicles - both dedicated and bi-fuel models.
The credits for private fleets and consumers would be equal to 50% of the incremental cost of acquiring an alt-fuel vehicle from an OEM, or 50% of the vehicle conversion cost. The legislation does include per-vehicle caps on the tax incentives: For vehicles 8,500 lbs. GVWR or less, $5,000; for medium-duty vehicles 8,500 lbs. to 10,000 lbs. GVWR, $10,000; and for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that come in at more than 10,000 lbs. GVWR, $25,000.
The bill specifies that the grant and tax-credit programs be phased out after a five-year period. This measure, says Clean Fuels Ohio Executive Director Sam Spofforth, was particularly helpful in attaining the immense co-sponsorship for the O'Brien/Hall bill - some 61 fellow House members, along bipartisan lines, O'Brien's office confirms. Read more here.
Energy Department Launches Alternative Fueling Station Locator App
Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with support from the Energy Department, the Alternative Fueling Station Locator app provides information on more than 15,000 stations across the country. Users can search for stations that offer electricity, biodiesel (B20), natural gas (compressed and liquefied), ethanol (E85), hydrogen, and propane. After the user selects a fuel, the app maps the stations closest to his or her current location. The app also includes the stations' addresses, phone numbers, and operating hours. Using the app's filters, drivers can also search for stations that meet certain parameters, such as whether the station is open to the public and what payment methods it accepts.
Alternative fuel vehicles produce fewer greenhouse gases and harmful emissions than their conventional counterparts and reduce the United States' dependence on imported oil. This app is just the latest tool the Energy Department has made available to help drivers find the right vehicle and fuel that suits their needs. It is a mobile version of the Alternative Fueling Station Locator website, one of 15 tools designed to reduce the use of petroleum in transportation available on the Department's Alternative Fuels Data Center. Read more here.
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