NGVAmerica News Week in Review: January 15, 2018

• New York’s MTA Orders 110 CNG-Powered Transit Buses
• Ohio EPA Offers Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Grants
• Save the Date for the 2018 Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum Annual Meeting
• Onboard Dynamics Launches Mobile Natural Gas Compressor
• Canada Announces $120 Million Investment in Alternative Fueling Across the Country
• 2018 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo Agenda Announced
• Deltamarin Develops Innovative LNG Fuel Tanks for Long Ocean Voyages 

New York’s MTA Orders 110 CNG-Powered Transit Buses

January 9, 2018

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the MTA has ordered 110 new CNG-powered buses to operate across the Bronx and Brooklyn between now and the first quarter of 2019. The new buses will be the first CNG 60-foot articulated buses, and will replace a portion of the existing fleet of 781, 40-foot CNG buses, taking the oldest buses out of service and adding capacity. MTA CNG buses are cleaner burning and have lower particulate emissions than diesel buses.

“We have an opportunity to not only modernize our bus fleet but to also reduce emissions that impact the environment and public health,” said Governor Cuomo.

The MTA is also starting a three-year pilot program for 10 all-electric buses that will be supported by overnight charging stations.

New York State has the lowest per capita energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the nation thanks, in part, to the fact that two-thirds of the state’s residents live and work in the region served by the MTA.

While the MTA produces 2.1 million metric tons of Greenhouse Gas Emissions a year, its transit operations actually reduce the emissions by 17 million metric tons annually. The MTA is the first transit agency to quantify such emissions on a regional basis, and does so as part of its ongoing mission to measure all of the benefits of public transportation.

Ohio EPA Offers Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Grants

January 9, 2018

A new grant from Ohio EPA will assist owners of diesel or gasoline powered class 7 and 8 vehicles (weighing at least 26,000 pounds) to convert or replace engines to use CNG, LNG or propane. Grants also may be used for bi-fuel or dual-fuel vehicles that can run on both an alternative fuel and gasoline or diesel fuel.

The program is supported with $5 million allocated by the Ohio General Assembly from the Alternative Fuel Transportation Fund of the Ohio Developmental Services Agency. Eligible alternative fuel vehicles must be registered in Ohio for operation on public highways and be used in business. In addition, over half the miles driven must be within Ohio. The limit on the total grant award to applicants seeking to replace or convert multiple vehicles is $400,000.

A public information session to explain the new grant program and answer questions is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, 2018 in Columbus. Ohio EPA also will offer two conference calls to allow prospective grant applicants to ask questions on February 8 and 27. It is not necessary to pre-register to participate. Dial in information for the conference calls is included in the grant application guidelines.

Ohio EPA has posted the grant application for alternative fuel vehicle conversion grants and guidelines on the Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education webpage. Applications may be emailed to derg@epa.ohio.gov beginning no earlier than 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 6.

Eligible applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis and the application opportunity will remain open until all available funds have been allocated.

Save the Date for the 2018 Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum Annual Meeting

January 15, 2018

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in partnership with the California Energy Commission, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) are hosting the 2018 Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum (NGVTF) Annual Meeting to be held February 21 and 22, 2018, at the SoCalGas Energy Resource Center in Downey, California.

The NGVTF meeting is a free event for stakeholders to share information, identify technology targets and gaps, and discuss ongoing research, development, and deployment of commercially competitive natural gas engines, vehicles, and infrastructure. The forum is also a good time to give feedback about your fleet’s natural gas vehicle needs.

This year’s meeting will provide an opportunity for participants to gain a greater understanding of new developments in compressed natural gas fueling infrastructure for natural gas vehicles, and to discuss regulations, market barriers, and opportunities for natural gas vehicle technologies. The meeting provides a unique opportunity to gain insight into the road ahead for advanced natural gas vehicle technologies.

Registration and hotel information will soon be available on the event website.

Onboard Dynamics Launches Mobile Natural Gas Compressor

January 11, 2018

Onboard Dynamics (ObDI) announced the launch of its GoFlo CNG-80 mobile natural gas compressor for commercial use. To meet the anticipated worldwide demand, ObDI has formed a strategic business relationship with Linamar Corporation, a diversified global manufacturing company, to provide expanded capabilities as the exclusive manufacturer of the GoFlo product.

“We believe the lower cost and flexibility of our mobile natural gas compressor will greatly increase the attractiveness of operating vehicles, especially trucks and buses, on clean, abundant, inexpensive domestic natural gas,” said Rita Hansen, CEO of Onboard Dynamics. “Because it is self-powered, the GoFlo compressor provides cost saving and new capabilities to the CNG industry.”

The compression capacity of the GoFlo CNG-80 compressor makes it cost-effective for smaller fleets of CNG vehicles, as well as for the initial deployment of CNG vehicles in larger fleets. Because of the compressor’s modular design, fleet operators can expand their CNG vehicle inventory by adding GoFlo units as demand increases, without needing costly electrical power upgrades. The GoFlo compressor is also easy to relocate in the event that a CNG fleet needs to be redeployed, and the unit can serve as a backup to dedicated CNG refueling stations. In addition, not needing electricity to fuel strengthens the operating reliability of CNG fleets in the event of a natural disaster.

With the support of the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E program, the technology on which the GoFlo CNG-80 system is based has been under development for nearly four years. A limited number of GoFlo CNG-80 systems will be available for delivery the second quarter of 2018 before production ramps up the second half of the year.

Canada Announces $120 Million Investment in Alternative Fueling Across the Country

January 10, 2018

Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr announced a $120-million investment to expand the network of alternative fueling and charging stations across the nation as part of the Government’s efforts to encourage Canadians to reduce their carbon footprint.

The funding, which is part of Phase 2 of the Green Infrastructure Fund, will support the development of natural gas fueling stations, as well as hydrogen stations and electric chargers. The funding will also support the development of codes and standards.

The investment builds on the success of the initial $62.5-million Phase 1 investment in 2017 that provided funding for seven natural gas refueling stations. The new funding announcement brings the total investment to $182.5 million. Proposals are now being accepted for deployment and demonstration projects. A current list of all projects is available on the NRCan website.

“These investments support the ingenuity of Canadian electric vehicle and alternative fuel companies,” said Jim Carr, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “Green infrastructure is paving the way to a low-carbon future in both commercial and consumer markets.”

The Government of Canada has also worked with its U.S. counterparts to create a Canadian version of their Alternative Fueling Station Locator map to ensure that all Canadian drivers and fleet owners have the most current information at their fingertips.

2018 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo Agenda Announced

January 10, 2018

Organizers of the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo have released the conference agenda for the eighth annual show taking place April 30 – May 3 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Southern California.

“The commercial transportation landscape is rapidly evolving as exciting vehicle technology advancements are enabling fleet operators to maximize performance, reduce operating costs, and improve safety and compliance,” said Erik Neandross, CEO at GNA, the producers of ACT Expo.

The 2018 program will provide a platform for fleet operators, local governments, and other key stakeholders to share case studies on how advanced technologies and clean fuels are improving operational and environmental performance, reducing costs, mitigating the impact of volatile petroleum prices, and driving business growth.

A major focus of this year’s expo will natural gas vehicles. In recent years we have seen ultra-clean natural gas vehicle technology make incredible strides. Even more recently, we’ve seen rapid development of renewable fuel options that can provide dramatic greenhouse gas reductions. This track will cover real world case studies, fleet procurement strategies, maintenance considerations and regulatory requirements.

The ACT Expo show floor will give attendees hands-on access to the wide range of advanced clean transportation solutions available. From vehicles to motors, equipment and fueling infrastructure—today’s latest innovations and next generation technologies will be unveiled and on display.

Speakers, sponsors, and partnerships will be announced in the coming months. Early bird registration is open through February 16. For more information, visit www.actexpo.com.

Deltamarin Develops Innovative LNG Fuel Tanks for Long Ocean Voyages

January 8, 2018

Deltamarin has created, in close cooperation with GTT, a unique portfolio of cargo and passenger vessels featuring a membrane-type LNG fuel tank to save valuable cargo space compared to classic cylindrical-type LNG tank solutions and to enable the use of LNG for long ocean voyages.

The portfolio includes a container vessel, a pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) and a cruise ship. During the development project, each of the vessels was equipped with a modular GTT membrane tank type solution, which can be adjusted in size from 1,000 to 5,000 cubic meters depending on the case vessel. Either one or multiple tanks can be integrated into the vessel. The final fuel capacity is a trade-off between desired cargo capacity and bunkering intervals.

On average, calculations during the development project showed that only approximately 60 percent of the LNG capacity provided by membrane technology could be accommodated in the same space, when using an optimized bi-lobe C-type tank solution. For large fuel capacities, therefore, the membrane solution is clearly the most feasible LNG fuel tank solution.

Deltamarin says from a net present value (NPV) point of view, the LNG membrane solution offers the highest value of all options over the ten-year period. This is due to the savings made by both, in LNG fuel price and efficient use of hull volume for LNG fuel tanks. Compared to Type-C tank solution, a significant amount of valuable cargo space inside the hull can be saved.