Vol. 3, No. 4. | Spring 1997 |
This summer, Joshua and Kaia Tickell, recent graduates of New College at the University of South (USF) in Sarasota, will drive their colorful recreational vehicle powered by fuel made from used vegetable oil from Florida to California to demonstrate the potential use of biofuels.
The Tickells developed the "Veggie Van" as part of their academic work in sustainable living at New College of USF. The couple will begin their three-month, cross-country tour on June 17 in Sarasota, and finish the journey in early September at the Real Goods Solar Living Center in Ukiah, California.
The "Veggie Van," which also showcases a photovoltaic system to power lights, a refrigerator, and a computer, runs on biodiesel made from used restaurant fryer oil. The fuel is produced by the Tickells in a portable machine dubbed the "Green Grease Machine," which is towed behind the Veggie Van. The three-ton diesel Winnebago gets 25 miles per gallon with an added bonus - its exhaust smells like French fries.
Biodiesel burns up to 75 percent cleaner than petroleum diesel. The Tickells received their introduction to biodiesel in 1995 when they worked as apprentices on an organic farm in Germany where canola oil was used to power equipment.
The Veggie Van tour will take Joshua and Kaia through 17 states, where they will give demonstrations and presentations on a variety of environmental projects. They have been invited to offer a demonstration of the Veggie Van at the Solar Fest in Middletown Springs, Vermont. Stops along the route will also include various environmental clubs and organizations and companies that produce environmentally friendly products.
"By doing this project, we hope to inspire a lot of people to take action toward saving the environment," Kaia said.
Biodiesel is made from a simple chemical process involving the combination of alcohol, a catalyst, and vegetable oil to produce fuel. Biodiesel can be used alone or blended with regular diesel fuel. It is completely non-toxic and biodegradable. The burning of straight biodiesel fuel can dramatically reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur.
Press Release from David Glasser, Coordinator of Public Affairs, USF at Sarasota/New College.
On June 4, 1997, the Tampa Bay Regional Council (TBRC) unanimously passed Resolution #97-7 in support of the Florida Suncoast Clean Cities Coalition. The resolution recognizes the role that the use of alternative transportation fuels can play in improving regional air quality, alleviating public health problems associated with air pollution, and reducing our nation's dependency on foreign fuels. It also encourages Federal, State, and local agencies, regional energy suppliers, and the private sector to develop fueling facilities that will be widely available, so that the use of the fuels can become more widespread and convenient.
The TBRC encourages all members of the Tampa Bay region, and all citizens of Florida, to work toward better air quality for human and environmental well being.
For more information about alternative fuels or public health issues associated with air pollution, please contact the Florida Suncoast Clean Cities Coalition, Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida at (813) 974-6435 or e-mail: jbradley@cutr.usf.edu
As part of the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Program, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) will target local governments and industries along the Space Coast from Daytona Beach south to Vero Beach and west to Kissimmee to establish the Florida Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition (FSC3). FSC3 members are committed to the adoption and use of clean-fuel fleet vehicles and Clean Cities programs.
The FSEC's program will coordinate various tasks in four important areas of concentration:
FSEC will provide information to local governments, industry, and the public through education, marketing, and networking by:
FSEC will assist with the creation of an infrastructure for refueling by:
FSEC will provide support for cities to convert their vehicles by:
FSEC will promote research and production of alternative fuel systems within the Coalition area by:
In the first year, FSEC's goal is to convince a percentage of appropriate entities within the target area to sign Memoranda of Understanding to become members of the Coalition.
In the second year, FSEC's goal is to work with each member of the Coalition to develop a program implementation plan to introduce at least one clean fuel vehicle into their fleet.
Excerpted from FSEC's Web page, http://www.fsec.ucf.edu//~fsccities.
The City of Hollywood has become one of the leading municipalities in Florida in terms of fueling capacity and the number of vehicles converted to operate on alternative fuels. The City's compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station opened on May 2, 1996, and more than 120 City vehicles have been converted to run on CNG.
This program of vehicle conversion was made possible by grants from the Florida Energy Office and the South Florida Regional Planning Commission. Approximately $5 million has been awarded to the City of Hollywood to fund the conversion of vehicles, training of mechanics, and acquisition of equipment. A cooperative agreement with Motorfuelers, the Clearwater, Florida-based State contractor for CNG and propane conversions, has resulted in an average of two vehicles per week being converted. It is expected that Hollywood's alternative-fueled fleet will reach nearly 200 vehicles by the end of 1997.
There are a variety of alternative fuels on the market. After extensive research, CNG was selected based on the following factors:
Safety was an important issue when choosing CNG. CNG is lighter than air, so it will not pool on or near the ground. When accidentally released in an unconfined space, it quickly disperses into the atmosphere, away from the scene of the incident. CNG also has a higher ignition temperature. This means the surrounding atmosphere must reach 1,350 degrees Fahrenheit for CNG to ignite. CNG has a narrower flammability range than other fuels including liquid petroleum gas (LPG). CNG is flammable only in concentrations above 5.3 percent, while gasoline, diesel, and LPG are flammable at much lower concentrations, 0.5 to 2 percent. The upper limit of CNG's flammability is a bit higher, about 15% when compared to other fuels.
A second area of concern is fueling. The grant funds made possible the conversion program, but a major fueling facility was required. This facility not only had to fuel the present fleet of CNG vehicles but had to be able to grow or expand as the program progressed. The City of Hollywood is piped for natural gas and the supply is consistent. In 1993, Peoples Gas System approached the City of Hollywood with a proposal to install a CNG station without the large capital expenditure normally associated with a project of this magnitude. Innovative financing was the corner-stone of the program. A surcharge would be added to the cost of each therm, or equivalent gallon of CNG, which would pay the cost of construction. With this proposal, Hollywood entered the field of alternative fuels.
The program commenced in early 1994 with the purchase of tools, equipment, conversion kits, and fuel tanks. An intensive training program enabled the automotive mechanics assigned to Fleet Management to install, service, and maintain the GFI conversion system. A competitive bid was awarded to design the conversions and supply the conversion components. The first vehicle, a 1992 Caprice police sedan, was converted in March 1994. Conversions progressed rapidly through the summer of 1994.
In September 1994, a problem was discovered with the installation of the CNG fuel cylinders. The mounting brackets were causing the sheet metal in the floor of the trunks to crack. This was caused by the rigid bracket not being attached to the frame of the vehicle. While this problem was being remedied, a concern was voiced about the effect the fuel cylinders were having on the performance and handling of the police vehicles. This problem was tested and evaluated extensively on test tracks. The solution was to reduce the size of the tanks and modify the rear suspension with springs and shock absorbers normally mounted in the station wagon model of the Caprice.
As with any new technology, problems have been encountered with electronic components, onboard computers, and the myriad wires and connections required to make the conversion viable. Each of these problems has been overcome by the automotive mechanics of Fleet Management Division in concert with technical support from various contractors and manufacturers.
The next logical step in the evolution of alternative fuels is the purchase of factory-built vehicles dedicated to operate on CNG. There are several advantages to these purchases with regards to warranties, ensured compatibility with factory components, and the absence of "after market" modifications. The first dedicated CNG vehicles were put into service in the Hollywood fleet in the spring of 1997.
As a result of CNG use and the performance of scheduled maintenance, gasoline consumptiondecreased by 9% by the end of fiscal year 1996. Innovation, imagination, and the perseverance to keep going have resulted in the City of Hollywood operating one of the largest alternative fleets in Florida.
Press release by Greg Rassel, Fleet Management Superintendent, City of Hollywood.
By introducing and encouraging the use of alternative fuels in aircraft, the U.S. Department of Energy/Baylor University Clean Airports Program actively works to reduce the nation's energy security burden, improves the environment, and provides new economic opportunities for our country.
Airports are important centers for commercial activity, boosting local economics through employment and business opportunities. Airports are also a focal point of significant transportation fuel use in a highly concentrated area. Recognizing the fact that, by working with airports, additional progress can be made to promote a community's use of alternative fuels, the Department of Energy's Clean Cities program is targeting small, local airports to encourage and facilitate aircraft conversion to alternative fuels. This new initiative is called the Clean Airports program. It is based on the Department of Energy's successful Clean Cities program.
The Clean Airports Program establishes local partnerships between stakeholders, including fixed-base operators, university aviation programs, and flying clubs, all of which are committed to operating aircraft on alternative fuels. These grassroots partnerships work to solve local transportation and air quality problems. Clean Airports partners work directly with local businesses and governments to guide them through the goal-setting, coalition-building, and commitments process necessary to establish the foundations for an alternative fuels airport.
The Clean Airports Program targets small airports, aircraft owners, and pilots seeking alternatives to using current aviation gasoline, often referred to as "avgas" or "100LL." These high octane fuels used by small piston engine aircraft is produced in small quantities and sold at relatively high prices. Recent reports show that major oil companies are increasingly reluctant to produce avgas due to dwindling sales and special handling requirements.
One particular requirement, the elimination of tetraethyl lead from motor fuel, could severely affect the general aviation industry. Although avgas is currently exempt from this requirement, the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board have considered regulating the use of this fuel in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate hazardous air pollutants. In similar cases, evidence indicates that 100LL may disappear from the market if the processing and handling requirements become prohibitive. Furthermore, the elimination of lead from avgas has a dire effect on the octane rating and performance of the fuel. Alternative fuels, such as ethanol, can replace leaded avgas while achieving high octane and performance levels. Vehicular and airborne traffic at airports emit high levels of air pollution and greenhouse gases. By adopting the Clean Cities model, airports could make significant gains in the nation's efforts to diversify U.S. fuel consumption patterns and improve air quality by increasing the use of alternative fuels.
In 1995, the First International Conference on Alternative Aviation Fuels, held in Waco, Texas, highlighted how fuels such as ethanol, ETBE (ethyl tertiary butyl ether), methanol, propane, natural gas, and biodiesel can be used as cost effective, cleaner burning alternative aviation fuels. For example, ethanol is currently being demonstrated on a wide-scale basis and has received FAA certification for use in two series of aircraft engines.
Ethanol is a high octane alternative fuel that can be easily adopted for use in small aircraft. Engines can be modified to use ethanol with relatively minor adjustments. Not only are there numerous performance advantages with ethanol, including smoother operation, increased power, and superior resistance to knocking, but it also enjoys a relative cost advantage compared to avgas.
In comparisons of the current and projected prices of ethanol and avgas, studies show that the cost of operating an aircraft on ethanol will be considerably lower. In addition, since ethanol burns cleaner than petroleum-based fuels, there are also significant environmental benefits.
Other successful demonstrations using natural gas and methanol indicate a potential role for alternative fuels in airports around the country.
The promotion of alternative fuels in the nation's airports can be accomplished in several ways, including playing an important role as a stakeholder in a nearby Clean Cities coalition or advancing Clean Cities objectives as a stand-alone coalition.
The Clean Cities partnership process has been adapted for airports pursuing designation as a Clean Airport. Airports that want to enter the program must follow a comprehensive commitment process:
Transportation use is the single largest (80%) contributor to air pollution in many cities. According to the American Lung Association, approximately $50 billion is spent each year on health care as a direct result of air pollution.
The U.S. Department of Energy is working to reduce oil imports through initiatives such as the Clean Cities and Clean Airports programs. Both programs utilize public/private partnerships to promote the establishment of alternative fuels and alternative fuel fleets in the United States.
Excerpt from Clean Airports, http://www.ccities.doe.gov/transportation/cairport.html.
If you are interested in attending one of the Veggie Van demonstrations, mark your calendar for the nearest location near your city.
Check out the following new Web sites related to alternative fuels and vehicles:
