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July 2018 Edition
Member Spotlight: Oak Harbor Public Schools, Member Updates, Economic Impact of EVs on PNW, Tool Time, Transportation Electrification Funding, Internship Opportunity, Q&A With Charles Knutson
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Sustainable Fleet Management Certification & Green Fleets Showcase In Tacoma
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We're teaming up with the Puget Sound chapter of the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) to organize a unique opportunity for anyone interested in earning a
sustainable fleet management certificate
.
Come join us on September 12-13 at Tacoma's LeMay Car Museum for a chance to learn about the latest in green fleet technologies. Day 1 of this two-day event will offer an opportunity to participate and become certified in NAFA's Sustainable Fleet Management course. The course will cover a variety of topics:
- Building a Sustainable Fleet Program
- Sustainable Driver Training
- Sustainable Fleet Metrics
- Sustainable Leadership & Change Management
- Using & Tracking Fuel to Support Sustainability
- Acquiring a Sustainable Fleet: Strategic Mobility Concepts
Day 2 will feature a technology showcase and ride and drive opportunity for fleets to test out a variety of alternative fuel vehicles across the heavy, medium, and light-duty cycles.
Can't make the first day? No problem -- you can still sign up to test drive available vehicles at the green fleet showcase.
Plus attendance on either day gives you admission to the LeMay Car Museum where you can check out the museum's "Powering the Future" exhibit, featuring many alternative fuel vehicles, such as (our favorite) a 1914 Detroit Electric.
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Member Spotlight: Oak Harbor Public Schools Is On Board With Propane Autogas
Pop quiz: why are more school districts making the shift to propane autogas as their fuel of choice for school buses? Answer: Propane autogas is scoring top marks with schools due to its wide availability and low costs compared to diesel or gasoline.
In 2010, Oak Harbor Public Schools started converting its school buses to propane autogas. The Whidbey Island-based fleet currently operates 53 school buses to transport 3,500 students every week.
The switch to propane autogas stemmed from an interest in finding a greener fuel that safeguards the health of the young people the buses transport. “My goal is to replace all my buses with cleaner, efficient options and, most of all, reduce our carbon footprint,” says Francis Bagarella, Transportation Director.
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Find out who is paving the way in the field of alternative fuels.
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The Alliance's mission is to increase the use of both conventional and renewable natural gas (CNG/RNG) in medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses throughout the Pacific Northwest -- Oregon, Washington, and Idaho -- for a cleaner and healthier future.
Thank you to the Alliance for joining us! We look forward to working with you to make Western Washington a better place to live.
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Everett Transit: Exhibiting Electric Transit
Everett Transit recently received their first all-electric battery bus, part of an electrifying new age for the transit agency. Over the next four years, Everett Transit will add another 15 battery buses (including four by this September), bringing it closer to fulfilling the agency's vision of operating an all-electric fixed-route fleet.
"Everett Transit is celebrating 125 years and it is the beginning of a new era," said Tom Hingson, Director of Everett Transit. "We are excited to offer this new, clean, eco-friendly service to our customers. We hope this is one of many more buses, as we move to an all-electric fleet in the future."
The new buses -- 40-foot Proterra Catalysts E2s -- can travel 250-350 miles per charge and can fully refuel in five hours. For every diesel bus Everett Transit replaces with an all-electric version, the City reduces its climate impact by an astounding 240,000 pounds of carbon each year.
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Tacoma Power: Revving Up With Renewable Diesel
Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) is currently running a 60-day pilot using renewable diesel, or R99, with five vehicles -- three heavy-duty trucks and two diesel pickup trucks. During the pilot, TPU will be collecting data on R99's overall impact on fuel efficiency and frequency of vehicle's diesel particulate filter (DPF) regens.
So far, R99 is living up to its reputation as a drop-in fuel. TPU has seen no operational issues; the number of required DPF regens has actually decreased. If the pilot's results continue to be positive, TPU could choose to use R99 exclusively, leading to a potential replacement of over 225,000 gallons of diesel per year.
TPU is obtaining renewable diesel for the pilot through their fuel provider, PetroCard. The fuel is produced from corn bi-products at an ethanol plant in the Midwest.
The utility is also testing reusable oil filters on 60 light-duty vehicles, with plans to expand the pilot to heavy-duty vehicles. TPU reports that the oil filters are working normally thus far and has already increased the vehicles' oil change intervals.
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Pierce Transit: Electing To Go Electric
Pierce Transit is doubling down on alternative fuels by adding three electric battery buses to their fleet later this fall.
"Pierce Transit has a long history of commitment to preserving the environment, starting in 1986 when we became one of the first transit agencies in the nation to run most of our fleet on clean, compressed natural gas (CNG) rather than diesel," said Rebecca Japhet, Communications Manager at Pierce Transit. "Now we are taking the next step by incorporating zero-emission electric buses. We are excited to introduce these vehicles to the people of the South Sound this fall."
The transit agency's new Proterra buses have a range of up to 250 miles and only need 6-8 hours to fully charge. Pierce Transit's goal is to add 30 all-electric buses to the fleet over the next decade, replacing over time any remaining diesel buses. Nearly 80% of Pierce Transit's current buses are fueled by CNG.
Next, the agency will prepare the new buses for service, including adding decals to the bus that remind the public that the bus is clean, quiet, and all-electric. Routes for the battery buses are yet to be decided, but may be employed on the popular route from downtown Tacoma to Point Defiance.
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Creative Bus Sales: A+ Scores For Zero-Emission Buses
The school buses can hold up to 48 passengers and have an 85-mile range, more than enough to complete a typical school bus duty cycle.
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Washington State Department of Transportation: Further Progress For Fast-Charging Stations
Washington continues to add more electric vehicle fast-charging stations!
Ellensburg recently unveiled two new options to quickly refuel an electric car. Each EV charging station is unique: one fully charges a vehicle in 6-8 hours; the second station fully charges an EV in 15-20 minutes.
The new charging stations are part of a larger initiative, made possible by grants from the Washington State Department of Transportation's
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Partnership Program (EVIPP),
to expand the state's EV infrastructure along major highways. In total, 15 communities will receive new fast charging stations (six locations along I-5 and nine in Eastern Washington), allowing EV drivers to travel easily and quickly across Washington.
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Puget Sound Energy: Calculating The Benefits Of EVs
PSE's webpages highlight resources touting the multiple benefits of EV ownership, including a calculator that compares the fuel efficiency (or climate impact) of electric and gas cars. PSE also provides a host of other EV-related information, such as a great list of electric vehicle models available in Washington, infographics on the various EV charging levels, and even upcoming electric transportation events.
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King County: Reveling In Renewable Natural Gas
King County is producing an
impressive amount of renewable natural gas (RNG)
at two of its facilitites: the South Treatment Plant in Renton and the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in Maple Valley. Together they add up to a sizable revenue stream for the County -- $14 million from the sale of RNG as either a transportation fuel or renewable electricity source in 2017. King County produces enough RNG at the South Treatment Plant to replace nearly 1.7 million gallons of diesel fuel!
RNG can be created by cleaning up biogas, a byproduct of both the wastewater treatment and waste management processes. After the purification process, RNG is sold to Clean Energy which uses it as a direct substitute for natural gas.
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Economic Impacts Of Plug-In Electric Vehicles
The Pacific Northwest would benefit from transportation electrification, specifically because it can lower residents' overall spending on energy and reduce our region's contribution to climate change.
That's the finding of a new study that looked at the benefits and costs of adding electric vehicles in Washington and Oregon. The study is a collaboration between utilities (and Clean Cities members) Snohomish County Public Utility District, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, and Tacoma Power as well as Avista and Chelan County Public Utility District.
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If you're interested in all things electric, you'll want to check out EV Hub.
Run by
Atlas Public Policy
, EV Hub is a go-to platform to find the latest facts and figures within the world of electric vehicles. Originally put together to create a central location on how states are responding to the federal Volkswagen settlement, the tool is now expanded to include a variety of useful EV data.
The site's easy-to-use dashboards provide in-depth information on everything from vehicle sale patterns and the construction of charging infrastructure to current media coverage trends and public policies or incentives for electrifying transportation options.
Fleets can also use its procurement analysis tool to determine which electric vehicle purchases make the most sense.
Even better? State and local public agencies can access EV Hub for free.
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2019: Funding Available For Transportation Electrification
The Washington State Department of Commerce anticipates having $9 million available early next year for transportation electrification projects.
This program will offer funding for local governments and public or private electrical utilities in Washington. Applicants can partner with other public and private sector research organizations and businesses. The application process is expected to open in January 2019.
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Clean Cities Internship Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Energy is providing an internship opportunity for interested students to work at Clean Cities coalitions across the country --
including Western Washington Clean Cities!
Students will have the chance to work on a variety of alternative fuel and vehicle technology issues while potentially providing experience in the fields of communications, public outreach, project management, business, and environmental science. Positions are 15-20 hours per week until approximately April 2019.
Applications are due by August 8, 2018.
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Charles Knutson, executive policy advisor to Washington Governor Jay Inslee, gave an extended interview earlier this month on the state of electric vehicles in the Evergreen State.
"We are already a key leader in electric vehicles in the United States -- but our goal is
to be as good as Norway
. We want to electrify every mode of transportation, and we are well on our way to making that happen."
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