Clean Cities News Digest
 
Bringing you the latest round-up of
clean transportation news and trends.

Technology Review, May 29, 2015

Lawmakers in Washington state this month passed a bill that opens up the electric-vehicle charging sector to a group of players who have thus far been mostly absent: power utilities. The goal is to help the EV market get beyond its chicken-and-egg problem: EV charging stations are expensive to install, and there's not yet enough of a critical mass of EVs on the road to make deploying them widely profitable. 

 

NW Push For Clean Fuels Could Mean More Crude, New Refinery

OPB, May 26, 2015

The push for cleaner fuels in Oregon and Washington has led to proposals that would bring the region more crude oil and a new refinery along the Columbia River. Riverside Energy, a subsidiary of Houston-based company Waterside Energy Inc., intends to build a refinery to process mostly crude oil and some biofuels that can meet a growing demand for low-carbon fuels in the Portland metro area, according to interviews and documents.
 

50 Police Agencies Using Zero's Electric Motorcycles

Government Fleet, May 27, 2015

More than 50 law enforcement agencies are now using Zero Motorcycles' trio of battery-electric motorcycles for police work, the company has announced. The motorcycles produce no audible sound and can provide a tactical advantage for officers. "This motorcycle is so quiet that we continuously sneak up on wildlife and suspects while out on patrol, and we continue to receive positive feedback from the public," said Officer Steve Carbajal of the Los Angeles Police Department's Off-Road Unit.
 

EPA Proposes A Biofuels Compromise - And Makes Nobody Happy

The Washington Post, May 29, 2015

The embattled Environmental Protection Agency on Friday released new proposed rules for the volume of biofuels to be blended into the nation's fuels through 2016, in an effort to put itself back on schedule after numerous missed deadlines but still failing to please business interests on both sides affected by the rule.
 

The Hybrid Vehicle And Alternative Fuel Report

WSDOT, May 30, 2015

Washington State's Department of Transportation (WSDOT) compiles a bi-monthly summary of articles on the impact of fuel costs and fuel efficiency on vehicle technology, development and markets.
 

20,000 And Counting: Alternative Fueling & Charging Stations Hit Major Milestone

Energy.gov, June 1, 2015

Thanks to the Energy Department's Alternative Fueling Station Locator tool, it's easier than ever for drivers of alternative fuel and plug-in electric vehicles to find a place to fill up. This is due, in part, to hitting a recent milestone of more than 20,000 locations listed. The Station Locator provides comprehensive, accurate, up-to-date information on fueling stations for biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electricity, E85 (up to 85% ethanol), hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, and propane.

 

In Stunning Reversal, 'Big Oil' Asks For Carbon Price

Climate Central, June 1, 2015

Let's see if you can guess the source for the following quote. "We want to be a part of the solution and deliver energy to society sustainably for many decades to come." If you guessed a major solar, wind or renewable energy company, you'd be wrong. If you guessed six of the world's largest oil and gas companies, give yourself a gold star.
 

Navigant Forecasts Annual Plug-In EV Sales In North America To Exceed 1.1M By 2024

Green Car Congress, May 27, 2015

In a new report, Navigant Research forecasts that North American plug-in electric vehicle sales will exceed 1.1 million annually by 2024.  To date, North America is the strongest market for light duty plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), with more than 133,000 sold in 2014. Navigant forecasts the US will continue to be the largest market throughout the forecast period, with annual PEV sales in 2024 exceeding 860,000 in the conservative scenario and 1.2 million in the aggressive.

 

Ford Makes Alternative Fuel Technology Patents Available

Financial Times, May 28, 2015

Ford has become the latest carmaker to make its alternative fuel technology patents available to rivals in a bid to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. But unlike Tesla and Toyota, which have taken similar steps in the past year, Ford is going to charge for the intellectual property. The Michigan-based manufacturer on Thursday said it would offer competitors access to 15 families of patents, covering electric car technologies such as regenerative braking and battery management.
 

2015 Hyundai Tucson Hydrogen EV: $529/Month, Free Fuel

The Car Guide, June 1, 2015

What costs $529/month, has a range of 425 kilometres per fill-up, costs nothing to fuel and only emits drops of water? Answer: a Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell on the streets of Vancouver. At press time, there were just two Hyundai clients driving Tucson Fuel Cells. A third customer is expecting his vehicle soon.

 

USDA Plans To Inject $100 Million On Ethanol Infrastructure

Reuters, May 28, 2015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to inject $100 million in funding to get more ethanol at the gas pump, according to two industry sources, the latest push to get beyond a "blend wall" that has capped demand for the biofuel. That would mark a big push for an overhaul of fuel-blending pumps and related infrastructure to generate higher demand for the biofuel.

June 2, 2015
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