Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles

Stephen C. Yborra, Director of Market Analysis, Education & Communications from the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation based in Acworth, GA www.cleanvehicle.org is also the Director of Market Development CNGVAmerica – Washington, DC www.ngvamerica.org provided immense information to those who attended the recent Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles Workshop in Portland.  Alternative Fuel Conversions has been a hot button for Fleet Managers who are struggling to meet budget constraints while keeping the environment impact of their fleet in mind.  

Mr. Yborra's presentation can be accessed on the CleanVehicle.org website by clicking here

More Information about the Columbia Willamette Clean Cities Foundation can be accessed by clicking here.  

BAF Technologies have a number of solutions and are an active Quality Vehicle Modifier for Ford Motor Company, which means that your factory warranty is maintained even after your Alternative Fuel Conversion.  Click here to see their presentation on the Compelling Gas for Natural Gas Vehicles.  

USEFUL LINKS and CONTACTS:

US Department of Energy Clean Cities Program  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/

·         Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition http://www.cwcleancities.org
Rick Wallace – 503-378-3265 or rick.wallace@state.or.us
Julie Peacock – 503-373-2125 or Julie.peacock@state.or.us

·         Western Washington Clean Cities http://www.wwcleancities.org
Stephanie Meyn - 206-689-4055 or StephanieM@pscleanair.org

·         Rogue Valley Clean Cities Coalition http://www.roguevalleycleancities.org
Sue Kupillas - 541-245-0770 or ASK@opusnet.com

For workshop attendees from outside the Region, you may find your closest Clean Cities organization here:
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/cleancities/progs/coalition_locations.php

US DOE Clean Cities – Alternative Fuels Data Center http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/

(site of station locator, many useful tools and information about state laws, incentives, programs)

US EPA – Region 10 (serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska_:  http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region10.html US EPA manages grant funding available through Supplemental Environmental Projects as well as the Diesel Emissions Reduction Program (DERA). DERA programs in the west coast (US EPA Regions 9 and 10) coordinate closely in managing the West Coast Collaborativehttp://westcoastcollaborative.org/contact.htm. DERA funding covers several natural gas options including covering some of the cost of repowering an existing diesel vehicle with cleaner engine (think “natural gas engine”) and/or replacing an older higher emission diesel vehicle early with a cleaner vehicle in the same duty cycle (again, think natural gas-powered vehicle). The EPA program co-leads for region 9 and 10 are listed below as is the primary contact for trucking programs within the Collaborative.

US EPA contacts: 
US EPA – Region 10 contacts re DERA and SEP funding: 
EPA Region 10 Co-Lead - Dan Brown  - 503-326-6832 brown.dan@epa.gov
EPA Region 9 Co-Lead - Penny McDaniel - 415-947-4203 - mcdaniel.penelope@epa.gov
Trucking Sector  - Trina Martynowicz - 415-972-3474 –  martynowicz.trina@epa.gov

Oregon Department of Energy

In addition to Rick Wallace and Julie Peacock, above, Evan Elias – BETC Technical Lead, ODOE, is a source of additional information regarding available Oregon grants and incentives
Evan Elias – BETC Technical Lead -503.378.6044 or evan.m.elias@state.or.us

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality – Office of Air Quality http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ/AQ/pages/index.aspx Main Tel #: 503-229-5696
Oregon Clean Diesel Initiative (includes technical assistance): Kevin Downing – 503-229-6549 or Downing.kevin@deq.state.or.us
Financial Incentives: Sue Langston - 503-229-5215 or langston.sue@deq.state.or.us

Available EPA- and CARB-certified and/or “listed” and verified vehicles/ Engines:The following NGVAmerica link lists retrofit systems for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles/engines.http://www.ngvamerica.org/forfleets/available_vehicles.html

The US EPA web site link below describes the guidelines behind their rulings about emissions requirements of vehicle/engine retrofit (conversion) systems and which certificates or listings are needed depending on age of vehicle, mileage on vehicle and size of vehicle.  This site also includes a link to the actual vehicle certificates although the NGVAmerica link above is more user friendly.  It is extremely important that you cross reference your vehicle engine family against the certificate applicable to the retrofit system (see listing instructions to determine how to find this alpha-numeric code on your vehicle). http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/altfuels.htm#4

CVEF CNG Cylinder Safety, Training & Inspection http://www.cleanvehicle.org/technology/cylinder.shtml

Remember, all CNG cylinders have a useful life that is printed right on the label on the cylinder.  After this date, which may be up 15-25 years after the date of manufacture, you MAY NOT CONTINUE TO USE THAT cylinder and MUST REMOVE IT FROM SERVICE. Most cylinders manufactured today are designed to the 15- or 20-year standard.  DO NOT EXCEED THIS DATE.  If purchasing a used CNG vehicle or having your vehicle retrofitted/converted and the shop suggests using a used CNG cylinder, make sure that you have the cylinders inspected by a qualified or certified CNG cylinder inspector. They will determine if the cylinders are still within their allowable service life and whether any of the cylinders have condition issues that would warrant removing it from service ahead of that Remove From Service date. Inspectors are trained to evaluate the condition of your cylinder and associated mounting hardware. In addition, ALL CNG cylinders must be inspected every 36,000 miles or 36 months (whichever comes first) and in the event of ANY accident. The link above will provide more information about where to find a CNG cylinder inspector.  THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS RE-CERTIFICATION OF A CYLINDER THAT HAS REACHED ITS EXPIRATION DATE.

Equipment & Services Sponsors

ANGI Energy Systems, http://www.angienergy.com, Frank Perry, 608-868-4626,  fperry@angienergy.com  
BAF Technologies, http.www.baftechnologies.com, Robert Sessa, 949-303-6793, rsessa@baftechnologies.com
Clean Energy, http://www.cleanenergyfuels.com, Steve McCarthy 562-335-9783, smccarthy@cleanenergyfuels.com  
Cummins Westport Inc., http://www.cumminswestport.com/about-us, Jerry Johnson, 303-396-9821,
Eco Dual, LLC, http://www.ecodualgroup.com. Alan Nielson, 801-815-2971, alan.nielson@ecodual.com,
General Motors, http://www.gmfleet.com/fleet/finddealer/fleetAccountExecutives.jsp, Andrew Reyntjes, 313-665-4546,andrew.w.reyntjes@gm.com
McCoy Freightliner, http://www.mccoyftl.com, Brian Trice, 503-688-0989 or briantrice@pdxftl.com
NW Natural, https://www.nwnatural.com, Larry Walker, 503-220-2381 or  ljw@nwnatural.com
VNG.CO, http://vng.co/, Bill Mitchell, 610-709-5503, bmitchell@vng.co
Westport LD,  http://www.westport-ld.com, http://www.wingpowersystem.com , Patrick Walsh, 248-686-8220, pwalsh@westport-ld.com
World CNG, http://www.worldcng.com, Peter Proehl, 206-938-7812 or peter.proehl@worldcng.com