MCC News

Maryland Clean Cities Newsletter

Chris Rice, Maryland Clean Cities Coalition Coordinator

April 2008

Alternative Fuels (Biofuels)

• A recent study of B20 fuel samples by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found that only 10% of the samples actually met the Defense Department’s specifications for the blend, with samples varying between 10 and 74 percent biodiesel content.  Link: http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?type=DocDet&ObjectId=Mjg3NDk
• Multiple ethanol production projects are being developed in Central America and the Caribbean as part of a larger collaboration between U.S. and Brazilian research and investments groups.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/06/usa-and-brazil-working-together-on-ethanol-in-the-caribbean-and/ 
• Brazilian company Petrobras has announced plans to create a subsidiary company dealing exclusively with biofuels.  This company could become the largest biofuel exporter in the country.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/06/petrobras-creates-biofuel-subsidiary/
• The EU is considering withdrawing all subsidies for biofuel production, as demand has grown such that they may no longer be needed.  A new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be introduced in May.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/05/eu-seriously-considering-eliminating-all-financial-support-for-b/
• AMG plans to introduce start/stop ignitions and direct-injection gasoline engines into their line of products by 2012.  Hybrid power is being considered, but no final decisions have been made.  Link: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=125025
• Following the successful biodiesel-fueled flight of Virgin Atlantic, Continental Airlines plans to make the first biodiesel demonstration flight in the U.S. using a Boeing 737.  Link: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/15/222254/continental-to-conduct-first-us-airline-biofuel-test.html
• The U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy released numbers for U.S. biodiesel production, showing 6.48 billion gallons for 2007, an increase of 34% over 2006.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/12/the-numbers-are-in-6-48-billion-gallons-of-ethanol-made-in-the/

Alternative Fuels (non-Biofuels)

• A comprehensive report from the National Research Council highlights the progress made in evaluating whether hydrogen-powered vehicles, along with the accompanying infrastructure and hydrogen resources, will be achievable on a large scale in the U.S.  Link: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12113
• Air Products is currently demonstrating a mobile hydrogen dispensing unit in Aiken County, South Carolina, supplying fuel for the daily operations of a hydrogen ICE truck.   http://www.airproducts.com/PressRoom/CompanyNews/Archived/2008/24Mar2008b.htm

Hybrid

• General Motors Corp. is putting $27 million into expanding its hybrid power systems engineering center in Indianapolis, where the Two-Mode hybrid system was developed.  The expansion, which will include 35 additional staff members, is to be completed this fall.  Link: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803050411
• General Motors announced at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show that Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd. will be supplying the lithium ion batteries for their second-generation hybrids, expected to debut in 2010.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/04/geneva-08-hitachi-will-supply-batteries-for-new-gm-hybrid-syst/
• Chrysler president Jim Press has indicated that eventually their entire line of vehicles will be hybrid-powered, although no timetable for the transition was offered.  Link: http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4252629.html?nav=RSS20
• GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz anticipates that, partly as a result of the new CAFÉ standards, by 2015 approximately one third of the GM vehicles sold will be hybrids.  Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aufBH8OD79kY
• Viaspace Technologies, LLC announced plans to enter the lithium automotive battery market, distributing Yoku Energy Company’s batteries to the U.S. and elsewhere.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/16/viaspace-entering-lithium-polymer-automotive-battery-market/
• Audi abandons plans to eventually release a hybrid version of its Q7 crossover SUV in the U.S., citing the poor condition of the dollar.  Link: http://www.cars-spot.com/low-dollar-forces-audi-to-cancel-us-q7-hybrid-plans/
• Toyota Motor Corp. plans to increase production numbers of the Prius by 60% by 2009.  Link: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/03/report-toyota-t.html

PHEV

• Duke Energy and Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated, following earlier plans to partner on a hybrid vehicle project, will also partner for a joint research and outreach program involving PHEVs.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/15/duke-energy-coca-cola-tesing-plug-in-hybrid-vehicles/

EVs

• Ricardo, Inc. announced a new Battery Systems Development Center in Detroit, which will work to develop affordable turn-key battery packs and equipment for battery-based vehicular applications. Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/21/ricardo-announces-battery-systems-development-center-in-detroit/
• Electric City Motors announces pre-sales of the Current, an electric vehicle with a base price of ~$29,000 and a range of 65-200 miles.  The company plans to start delivering vehicles in 3-4 months.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/28/another-ev-startup-surfaces-but-for-how-long/

Efficiency / Fuel Efficiency

• Mercedes Benz announced that its BlueEfficiency technologies, which include a 12% increase in fuel efficiency, will soon be available as an option for every new Mercedes Benz vehicle.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/08/mercedes-benz-blue-efficiency-package-will-be-available-in-ever/
• Volvo will release its new crossover vehicle, the XC60, in 2009, with a fuel-efficient and lower-emission (~170 g/km CO2) diesel engine option planned for later that year.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/05/geneva-2008-volvo-xc60-163-hp-cuv-under-170-g-co-sub-2-sub/
• Porsche has announced plans to release a diesel version of the Cayenne, borrowing from its Volkswagen group.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/02/porsche-does-about-face-on-diesel-cayenne-tdi-coming-in-2009/
• The city of Denver recently began its “Driving Change” initiative, which will allow users to self-monitor their driving habits in the city with the goal of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.  Link: https://www.drivingchange.org/Pages/AboutTheProgram.aspx
• Czech company Coda Development has developed a Self Inflating Tire system that uses thin tubing built into the tire and the rolling effect of the wheel to continually keep the air pressure in tires at the proper level.  A special valve is used to allow excess pressure to be vented to prevent overinflation.  The U.S. Department of Energy’s FuelEconomy.gov states that fuel economy can decrease by 0.4% for every 1 psi  (so 3.2% if the tire pressure is 8psi low) below the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Links:
• http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/219774/tyres.html
• http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.shtml

Diesel

• Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche anticipates that diesel could eventually comprise up to 20% of new vehicles sales in the U.S. once they become available nationwide.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/20/daimler-figutes-diesels-could-make-up-20-percent-of-its-u-s-sal/
• Mercedes-Benz announces that they received licensing approval for their BlueTEC SUVs for all 50 states.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/19/mercedes-benz-will-be-able-to-sell-bluetec-suvs-in-all-50-u-s-s/
• A fleet of the new Audi A4 2.0L TDIs, soon to debut in the U.S., recently carried a group of journalists from Paris to Madrid on a single tank of gas, measuring 49.8-52.9 mpg in real-world conditions.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/17/audi-a4-tdi-goes-over-900-miles-on-one-tank-of-fuel/
• The EPA’s Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative will award $5 million to local diesel-emission reduction projects through June.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/15/epa-to-award-5-million-for-midwest-clean-diesel-projects/
• Diesel hits record-high prices in the U.S., partly due to increased worldwide demand.  Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/business/11diesel.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Legislation

• San Francisco adopted new legislation that is expected to move the city’s taxi fleets to 100% alternative-fuel vehicles by 2011.  The measure increases gate fees as well as fleet emission constraints.  Link: http://www.sfgov.org/site/mayor_index.asp?id=76640
• The California Air Resource Board (CARB) votes to reduce its zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) requirements over the coming years by 70%, to 7,500 ZEVs from 2012 to 2014.  Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN2716706420080328
• A joint study from the American Lung Association and TIAX LLC has concluded that the state of California would save up to $142 billion by 2030 by converting all its vehicles to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/21/study-zero-emission-vehicles-could-save-142-billion-in-health/

Miscellaneous

• The Vatican included anti-environmental practices on its list of “New Forms of Social Sin.”  Link: http://green.yahoo.com/news/nm/20080310/hl_nm/pope_sins_dc.html
•  Volvo has developed a new method for testing its engines that reduces the emissions resulting from the process by 85%.  The company plans to implement this new engine testing procedure at all of its manufacturing facilities worldwide by 2009.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/07/volvo-designs-new-function-test-that-reduces-emissions-by-85-per/http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/07/volvo-designs-new-function-test-that-reduces-emissions-by-85-per/
• The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) released a survey finding that gasoline prices reaching $4/gallon could strongly influence consumer decisions.  About 65% of respondents indicated that this price would “dramatically change their driving behavior.”  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/02/moving-the-goalposts-4-gallons-of-gas-will-be-the-tipping-poi/
• Boulder, CO, in partnership with Xcel Energy, announced plans to become the nation’s first Smart Grid City.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/13/boulder-to-become-first-smart-grid-city/
• Goodyear is developing new greener, low-rolling-resistance tires that use cornstarch as a filling material instead of silicon and soot, which are typically sourced from oil.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/13/goodyear-anounces-new-green-filling-for-tires/
• Daimler AG announced a new on-board sensor device that can directly monitor a vehicle’s oil quality.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/12/mercedes-benz-new-oil-sensor-can-keep-you-driving-safely-on-old/
• Toyota will provide $20M in funding over five years to the Audubon-run TogetherGreen alliance, providing funding for conservation and leadership development.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/26/toyota-gives-audubon-20m-for-five-year-togethergreen-plan/
• The 3rd Annual Green Grand Prix is scheduled to be held in Watkins Glen, NY on Saturday, May 3rd.  Link: http://www.greengrandprix.com/
• Webasto, a company specializing in idle-reduction and energy-efficiency technologies, has launched its LEAP (Lowering Emissions and Particulates) website, which provides bus and truck drivers with informational resources regarding how to reduce their idling times and environmental footprint.  www.makealeap.org

Medium- and Heavy Duty Vehicles

• Volvo Construction Equipment debuts their new diesel-hybrid L220F wheel loader at a recent exhibition in Las Vegas.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/14/volvo-shows-off-new-diesel-hybrid-in-las-vegas/
• Mercedes-Benz will offer a new dual-fueled version of its Sprinter van, which is expected to have 30% lower operating costs due to tax breaks and can be fueled by either gasoline or CNG.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/13/mercedes-benz-introduces-natural-gas-powered-sprinter-van/
• Peterbilt Motors Company will offer hybrid-electric and hybrid-hydraulic medium-duty trucks using Eaton technology.  The vehicles are expected to go into full production later this year.  Link: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/28/peterbilt-builds-electric-and-hydraulic-hybrids/