This page highlights some of the recent member successes to increase the use of alternative fuels in our area.
June 2009 LNG Technician Training in Sacramento
The City and County of Sacramento conducted a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) training program for heavy-duty technicians in June 2009. Due to diminshing municipal budgets, the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento sought funding from the Sacrametno Clean Cities Coalition to provide technician traning. The Coalition board of directors approved funding and a one day technician training program was conducted at the City of Sacramento's Meadow View Corporation Yard training facility on Wednesday, June 25, 2009.
Bruce Keneagy from Chart Inc. (407 7th Street NW. New Prague, MN) conducted the training. Training topics included::
- LNG Fueling Stations
- Safety Theory
- Basic Operation
- LNG Vehicle Fuel System Basics; and
- LNG Fueling Station Operation.
Twenty technicians from the City of Sacramento's and the County of Sacramento's heavy-duty fleet maintenance crews received passed the course and were awarded certificates of completion. Both the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento fleet operations personnel were very appreciative of the Clean Cities Board for covering training costs.
The County of Sacramento has over 100 LNG trucks that
will benefit from the technician training program.
July, 2009 - E85 Program
The Sacramento Air District and the Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition worked with 7 different fuel providers to implement E85 ethanol fuel at 23 retail sites, 4 card lock sites and two fleet sites (SMUD and City of Sacramento). The 7 providers who installed systems in 27 retail and limited access card lock sites formed a “consortium” with the Air District and the Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition to jointly develop a mailout to notify the public about the availability of E85 in our region. With the completion of this infrastructure, the Sacramento region now has the highest concentration of alternative fuel ethanol sites in California. The seven ethanol providers, who would normally be considered business competitors worked with the Air District and the Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition to make this notification and mailout possible.
 
August 5, 2009 - Sacramento Region Celebrates the First EV Recharging Station at a Public Gas Station
DMC Green, a Stockton based alternative fuel company, celebrated the grand opening of the first electric vehicle recharging station to be installed at a retail gasoline station on Wednesday, August 5, 2009. This first system is now operating at a Phillips 76 station on Harbor Point Place in West Sacramento. Speakers at the event included Diana Morgan, CEO of DMC Green, Mariko Yamada, California State Assembly Member, Jim Provenza, Yolo County Supervisor and Member of the Board of the Yolo Solano Air Quality Management District, Matt Erhardt, Air Pollution Control Officer, Yolo Solano Air Quality Management District, Richard Loenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies and Matthew Ivler, Field Representative for State Senator Lois Wolk,. Also participating in the event were Sacramento Clean Cities President Jill Egbert and Vice President Tim Taylor,
DMC Green has recently installed E85 and biodiesel systems in 7 retail service stations in the Sacramento region. They also plan to install over 40 electric vehicle recharging stations in the next six months.
The electric recharging system being used by DMC Greene is designed and manufactured by Coulomb Technologies and has a number of innovative features. Clients are issued a unique Radio Frequency (RF) key fob that unlocks and activates the recharging system. The system automatically sends a text message to their cell phone when the car is fully charged or if anyone attempts to disconnect the electrical connection. Clients also have access to 24/7 customer support. If a client has lost a key fob or has any other issues they can call and receive assistance. Customer service specialists can also unlock and activate the recharging systems remotely.
Funding for the E85 infrastructure was provided by a grant from the California Air Resources Board and administered by the Sacramento Air District, both members of the Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition. The Coalition actively promoted the E85 infrastructure in cooperation with a consortium that included the Sacramento Air District and several E85 providers. Private funds were used for the electric vehicle recharging system.
September 15, 2009 - 2010 Technology Workshop
On September 15, 2009 the Public Equipment Managers Association (PEMA) and Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition held a workshop to introduce 2010 compliant heavy-duty vehicle technology to Sacramento Fleets. Representatives from over 110 public and private fleets attended. The workshop was very successful. Special thanks to the City of Sacramento, PEMA, Clean Cities and all of the technology presenters - Cummins, Kenworth, International Trucks, Cummins Westport and Freightliner
CleanFUEL USA Awarded DOE AOI4 Grant
Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition member CleanFUEL USA was awarded $12.3 million by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the installation of 184 propane refueling stations in over 12 major metropolitan areas. The grant also includes funds for assisting in the purchase of propane school buses and training technicians in service and repair of propane engines. The technician training and education program has been specifically designed to include training for unemployed technicians and military veterans.
The Sacramento region is one of the areas where the propane refueling infrastructure will be expanded. CleanFUEL USA Western Regional Manager and Sacramento Clean Cities Board Member, Jon Van Bogart, was instrumental in securing the DOE grant and bringing several of the propane stations to Sacramento.
Another major partner in the CleanFUEL USA program is one of the world’s largest oil companies, Conoco-Philips who will work to assist in refueling site selection so that each station has easy access, is capable of accelerated deployment and will provide maximum program exposure.
Approximately 90% of the United States’ propane supply is produced domestically, while the remaining 7% - 10% is imported from Canada making propane a readily available, secure alternative fuel source.
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These photos represent a sample of what a CleanFuelUSA installation would look like.
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Vendor Displays at the Clean Technology Forum
