 |
| Click images to enlarge. |
Showing posts with label NTEA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NTEA. Show all posts
Friday, May 16, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Green vs. Green: Winners but no Losers
That trucking is greening ever faster was exceedingly evident to me while in Indy attending numerous news conferences and taking in a dizzying array of booth displays promoting the environmental bona fides of all sorts of truck equipment at the annual NTEA Work Truck Show.
In making the rounds at that sprawling event, what came across as clearly as a brilliant blue sky is just what a Herculean task it must be for fleet owners to determine exactly which green powertrain solutions and equipment options will best fit truck duty cycles and applications to both cut operating costs and trim carbon foot prints.
Speakers at the Green Truck Summit that accompanied the show delved into the nitty-gritty aspects of specific alternatives to running on diesel or gasoline, but nothing said there left me thinking any more than I had before that trucking will ever settle on one fuel to drive it all.
What I heard about this alternative fuel vs. that alternative fuel brought to mind the wordless comic strip “Spy vs. Spy” (which Mad magazine began running in 1961) that illustrates the antics of two spies who are identical-- except one is dressed in black and the other in white— and locked in ceaseless seesaw combat.
Much like the comic battles waged in Spy vs. Spy, it's a safe bet that trucking's Green vs. Green storyline will never yield a clear winner...
Of course, there are already several more than two players in the alt-fuel game (Biodiesel, Ethanol, CNG, LNG, LPG, Hydraulic Hybrid, Hybrid Electric, All Electric) with others expected to join in the pitch for fleet loyalties in the near (such as DME) and the longer term (such as Hydrogen).
Summit speaker Doyle Sumrall, NTEA managing director, perhaps said it best. “Fleet approaches to selecting alternative fuels remain eclectic,” he remarked. “Natural gas remains strong, but so do others.”
The point is the choices by which a fleet can be fueled to be green and save green are growing. And not even the proponents of any given alternative fuel suggest that their pony alone will win all the stakes.
While natural gas (in both its CNG and LNG forms) will arguably remain king of trucking’s green hill for some time to come, that other gaseous fuel propane autogas (LPG for short) made an awfully big splash at the show with the announcement by UPS that it plans to invest some $70 million to bring propane power into its U.S. fleet.
That investment will cover the purchase of 1,000 of its iconic “package car” medium-duty delivery trucks powered by propane autogas and the installation of an initial 50 LPG fueling stations at UPS-owned sites here.
Per UPS, the move “benefits from propane autogas’ wide availability as a result of increased natural gas production in the U.S. (LPG is a byproduct of natural gas), and there is more price stability with the accessible supply.”
Prototype UPS package car fueled by propane autogas on display at NTEA Work Truck Show, which was held March 4-7 in Indianapolis
Michael G. Britt, Sr., UPS’ director of Maintenance & Engineering International Operations, said the LPG-fueled step vans, to be built by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) will replace older gasoline- and diesel-powered units used largely in rural parts of Louisiana and Oklahoma. He added that propane use in other states is pending.
Later on, I asked Bryan Henke, FCCC’s manager—product marketing, for an OEM’s perspective on how the burgeoning market for alternatively fueled trucks may shake out.
Noting that FCCC currently builds trucks powered by diesel, gasoline, CNG and LNG and has prior experience with hybrid-electric powertrains, Henke said the company prides itself on “being a single-source [vehicle] provider based on the fleet’s fuel of choice.
“All fleets want to save money,” he continued. “But the [green] decision has to take in infrastructure, maintenance etc. You are not buying just the fuel. It all comes down to evaluating which power choice will best fit a fleet’s specific needs.”
Perhaps then, when it comes to green vs. green, there will be no winner— but also no losers. Full article here.
In making the rounds at that sprawling event, what came across as clearly as a brilliant blue sky is just what a Herculean task it must be for fleet owners to determine exactly which green powertrain solutions and equipment options will best fit truck duty cycles and applications to both cut operating costs and trim carbon foot prints.
Speakers at the Green Truck Summit that accompanied the show delved into the nitty-gritty aspects of specific alternatives to running on diesel or gasoline, but nothing said there left me thinking any more than I had before that trucking will ever settle on one fuel to drive it all.
What I heard about this alternative fuel vs. that alternative fuel brought to mind the wordless comic strip “Spy vs. Spy” (which Mad magazine began running in 1961) that illustrates the antics of two spies who are identical-- except one is dressed in black and the other in white— and locked in ceaseless seesaw combat.
Much like the comic battles waged in Spy vs. Spy, it's a safe bet that trucking's Green vs. Green storyline will never yield a clear winner...
Of course, there are already several more than two players in the alt-fuel game (Biodiesel, Ethanol, CNG, LNG, LPG, Hydraulic Hybrid, Hybrid Electric, All Electric) with others expected to join in the pitch for fleet loyalties in the near (such as DME) and the longer term (such as Hydrogen).
Summit speaker Doyle Sumrall, NTEA managing director, perhaps said it best. “Fleet approaches to selecting alternative fuels remain eclectic,” he remarked. “Natural gas remains strong, but so do others.”
The point is the choices by which a fleet can be fueled to be green and save green are growing. And not even the proponents of any given alternative fuel suggest that their pony alone will win all the stakes.
While natural gas (in both its CNG and LNG forms) will arguably remain king of trucking’s green hill for some time to come, that other gaseous fuel propane autogas (LPG for short) made an awfully big splash at the show with the announcement by UPS that it plans to invest some $70 million to bring propane power into its U.S. fleet.
That investment will cover the purchase of 1,000 of its iconic “package car” medium-duty delivery trucks powered by propane autogas and the installation of an initial 50 LPG fueling stations at UPS-owned sites here.
Per UPS, the move “benefits from propane autogas’ wide availability as a result of increased natural gas production in the U.S. (LPG is a byproduct of natural gas), and there is more price stability with the accessible supply.”
Prototype UPS package car fueled by propane autogas on display at NTEA Work Truck Show, which was held March 4-7 in Indianapolis
Michael G. Britt, Sr., UPS’ director of Maintenance & Engineering International Operations, said the LPG-fueled step vans, to be built by Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) will replace older gasoline- and diesel-powered units used largely in rural parts of Louisiana and Oklahoma. He added that propane use in other states is pending.
Later on, I asked Bryan Henke, FCCC’s manager—product marketing, for an OEM’s perspective on how the burgeoning market for alternatively fueled trucks may shake out.
Noting that FCCC currently builds trucks powered by diesel, gasoline, CNG and LNG and has prior experience with hybrid-electric powertrains, Henke said the company prides itself on “being a single-source [vehicle] provider based on the fleet’s fuel of choice.
“All fleets want to save money,” he continued. “But the [green] decision has to take in infrastructure, maintenance etc. You are not buying just the fuel. It all comes down to evaluating which power choice will best fit a fleet’s specific needs.”
Perhaps then, when it comes to green vs. green, there will be no winner— but also no losers. Full article here.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Work Truck Show 2014 Success Reflects Rebounding Industry
"The success of this year's Work Truck Show is reflective of the slow but steady growth our industry is currently enjoying," says Steve Carey, NTEA executive director. "Vocational trucks and equipment are the tools that millions of people rely on every day to get their jobs done. As the economy improves and budget restrictions ease, vocational fleets are able to start replacing older equipment. The Work Truck Show offers the best opportunity to see and try the latest products, get questions answered and develop a better understanding of industry trends, all in one place at one time."
The Work Truck Show is produced annually by NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry. The event's educational conference, including the popular Green Truck Summit, kicked off on March 4. Altogether, 10,160 people attended The Work Truck Show 2014, making it one of the best-attended events in NTEA history.
More than 100 new products were introduced at the Show, including the 2016 Ford F-650 and F-750, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America's 2015 Canter FE130 cabover work truck, and many technology developments designed to improve work truck fuel utilization. Several companies also used the Show as a platform to announce new partnerships and technology adoptions. For example, UPS and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) announced that UPS is buying 1,000 propane delivery trucks and building 50 fueling stations for a total investment of approximately $70 million.
One of the hottest areas in the work truck industry in recent years has been the development of sustainable technology. This trend has driven the ongoing popularity of the Green Truck Summit and the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive at The Work Truck Show. At the 2014 event, attendees had the opportunity to test-drive nearly 30 "green" vehicles for themselves between the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive and the new PERC-sponsored Propane Autogas Ride & Drive. Read more here.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
UPS delivers a boost to propane as vehicle fuel
Now it's also heating up as an alternative motor fuel, as companies with vehicle fleets embrace its lower costs and smaller environmental footprint relative to gasoline or diesel.
Shipping company UPS announced plans this month to spend $70 mil- lion on 1,000 propane-fueled vehicles and 50 refueling stations in the United States, where the company operates about 77,000 ground vehicles.
Other big companies also have added propane to their fuel mix.
Airport transportation service SuperShuttle touted its propane vehicles earlier this year, saying its 160 propane vehicles, including 30 in Houston, are reducing fuel costs by as much as 60 percent.
Last year, DirecTV announced plans to include more propane-fueled vans in its repair and installation fleet.
And in recent months, school districts in Texas, Arizona and Montana have announced the purchase of propane-powered buses.
The increased attention on propane, also known as autogas or liquefied petroleum gas, comes as the country enjoys a boom in domestic energy production.
Propane is a byproduct of natural gas processing and crude oil refining. Primarily used for home heating and cooking, transportation represents just 2 percent of the fuel's domestic use, according to federal estimates. But that may be changing.
"It's starting to make a lot more sense, given the boom in domestic production," said Roy Willis, CEO of the Propane Education & Research Council, an industry group.
It is generally less expensive than gasoline, according to the Department of Energy, and emits fewer air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
The cleaner burn also extends engine life, advocates say.
"If you've got longer engine wear, the economics of that power system really goes to the bottom line in a beneficial way," Willis said.
Still, when it comes to alternative fuels for vehicles, compressed natural gas typically generates more buzz than propane. Texas energy magnate T. Boone Pickens is a cheerleader for CNG; propane has no such iconic champion.
Small players
And some of the world's largest companies produce and supply natural gas, while propane typically draws smaller players.
UPS officials say they were motivated to consider propane because of a desire to make a positive environmental impact, and also to save money.
They say the new vehicles will collectively travel more than 25 million miles and replace 3.5 million gallons of gasoline and diesel annually.
Mike Casteel, director of fleet procurement for UPS, says the company expects to pay $1.25 to $1.50 per gallon less for propane than for gasoline. A gallon of propane will only take a truck about 75 percent to 90 percent as far as a gallon of gasoline, but the savings still can amount to $1 per gallon or more. He also said the company believes growing domestic energy supplies will keep long-term propane prices stable.
Cost of fueling stations
UPS believes propane-powered vehicles could be more economical in some situations than compressed natural gas. Both fuels are less expensive than gasoline, but Casteel said propane fueling stations are cheaper to build than CNG stations.
It costs $37,000 to $175,000 to build a propane station, according to the Department of Energy, while a CNG station can cost millions of dollars.
Casteel says that price difference is especially significant for UPS, since it plans to use the 1,000 new propane vehicles in rural locations in Oklahoma, Louisiana and elsewhere.
In a big city hub with a large UPS fleet, a CNG facility might have made sense. Only 20-40 vehicles will use each of the new propane facilities, Casteel said.
Propane stations are simpler, Casteel said, partly because the fuel is stored in above-ground tanks and delivered by truck, so it doesn't require pipelines.
Rhea Courtney Bozic, principal of Clean Fuels Consulting, a New York company that helps companies plan alternative fuel fleets, said a growing number of manufacturers have been producing the components needed for propane vehicles, which might be helping to generate interest in the fuel. And the industry has improved its marketing of propane as a transportation fuel, she said.
Still, despite the move by UPS and others, propane vehicles represent just a fraction of vehicles on U.S. roads - about 140,000 of 250 million, according to the industry and the Energy Department.
Larger fuel tanks
The technology isn't perfect. Propane has slightly less energy content than gasoline. That means vehicles need more fuel and larger tanks to go the same range, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Whether purchased new or converted to use the fuel, propane-powered vehicles - like most vehicles running on alternative fuels - can cost thousands of dollars more than their gasoline equivalents. And cold weather earlier this year caused some propane users to suffer from spikes in their fuel costs.
Willis of the propane council said companies that have big fleets of propane vehicles tend to have long-term fuel contracts that insulate them from short-term price fluctuation.
"The cost of the fuel for fleets is very predictable," he said. Read more here.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Biodiesel, Propane Expect Big Growth in Trucks
“The vision of the U.S. biodiesel industry is to see 5% of the petroleum diesel used replaced with biodiesel by 2015 and 10% by 2022,” advised Jennifer Weaver, OEM Outreach & education program specialist for the National Biodiesel Board.
“That 5% alone would equal 1.88 billion gallons of biodiesel,” she continued, noting that “2013 was a banner year for biodiesel and the momentum is with it going into 2014.
And looking out to 2040, Weaver said by then “diesel will account for 70% of the growth in demand for all transportation fuels.”
Meanwhile, Tucker Perkins, chief business development officer for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), sees propane autogas as “the little engine that could” as it is being adopted by more private and municipal fleets.
“Propane autogas is not a Class 8 fuel,” he hastened to add. “It’s primarily going into light-duty pickups and vans and is moving into the medium-duty market mostly in school buses but the future includes medium-duty trucks as well.”
Perkins added that propane can be stored at a low pressure as a liquid and infrastructure costs are pretty minimal for an operation. Read more here.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Green Trucking: Choices for fleets yet abound
For example, Doyle Sumrall, NTEA managing director, pointed out that the “infrastructure is growing for public stations” offering a range of alternative fuels— including biodiesel, compressed natural gas (CNG) and propane autogas (LPG)—and that “fleet approaches to selecting alternative fuels remain eclectic. Natural gas remains strong, but so do others.”
“The vision of the U.S. biodiesel industry is to see 5% of the petroleum diesel used replaced with biodiesel by 2015 and 10% by 2022,” advised Jennifer Weaver, OEM Outreach & education program specialist for the National Biodiesel Board.
“That 5% alone would equal 1.88 billion gallons of biodiesel,” she continued, noting that “2013 was a banner year for biodiesel and the momentum is with it going into 2014.
Weaver said there are now 115 EPA-registered biodiesel production plants nationwide and that biodiesel and blends are now available from 630 distributors and 659 retailers as well as at 506 truckstops. “There are at least 1,995 public fueling locations for biodiesel,” she added.
According to Weaver, the future is bright in part for biodiesel simply because diesel itself is forecast to become the number-one transportation fuel globally by 2020. She noted that, per ExxonMobil, diesel will surpass gasoline globally on its way to that distinction.
And looking out to 2040, Weaver said by then “diesel will account for 70% of the growth in demand for all transportation fuels. She advised that, over the same time frame, the share held by natural gas will rise to 4% from the 1% it holds today.
Turning to a concern about biodiesel that has influenced fleet owners, Weaver pointed out that now “all OEMs selling diesel equipment in the U.S. support [the use of] at least B5 and lower-level blends and over 70% support B20 or higher in at least some of their equipment.” She added that “nearly 90% of [the] medium- and heavy truck markets support B20.”
Tucker Perkins, chief business development officer for the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), called propane autogas “the little engine that could” as it has become an alternative fuel for numerous large fleets, including private fleets such as Frito Lay and Coca Cola as well as municipalities, that operate a diverse range of vehicles.
Perkins said sales activity for LPG-fueled vehicles reached 14,000 units in 2013, with those roughly split 50/50 between OEM orders—chiefly from Ford and GM— and aftermarket conversions. He added that the sales mix was 75% light-duty and 25% medium-duty vehicles.
“Propane autogas is not a Class 8 fuel,” he hastened to add. “It’s primarily going into light-duty pickups and vans and is moving into the medium-duty market mostly in school buses but the future includes medium-duty trucks as well.”
As to why a fleet would choose propane autogas when “all you read about is natural gas,” Perkins said it is because while LPG is produced from natural gas, it can be stored as a liquid at a low pressure.
“And,” he continued, “installing fueling infrastructure for propane autogas is a non-event—an initial cost of [approximately] $40,000 and [the system] is not expensive to maintain.”
Perkins added that while there are already some 3,000 public LPG fueling locations in the U.S., “the propane autogas industry is now also going after the centrally fueled fleets. The future [for LPG] is here and we see nothing but continuing growth across existing and other [OEM] platforms.” Read more here.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
New Propane Autogas Vehicle Offering: GMC C2500 Pick-up Truck
During The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis this week, we announced a new vehicle offering, the GMC C2500 pick-up truck, equipped with a 6.0-liter engine and liquid propane injection systemRead more about our new truck offering as well as our CFT PRO 6100 propane autogas refueling dispenser at: LP Gas Magazine
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
UPS® Utilizing CleanFUEL USA Liquid Propane Injection Systems and Propane Autogas Refueling Stations for Delivery Truck Fleet Installation
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – NATIONAL TRUCK EQUIPMENT (NTEA) WORK TRUCK SHOW ––
March 5, 2014 – CleanFUEL USA, an industry leader in propane autogas technology, today announced that UPS® will be using CleanFUEL USA’s Liquid Propane Injection (LPI) system in its planned purchase of 1,000 propane autogas package delivery trucks, as
well
as multiple
refueling stations across
the United States.
.jpg)
“The UPS announcement marks one of the single
largest alternative fuel vehicle purchases
in the package delivery industry, and we are thrilled
to provide CleanFUEL USA
equipment to help the company invest in an environmentally
friendly energy source and realize cost savings
with American-made propane autogas,”
said Curtis
Donaldson, founder and managing partner of
CleanFUEL USA.
The UPS delivery truck is based on a new CleanFUEL USA offering, the Freightliner Custom Chassis MT-45 walk-in van with CleanFUEL USA LPI system and 6.0L engine provided by Powertrain Integration. The truck will be on display in the Propane Education and Research
Council (PERC) booth, #5103. The MT-45/55 application is CARB and EPA certified.
As well today, CleanFUEL USA announced its new vehicle offering, the GMC C2500 pick-
up truck equipped with 6.0L engine and CleanFUEL USA LPI system, which is proven to
be one of the most technologically advanced propane autogas systems available in the United States. This recently updated system includes a simplified design and new fuel rails for reduced weight, yielding less heat absorption and promoting the liquid phase of the
propane injection process. The new vehicle offering is on display in booth #5291, along with CleanFUEL USA’s CFT PRO 6100 propane autogas refueling dispenser.
“There is a gap in the light-duty market segment in that a large number of fleets are using these vehicles in day-to-day operations and are looking for an alternative to
gasoline, diesel and natural gas. Our 6.0L offerings help these fleets realize the benefits of propane autogas
while experiencing no loss
in
power or payload,” said Wayne Moore, COO of CleanFUEL USA.
CleanFUEL USA is expected to soon gain EPA certification for a vast number of General
Motors (GM) 6.0L light-duty applications, including GM’s 2500/3500 pick-up trucks and cargo vans.
Propane autogas is the third most widely used transportation fuel globally, and is
proven to be the most attractive option from an economic
and environmental
standpoint. Already the leading alternative fuel in the United States, propane autogas costs an average
of 30 to 40 percent less than gasoline, and up to 50 percent less than diesel. The lowest greenhouse gas emitting fuel, vehicles fueled by propane autogas emit 20 percent less nitrogen oxide, 60 percent less carbon monoxide and up to 25 percent less greenhouse gases.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
CleanFUEL USA to Showcase Liquid Propane Injection System Installations and New Vehicle Offering at NTEA Work Truck Show
Major Propane Autogas Customer to be Announced with Industry Partners at Press Conference
Georgetown, Texas (PRWEB) February 26, 2014 Who: CleanFUEL USA, an industry leader in propane autogas technology
When: March 4-7, 2014
Where: The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Work Truck Show, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN
What: CleanFUEL USA will announce with industry partners a leading Fortune 500 customer’s intent for significant adoption of propane autogas vehicles and refueling stations. As well CleanFUEL USA will announce a new vehicle offering at the show and offer a first-hand look at its Liquid Propane Injection (LPI) system in several installations.
Major Customer Announcement Press Conference in PERC Booth #5103 on March 5 at 8:00 a.m. ET
Press conference hosted by Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), CleanFUEL USA, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) and Powertrain Integration with a leading Fortune 500 company and sustainability leader to announce a first-of-its-kind rollout of propane autogas vehicles and refueling stations on Wednesday, March 5, at 8:00 a.m. ET.
On-Display in CleanFUEL USA Booth #5291
CleanFUEL USA will reveal a new vehicle offering and display an upcoming vehicle offering, the GMC C2500 pick-up truck equipped with a 6L engine and a CleanFUEL USA LPI system, as well as a CFT PRO 6100 propane autogas refueling dispenser. Other installations of the LPI system at include:
Freightliner MT-45 walk-in van – Propane Education and Research Council’s (PERC) booth #5103;
Powertrain Integration 6L and 8L engines – Powertrain Integration booth #5295.
Propane Autogas Ride & Drive, March 4-6
Two vehicles equipped with CleanFUEL USA’s LPI system will be available to test drive at the Propane Autogas Ride & Drive event on March 4-6 from 12:00-4:30 p.m. ET at the convention center’s Maryland Street Motor Lobby: the GM G4500 cut-van chassis and the Freightliner Custom Chassis 8L S2G with a Linebacker Crane Truck body by Signature Truck Systems.
Propane Autogas Panel Session with City of Springfield
CleanFUEL USA customer William McCarty, director of Budget and Management for the City of Springfield, Illinois, who oversaw the municipality’s police patrol cars and pickup trucks’ conversion to propane autogas and installation of an on-site refueling station, will speak on the panel, “Fueling a Competitive Edge: How Top Fleets are Succeeding with Propane Autogas,” on March 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
For details on the NTEA Work Truck show, please visit: http://www.ntea.com/worktruckshow.
About CleanFUEL USA:
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 http://www.cleanfuelusa.com.
Connect on Twitter (@CleanFUELUSA), Facebook (facebook.com/CleanFUELUSA) and YouTube (youtube.com/CleanFuelUSA1).
###
Click here for more.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Array of Autogas Vehicles Headed for Work Truck Show
PERC reports that in 2013 autogas sales reached an all-time high as established original equipment manufacturers (OEM) produced record numbers of dedicated propane vehicles. Class 1 through 6 autogas-fueled trucks and vans will be available for test drives from OEMs including Roush CleanTech as a Ford-qualified vehicle modifier, General Motors and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. in partnership with CleanFUEL USA, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc., and ICOM North America.
“Fleet managers can find more state-of-the-art propane vehicles today than at any point in the history of the fuel,” said Michael Taylor, PERC director of propane autogas. “At PERC’s ride and drive event, fleet professionals can try out a variety of propane autogas vehicles and get behind the wheel to witness the power and performance of this clean, American-made fuel.”
In addition, manufacturer and PERC representatives will demonstrate the ease of refueling with propane autogas and answer questions from fleet managers. “Drive cycles can vary greatly from industry to industry and we are fortunate to have PERC representatives on hand to help determine if propane is a good fit,” said Bob Johnson, NTEA director of fleet relations. “The size of your fleet, budget, and access to infrastructure are all factors to consider when choosing which alternative fuel works best for you. Our job is to provide attendees with the right resources to make that decision.” Read more here.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)