Alternative Technology Vehicles
on Display at the 2009 Conference:
|
|
Ultracapacitor Powered Mini Bus
Electric Newton Delivery Truck
Electric Package Delivery Trucks
EV-1000 Van
Electric SAAB Conversion
All-Electric Mini Cooper
T-3 Segway
Hydrogen Powered Vehicles
Hybrid Shuttle Bus
Biodiesel Trucks
CNG Garbage Truck
CNG Delivery Truck
CNG cars, trucks & vans
Hyundai Tiburon
Electric Conversion
Hybrid Conversion of Ford Crown Victoria
Display of Hybrid ElectricDrive Train
Hybrid cars and trucks
Hybrid Hydraulic Garbage Truck
PHEV vechicles
|
CSE Presents...
As part of our mission, the Center for Sustainable Energy frequently presents at local, regional, and national conferences.
In November, Dr. Reid Strieby and Dr. Michael Seliger gave a
presentation at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) National
Green Workforce Education Conference.
|
|
CSE Education Coordinator Retires to a Sunny Place
The Center for Sustainable Energy is sad to announce the retirement of Education Coordinator Jill Cotter. Ms. Cotter assisted with much of the build out of the Green Energy Training courses over the past three and a half years and has helped develop many new courses, including Math/Electricity Basics, Advanced Grid-Tied and Advanced Off-Grid PV, Intro to CAD, Building Energy Efficient Systems, and numerous professional seminars. Through her diligent efforts, CSE successfully obtained the ISES Continuing Ed Provider Accreditation, a cornerstone for the GET@CUNY PV Training Program. Although we will all miss Jill, we wish her health and happiness in her retirement to Belize, where she has volunteered to teach reading to Mayan Indians. Ms. Cotter's last day will be December 23rd. Please call 718-289-5332 for all future training inquiries. |
CSE Student Featured at COP15
Solar Solidarity
H'Rina DeTroy of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism worked with the North America Team of Project Survival Media (PSM) to produce 'Solar Solidarity' for the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15).
PSM is a collaborative global network of journalists. In the lead-up to the landmark conference taking place in Copenhagen in December of 2009, PSM helped assemble and launch seven global new media teams-one for each continent.
This story features Charles Stewart, a Center for Sustainable Energy
student, who started his own solar business: Peace and Solar.
|
|
|
|
|
GET@CUNY
Green Energy Training at CUNY
Photovoltaic
Solar Thermal
Energy Efficient Building
Building Performance Institute Training
The Business of Clean, Green Energy
Geothermal
RETScreen
& more
The Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College coordinates GET@CUNY, with courses delivered at multiple CUNY colleges, including:
Bronx Community College
Kingsborough Community College
LaGuardia Community College
New York City College of Technology
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Medgar Evers College
City College of New York
|
The Road to Energy Independence
NYC Leaders Gather to Implement the Change to
Alternative Vehicles
 The Center for Sustainable Energy convened its fifth annual Alternative Vehicle Technology Conference on October 30, 2009 among an enthusiastic audience of city leaders, fleet managers, and stakeholders on the campus of The City University of New York's Lehman College. The conference included presentations by experts in the transportation industry who highlighted the latest in alternative fuels and emerging technologies, as well as an expo that featured over 30 alternative technology vehicles. Presentations
The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), whose home campus is Bronx Community College, was founded in part by Congressman José E. Serrano of New York's 16th District. "The theme for this year's conference, 'The Road to Energy Independence:  Implementing the Change,' is particularly apt, as the vehicles on display and the topics explored by panel experts presented today no longer exist only in laboratories or workshops," said Congressman Serrano. "Successful, road-tested alternative vehicle technologies are on the road today and, I believe, will not be considered 'alternative' much longer."
"Many of these alternative vehicles are already being used in New York City and are representative of what you see on the streets every day, from trucks and taxis to buses,  garbage trucks and passenger vehicles," said Tria Case, CSE Executive Director and University Director of Sustainability for The City University of New York. "In order to make a smooth transition to clean energy, consumers need reliable vehicles, easy refueling, and trained mechanics. The transportation industry is undergoing an historic transformation, and the Center for Sustainable Energy, together with the City University of New York, is working with a multitude of partners to help provide that critical infrastructure here in New York City."
With a growing awareness that more electric cars are on the streets of New York City every day, the audience was especially interested in the presentation 'Plugging into the Smart Grid' by Con Edison Vice President of Planning and Engineering John Mucci.  Con Edison also had several of its alternative vehicles on display. "Con Edison is pleased to join this conference at a time when environmental and economic sustainability is so important to us all," said Mucci. "Global warming and energy independence have become critical issues, and our company has been making significant investments to 'green' our fleet. Today, our employees do their field work driving 140 hybrid vehicles, about 25 compressed-natural-gas-fueled cars, and 1,700 diesel trucks running on B-20 biodiesel fuel."
The 2009 Conference was held in collaboration with the New York Power Authority, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, New York City & Lower Hudson Valley Clean Communities, the New York City Chapter of the National Association of Fleet Administrators, Congressman José E. Serrano, and the New York City Department of Transportation. "New York  City continues to lead the way toward a strong national policy focused on new and sustainable energy sources that reduce greenhouse gases," said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. "As a hotbed for innovative sustainability strategies, the CUNY Center for Sustainable Energy is drawing attention to the urgent need for polices that build a better environment."
|
GET@CUNY PV Program Shines
The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) held its first photovoltaic (PV) installation class in December of 2005 with just one instructor and eight students at Bronx Community College. The course became the impetus behind 'Green Energy Training at CUNY' (GET@CUNY), a CSE-run program that has now rolled out to seven CUNY campuses and includes a wide range of courses and workshops (see our training link above). Over 600 students have now taken a PV course or workshop through GET@CUNY from nine instructors. The success of the PV program is due to the passion and dedication of
the instructors and the CSE staff who have adhered to the highest
industry standards available for these training courses.
 The students represent a broad assortment of demographics ranging from architects and engineers to taxi drivers, construction company owners, city workers, and unemployed and underemployed workers. Men and women of all ages and from a wide variety of ethnic groups bond together as, side by side, they learn key concepts of photovoltaic system operations and components of the stand-alone and net-metered grid inter-tied PV systems.
CSE installed the first PV training roof in NYC in 2008 on the BCC campus, enabling its students to practice hands-on skills, including roof safety.  The instructors, most of whom are installers themselves, worked with staff to develop a new math and electricity basics course for their diverse students. They also organized study groups to help students preparing for exams. These steps resulted in the GET@CUNY program achieving some of the highest pass rates in the country for its students who sit for the NABCEP Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge Exam.
CSE continues to systematically build out the courses to make sure the capacity equals the demand and to adapt to the continually advancing renewable energy technology. Additional courses include solar thermal, advanced grid tied PV, advanced off grid PV, and--new this fall--courses in Spanish.  A recent CSE survey
reported that 30 percent of the PV students own their own construction-related business and are looking to include renewable energy services,
and 20 percent find new jobs in the solar field. Instructors confirmed that many of the students come from countries
around the world (see below). Some of those students are returning to their
homelands with plans to install solar installations or open up their own solar company.
|
GET@CUNY Goes Global
Students in CUNY's PV program, led by the Center for Sustainable Energy, come from countries around the world including:
Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, China, Cuba, Dubai, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Ireland, Korea, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Senegal, South Africa, and St.Lucia.
|
Students Leading the Way
by Noah Ginsburg
 Congressman José E. Serrano's
staff members looked on with excitement as the solar array's power output rose
with the sun as it cut through the morning haze. The visitors were
eager to learn more about solar technology, as well as CUNY's state-of-the-art solar
laboratory and training facilities located at the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) at Bronx Community College. Charles Stewart, Edwin Gutierrez, and I, all
graduates of CSE's Solar Training Program, gave the Congressman's staff
members a solar demonstration on CSE's new practice shingle roof. 
Charles Stewart, a professional electrician and Washington, DC native, moved to New York
City in 2007 to become a certified solar installer through CSE's
training program. Stewart's passion for renewable energy was sparked by a
blackout that left many of his neighbors stranded helplessly in the summer
heat. His vision was "to find other ways to provide people with power,"
especially clean, distributed sources that protect the environment while
strengthening communities. Today, Charles is realizing this vision through his
business, Peace and Solar, which has designed and installed solar energy
systems in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. Edwin Gutierrez, a 15-year
veteran of the IT industry, is making a career change to the field of solar
energy.
~
Noah
Ginsburg works for CUNY on the NYC Solar America
Cities Initiative, and will graduate from Hunter College
in May with a degree in Renewable Energy through the CUNY Baccalaureate Program.
 Ginsburg, on behalf of the Hunter Solar Project, recently received one of 78 CGI U Outstanding Commitment awards, given to student projects
across the nation by the Clinton
Global Initiative. The Hunter Solar Project, a team of undergraduate and graduate
students, has committed to the installation of a solar energy system at Hunter
College. This system will offset a portion of the school's non-renewable energy demand,
reduce Hunter's greenhouse gas emissions, and align the school with Mayor
Bloomberg's PLANYC 2030 energy initiatives. The project's accompanying Solar
Tour Program promises to expose thousands of New York City's young adults and
youth to the rapidly advancing field of solar energy.
|
Season's Greenings
By Luis Torres
All Ed Taylor wants for Christmas is an electric truck. Not the kind of toy electric truck like those
HESS offers around this time of year. Ed
wants a real, all-electric, seven ton, zero emission delivery truck to deliver
fish from his company, Down East Seafood in the Bronx, to restaurants throughout
New York City. Ed isn't looking for help
from the North Pole to get his truck, but he has been keeping an eye on
developments in another shop in Kansas City, Missouri. He isn't relying on Santa, elves, and reindeer
to deliver it, but he is in regular contact with technicians at Smith Electric
Vehicles US to track the progress of the Newton delivery truck that has
been on order for over two years.
Back in October of this year, Taylor
traveled to Kansas City to visit the new Smith Electric Vehicles US plant, which is built on the site of a
former airport. Taylor toured the
assembly plant, housed in airport hangars, where he saw the first Newton
electric trucks, including his, on the production line. Smith officials allowed Taylor to tighten one
of the bolts on the Newton truck in production, which will be delivered to Down
East Seafood. Down East will have one of
the first Newton electric trucks in New York. Other
fleets that have ordered Newtons include Coca Cola and Frito Lay.
Taylor also took a test drive of one of the prototype
Newtons at the assembly plant. He liked
the way the newer version handled compared to the earlier one, describing it as "a lot better than the first Newton we had .
. . more nimble, smooth, amazingly quick." With assistance from the Center for
Sustainable Energy, Down East Seafood obtained a grant for funding from the New
York State Energy and Research Authority to offset the incremental cost of a
truck with alternative vehicle technology. After seeing the Smith Electric Vehicles US site in Missouri, Taylor had a question
for his Midwestern hosts--"When are we going to build [these] trucks in Hunts
Point?" The folks at Smith didn't have
an immediate answer. Perhaps after the
first Newton hits the New York City streets, and more are ordered for fleets in
the Northeast, Taylor may see Smith operations closer to the South Bronx. For now, this is Taylor's dream. For Taylor, the Smith plant is the closest
thing to Santa's workshop at the North Pole. If Taylor can convert his entire fleet to electric trucks and pave the
way for larger fleets to cut petroleum use and emissions, every day would be
Christmas.
Luis Torres, currently serves as the Associate Director for Community and Public Affairs at the Center for Sustainable Energy.
|
Maintaining the Road to Energy Independence
BCC AT Program Earns National Attention
The Bronx Community College (BCC) Automotive Technology (AT) program has received
five additional national certifications by the National Automotive Technician
Education Foundation (NATEF) / Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for a total
of nine AT certifications, including a certification in compressed natural gas vehicle
maintenance. A congratulatory letter
from NATEF stated that "most
colleges with AT programs never reach this level of excellence." The BCC AT program is now fielding calls from other colleges across the country that are responding to the increasing need for skilled auto technicians as more and more alternative fuel vehicles emerge in the marketplace.
In September, the AT program opened
a new electronics lab. This state-of-the-art
classroom features the complete automotive electrical/electronic system of an
entire vehicle. Students receive their
lab assignments and use high-tech interactive training simulators. This allows them to demonstrate their
knowledge of the lesson through a practical exercise.
The alternative fuels
technology course is in its second semester and is experiencing increasing
enrollment. In addition to learning
about alternative fuels, students now receive training on hybrid technology
that includes Toyota,
Honda, and Ford vehicles.
As the Director of the AT
program, Mr. Clement Drummond notes that "this alternative fuels course prepares students for the shifting
paradigm of technology."
|
Next Generation of Green Leaders at BCC
New York City
Youth-in-the-Environment Project
(YEP)
at Bronx Community College
The 2009 summer Youth Employment Partnership (YEP), sponsored by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency - Region 2 and key partners, such as the National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE),
Woodycrest Center for Human Development, Inc., NYC
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and Bronx Community College, was once again an outstanding success. After nine successful years, all of the
partners, including EPA - Region 2, continue to provide an invaluable
opportunity to a select group of Bronx youth. Forty high school students interested in
science, and six BCC students from various science and technology programs,
participated in a paid seven-week education and training program that combined
hands-on work experience with environmental awareness exposure. The college students became youth
coordinators and mentored the high school students. Together, they worked under the
supervision of professional DEP staff at several DEP worksites.
During June 2009, Dr. Reid
Strieby, a professor at BCC, screened potential college students interested in
serving as youth coordinators and he provided names and resumes to PETE and the DEP
for consideration. Six youth coordinators were selected. On July 1st, after collaborative
interviewing of the high school youth, a seven-week program was launched at nine
DEP worksites. Under DEP supervision,
youths worked at host locations doing jobs in areas such as: clerical, customer service,
office management, finance, research warehousing, laboratory service (process,
micro, and non- metals) and safety inspection. In addition to wastewater, health, and safety training, the students also received career readiness, science
literacy, and career exploration instruction by DEP staff. This type of program reinforces the math,
science and technology skills students have acquired in school by being
applied at a worksite.
This project is a great example
of collaborative efforts by various organizations that formed partnerships to
provide local youth the opportunity for a valuable summer work experience,
basic education skills development, and exposure to a potential environmental
career path.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
