NOLSevent
February 2013
In This Issue
Be Idle-Free
Truck Stop Electrification
Propane School Buses
EV Charging Challenge
Bozeman Idle-Free
National Biodiesel Conference
Events
Business Including Lunch: Panel Discussion of Viability of Natural Gas
  • Phil Cameron on the panel
  • Thursday, Feb 14th, 12pm
  • Nani's, Jackson, WY
Click here for more details

Green Drinks Jackson Hole
  • Tuesday, Feb 19th, 5pm
  • Cafe Genevieve, Jackson, WY
Click here for more details

Sustainability Series:
Zero Waste
  • Thursday, Feb 21st, 6pm
  • Homeranch Building - corner of Cache and Gill, Jackson, WY

Click here for more details

Be idle-free this season!
A friendly reminder from the Coalition to continue to be idle-free this winter. It can be tempting to idle your car for long periods of time, but in reality the best way to warm up your car is by gently driving it, not idling it. Reduced engine wear, fuel consumption and air pollution guaranteed. If your business would be interested in placing a 'No-Idle' sign, free of charge, we would be happy to help.
Newest Blog Posts

Vegas Vacation, aka National Biodiesel Conference 

Morgan Curtis

 

To Idle or Not to Idle: There's No Question About It 

Elin Hert

 

Thoughts on Car Sharing 

Alicia Cox

 

Natural Gas: The Cleaner Alternative 

Bayleigh McMenamin

 

Upcoming National Events of Interest

Municipal Solid Waste to Biofuels & Bio-products Summit. Feb 20-21, Orlando, FL. Click here for more info.

 

Natural Gas Vehicle Infrastructure Conference & Exhibition. Feb 24-26, Houston, TX. Quote 'cleancity' for a $200 discount when registering online.

 

Energy Innovation Summit. Feb 25-27, Washington DC.

Click here for more info.

Check our Facebook page for more clean energy news

Greetings!

    

Here at the Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition we look forward to the work ahead in 2013 to reduce our region's reliance on foreign oil while we promote a cleaner, healthier environment.

 

In this newsletter you'll find exciting news about Truck Stop Electrification in WY, a new propane bus deployment in MT, an Op-Ed article about idling written by a MT supporter, and updates from our own Morgan Curtis at the 2013 National Biodiesel Conference. It is also that time of year again when we take a look back at the great work we've accomplished by collecting regional data for the 2012 Annual Clean Cities Report.

 

In the coming weeks we will be requesting 2012 data on vehicles, miles traveled and fuels used to displace petroleum regionally. Your contribution to this survey allows us to share the progress that is being made in the Greater Yellowstone Region regarding use of alternative fuels/vehicles, reduced miles traveled and reduced idling. Sharing and compiling these results helps us focus our future efforts and gives us a useful tool in showing the work that has been done throughout the region. If you've never previously participated in the survey, but feel you've got projects that we should be tracking, please contact us and we'll be sure to provide you our reporting form.

 

The information compiled in the Clean Cities Annual Report is used to track national progress and program effectiveness by the U.S. Department of Energy. Our Coalition shares this information with our region's state and federal delegations to show the important work being conducted on the ground and to strengthen the value proposition for the US DOE Clean Cities Program. Last year, Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition was one of the top 5 coalitions in the nation for per capita petroleum reduction.


Thank you in advance for your participation in the Annual Report. If you have any questions or wish to use alternative methods for reporting don't hesitate to contact me.

 

Thank you for your ongoing support!  

 

On Behalf of Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition,

 

Phil Cameron

Executive Director

 

307.413.1971

[email protected]

Truck Stop Electrification

As a state leading the way in alternative fuels, Wyoming took another step forward with the recent installation of Truck Stop Electrification (TSE) in two locations - Eastgate Travel Plaza, Evansville, WY (I-25, exit 182) and Little America Travel Center (I-80, Exit 68). To the North, drivers can plug in at Belgrade, Montana (I-90, Exit 298). Long haul trucks now have an alternative to idling during their mandatory rest periods, which saves an average of 1 gallon of fuel per hour and the associated emissions. This represents monetary savings of $4,000 per truck, per year. Drivers at these locations can plug into "power pedestals" - standard 110v and 220v outlets to power heating, air conditioning, and appliances. In addition, the Little America site has 480v receptacles for refrigerated trailers, which can save 40-70% of energy over diesel.    

 

Click here for more information about this service provided by Shorepower Technologies.  

Bozeman school buses go to propane  

The Bozeman School Board announced at a recent meeting that it will switch from diesel and gasoline-powered school buses to propane fueled buses. The 40-bus fleet, operated by First Student, Inc., will switch to new, cleaner burning, propane-fueled units in time for next school year. The contract with First Student is for the next five years.

 

Why the switch?

Cost: According to the Bozeman School Board, approximately ~$123,000 will be saved in annual fuel costs by using the cheaper propane. That, combined with the long-term environmental and air quality benefits, made this an attractive option.

 

Environmental Benefit: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosts a diesel emissions quantifier to analyze projects such as the one proposed by the Bozeman School Board. Based on the quantifier, the Recycling, Energy and Compliance Assistance section of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality estimated 315.4722 tons of pollution will be reduced annually by the replacements, with a lifetime reduction total of 5,994 tons of pollution (if kept in service in the Bozeman area). 

 

Effectively, the change from diesel to propane reduces:

  • Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by 79%
  • Unburned hydrocarbons (HC) by 50%
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 39%
  • Fine particulate matter (PM-2.5) by 111%

For more information, visit this recent article in the Bozeman Chronicle.

EV's Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge 

The Workplace Charging Challenge supports President Obama's Electric Vehicles Everywhere Grand Challenge, which aims to make PEV's an affordable vehicle option for the average American family by 2022. The Challenge aims to increase the amount of employers who offer electric vehicle charging at their workplace. The goal is to increase the amount tenfold in the next five years. Over a dozen employers have signed the Workplace Charging Pledge at the Partners level. These employers include: 3M, Chrysler Group, Duke Energy, Eli Lilly and Company, Ford, GE, GM, Google, Nissan, San Diego Gas & Electric, Siemens, Tesla, and Verizon. The pledge commits each partner organization to assess their workforce electric vehicle charging demands, and then design a plan to introduce charging infrastructure in at least one major worksite location. 

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: To idle or not to idle - there's no question about it
"In this day of high fuel costs, a tight economy, population growth, and climate change, it is imperative that we are all armed with the current facts about engine idling.

 

Idling is defined as running a vehicle engine when the vehicle is standing still. It sounds downright silly, really. Who would want to do that? We don't go to work each day so that we can pay for our car to get zero miles per gallon. And we all need clean air to breathe - why would we needlessly spew exhaust into it?"

 

To read Elin Hert's entire guest column click here.

Morgan at National Biodiesel Conference

As well as being an intern this winter at YTCEC, Morgan's other hat is as Co-Chair of the National Biodiesel Board's Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel program: "As part of this role I was lucky enough to head down to Las Vegas last week for the 10th annual National Biodiesel Conference & Expo. From checking out the latest biodiesel approved vehicles to focusing on the challenges in meeting industry-wide specs, I learned so much more about what Don Scott, NBB Director of Sustainability, calls "The Most Sustainable Fuel on the Planet." Click here to read more or here to watch a fun video summary.

State of the Union
And, lastly, we were encouraged to hear in the President's State of the Union Address the proposed establishment of a new Energy Security Trust. The trust, which will be funded by revenue from oil and gas development on federal lands and offshore, has broad non-partisan support, including retired admirals and generals and leading CEOs. It is focused around one achievable goal: shifting our cars and trucks off oil. The trust will support research into a range of cost-effective technologies - like advanced vehicles that run on electricity, homegrown biofuels, and vehicles that run on domestically-produced natural gas. We shall be following developments closely!
 
Thank you for your continued support.
 
Sincerely,
 
Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition