November 2020

In This Issue

CFO News "NTEA Fleet Purchasing Outlook Survey" "Welcoming New Ohio Policy Makers" "Dayton Power and Light Settlement Includes Electric Vehicle Charger Rebates" "Making the VW Diesel Mitigation Fund Live Up to Its Promise" "Electricity Aggregation on its Way to Columbus" "Policy Maker Education: Pathway to Change" "Take the Benchmark Biodiesel Facility Tour" "End of the Year DOE Project Updates" "Clean Fuels Ohio Staffing Update"  Member Round-up "General Motors Announces Factory Zero Dedicated Electric Vehicle Plant" "BYD Brings Zero Emission Refuse Collection to Florida " "Propane's Ease of Adoption Attracts Transit Agencies - Roush CleanTech" "Ohio Gas-Fired Power Plant Adding Hydrogen To Cut Emissions Profile - Black & Veatch" "Lakewood's Third Electric Charging Station goes Live - Chargepoint" "Cuyahoga Falls to Preorder Lordstown Motors Endurance" "U.S. Gain to Supply RNG to Oregon Bus Fleet" "Trump Administration Invests more than $117,000 to Improve Biofuel Sales in Ohio, Indiana - Harvest Land Cooperative"

CFO NEWS

NTEA Fleet Purchasing Outlook Survey

NTEA is conducting its ninth annual Fleet Purchasing Outlook Survey to provide a better understanding of industry-wide fleet acquisition and composition plans for 2021. Take 10 minutes now to complete the survey by selecting the button below. All survey responses are kept confidential, and final results will be presented as aggregate data only. Survey participants receive a complimentary Fleet Purchasing Outlook report ($199 value) upon publication in early 2021. Insights from last year’s Fleet Purchasing Outlook · Average truck age and replacement cycles · Macro-level buying tendencies · Predicted change in fleet size · Main factors driving purchase behavior · Interest in advanced truck technologies and alternative fuels · Approach to safety and automation · Importance of financial purchasing incentives   The short survey can be accessed here.

Welcoming New Ohio Policy Makers

On Tuesday, November 3rd, another election in Ohio came and went. As those elections wrapped up, Ohioans witnessed the re-election of trusted leaders and the election of newcomers who seek to serve those in their districts and communities. We at Clean Fuels Ohio are looking forward to continuing our work with policy makers all across the state. We welcome and are excited to make connections and inroads with newly elected legislators, while furthering clean transportation initiatives with incumbent and re-elected officeholders. It is our goal to continue our work with all legislators on both sides of the aisle, and from every part of the diverse political spectrum that makes our state great, to further our mission to create a healthier and more prosperous Ohio for everyone.

Dayton Power and Light Settlement Includes Electric Vehicle Charger Rebates

Late last month, Dayton Power and Light Company (DP&L) filed a settlement with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to invest $249 million into grid modernization and other projects. The four-year plan includes $5.1 million in electric vehicle charging infrastructure rebates and has been supported by diverse stakeholders such as the City of Dayton, utility regulators, consumers, and several environmental groups in the state. The extensive plan is expected to significantly enhance DP&L's grid reliability and improve its customer experience. The company will upgrade its equipment to an advanced metering infrastructure. New "smart meters" will allow customers more control over their power consumption and will communicate with the broader system to effectively manage overall demand.

Making the VW Diesel Mitigation Fund Live Up to Its Promise

This article was published originally in ACT News The Volkswagen (VW) Mitigation Trust was created in October 2017 as part of a negotiated settlement between the company and the federal government, resulting from intentional cheating on emissions tests. The settlement made nearly $3 billion available to states for grants to replace old diesel vehicles, based on the relative numbers of offending VW vehicles per state. A few states have allocated most of their funds, but most are still relatively early into their processes for awarding funding. Most award their VW diesel replacement funds based on cost-effectiveness for reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution – comparing emissions from new vehicles with those being replaced. However, due to a flawed modeling tool, many states are awarding funds for new diesel vehicles that emit pollution well above legal limits. Fortunately, states can use simple remedies to compensate for the flaws and better direct funds to projects based on their true potential to reduce pollution and improve health. Electricity Aggregation on its Way to Central Ohio Earlier this month, residents of Columbus and Grove City, Ohio passed ballot issues 1 and 10 respectively, securing electricity aggregation for their cities. Electricity aggregation is when a group of customers come together under one entity, in these cases the cities, and use their greater collective purchasing power to negotiate terms and benefits when buying electricity through one selected provider. Both the Columbus and Grove City initiatives are “opt out” plans, meaning customers who qualify will be automatically enrolled in the program, but have the choice to leave if they do not wish to participate.

Policy Maker Education: Pathway to Change

The Policy and Government Relations Team at Clean Fuels Ohio has been incredibly busy working to educate legislators and candidates for the legislature about vehicle electrification and infrastructure in Ohio. Campaign season for those seeking public office is a hectic time – with doors to knock, phones to dial, and events to attend (though less so now due to COVID-19) – candidates' time is at a premium. Regardless of how hectic things may be, Clean Fuels Ohio has a mission to pursue: making Ohio a safer, healthier state through alternative transportation policy. So, we set out to find a way for the Ohio General Assembly candidates to connect directly with their constituents on issues surrounding electric vehicles.

Take the Benchmark Biodiesel Facility Tour

Benchmark Biodiesel recently received a grant from the Department of Agriculture as part of the USDA’s Higher Blend Infrastructure Investment Program. With this grant, Benchmark plans to add two biodiesel blender pump dispensers to their existing fuel terminal and distribution center in Columbus. Benchmark’s customers currently average a 10% biodiesel blend of fuel, and their goal is to double the amount of biodiesel in the fuel blend to 20% - all year round. This grant will be a critical element in helping them achieve this goal of 20% biodiesel blends. You can view the the Benchmark Biodiesel Facility Tour here.

End of the Year DOE Project Updates

Decentralized Mobility Ecosystem: Market Solutions for 21st Century Electrified Mobility In this project, Clean Fuels Ohio is working with Columbus Yellow Cab (CYC) to create a decentralized and electrified mobility ecosystem. Leveraging CYC’s growing fleet of EVs, this project will bring mobility hubs to three quadrants of the Columbus region. Each of these hubs will offer a small fleet of EVs and associated charging infrastructure for use by any licensed drivers. Proof of Concept: Heavy Duty EV Demonstrations for Freight & Mobility Solutions While the number of commercially available light-duty EVs is growing and continues to penetrate the market, medium-heavy duty EVs have yet to successfully implement the same amount of diversity and market penetration with fleet partners. Therefore, this project aims to prove the operational and financial effectiveness of medium and heavy duty EVs in new fleets and communities with the ultimate goal of increasing medium-heavy duty EV adoption in various fleet applications across the country. NGV U.P.T.I.M.E. Analysis: Updated Performance Tracking Integrating Maintenance Expenses There is little publicly available data that clearly compares the relative maintenance costs of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and diesel trucks to validate claims of NGVs' lower total cost of ownership and their potential to improve energy security and cost-effectiveness nationwide. This project aims to quantify the difference in maintenance cost between diesel and natural gas vehicles and identify opportunities to enhance individual NGV fleets' operations. Data will be collected from over 1000 vehicles from various fleets to accomplish this goal.

Clean Fuels Ohio Staffing Update

Clean Fuels Ohio is growing! Over the past several months, Clean Fuels Ohio has made various additions to and shifts throughout our team. In June, Clean Fuels Ohio officially promoted Tyler Fehrman to Director of Policy and Government Relations. Previously a Special Projects Manager, Tyler provided support and expertise to various state-wide initiatives. In October, Clean Fuels Ohio welcomed two new Project Coordinators – Hallie Neuhaus and Jenna Ellingson. Hallie became a program assistant in March of 2019 and primarily worked as technical support around the consulting and certification programs as well as various DOE projects. Now, Hallie assists with the implementation of our DOE grants along with helping Tyler with policy work. Additionally, she handles fleet data analysis for our consulting program.

MEMBER ROUND-UP

General Motors Announces Factory Zero Dedicated Electric Vehicle Plant

General Motors has renamed its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant in Michigan ‘Factory Zero’ as it transforms the site into its first dedicated electric vehicle plant. “General Motors today announced its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center will be known as Factory Zero, reconfigured to an all-electric vehicle assembly plant,” the automaker said in a prepared statement. “The name Factory Zero reflects the significance of this facility in advancing GM’s zero-crashes, zero-emissions and zero-congestion future” GM is investing a massive $2.2 billion into Factory Zero for retooling and various other upgrades – the single largest investment the company has ever made into a single manufacturing facility. Both the GMC Hummer EV SUT and SUV will be built at Factory Zero, along with the new Cruise Origin robotaxi. Other GM EVs will also be built at the plant, the automaker said, but it has not confirmed any beyond the Hummer EV and Origin.

BYD Brings Zero Emission Refuse Collection to Florida

BYD (Build Your Dreams) announced that the City of Ocala, Fla., will add five Class 8 battery-electric refuse trucks to its fleet, making it one of the first cities in Florida to adopt BYD’s zero-emission technology. The trucks will be assembled in the United States with union labor. The Ocala City Council pre-approved the 2021 purchase of three electric BYD refuse trucks and will buy two more in 2022. The BYD vehicles will replace older-model internal combustion trucks currently in use. Ocala officials estimate the operation of BYD trucks will result in fuel cost savings of nearly 78%. In addition, with fewer moving parts making them less costly to maintain, the city estimates there will be a cost savings of nearly 75% in maintenance costs. The BYD trucks are estimated to provide a total life cycle savings to Ocala of approximately $270,000 and a return on the taxpayers’ investment in under five years, according to the company.

Propane's Ease of Adoption Attracts Transit Agencies - Roush CleanTech

When propane autogas-fueled vehicles operate in our communities, they are producing fewer harmful emissions than their traditionally fueled counterparts. This includes hundreds of propane-fueled paratransit shuttle buses operating in states across the nation. More propane paratransit buses are hitting the streets as public agencies learn about their ease of adoption. A few years ago, Pennsylvania’s Suburban TransNet found implementing compressed natural gas into its paratransit operations to be challenging due to the cost in time and effort it takes to fuel these vehicles. After analyzing other alternative fuels, the agency determined that propane vehicles and stations were the most cost-effective choice. TransNet now operates a growing fleet of propane shuttles and has become one of our greatest advocates on how easy propane autogas is to implement.

Ohio Gas-Fired Power Plant Adding Hydrogen To Cut Emissions Profile - Black & Veatch

A natural gas-fired power plant under construction in southeastern Ohio plans to also use hydrogen to lower its emissions profile and become one of the first electric generators in the country to burn the fuel. The 485 MW natural gas plant underway at the Long Ridge Energy Terminal that straddles Monroe County, OH, and Wetzel County, WV, was sanctioned by Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure LLC (FTAI) early last year. However, in a collaboration with affiliate New Fortress Energy LLC (NFE) and General Electric (GE), the plant would use a combustion turbine to burn 15-20% hydrogen by volume in the gas stream. With commercial operations slated for November 2021, FTAI said Long Ridge could be the first purpose-built hydrogen-burning power plant in the United States. Ultimately, the GE H-class gas turbine has the capability to transition to 100% hydrogen. Long Ridge has enlisted engineering firm Black & Veatch to assist in developing plans to integrate hydrogen blending.

Lakewood's Third Electric Charging Station goes Live - Chargepoint

Electric vehicle owners now have a third option to recharge their rides in Lakewood. The city’s latest electric charging station recently became operational on Parkhaven Row near Detroit Avenue. “I’m glad that we finally have the third electric vehicle recharging station up and operational in our city,” Mayor Meghan George said. "We’re going to continue to invest in clean energy. “The city and myself are committed to a clean environment, such as installing solar panels on municipal buildings. This is just another important step moving towards a cleaner, greener city of Lakewood.”

Cuyahoga Falls to Preorder Lordstown Motors Endurance

The city of Cuyahoga Falls has preordered an Endurance pickup from Lordstown Motors, the city announced Tuesday morning. In a joint statement with U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-13, Mayor Don Walters said the city has earmarked $70,000 in its 2021 budget to buy the truck. “I am proud that we are able to order this vehicle that will be manufactured locally here in the state of Ohio. We remain committed to our sustainability and green initiatives by utilizing an electric vehicle with lower operating and maintenance costs that also help us save valuable tax dollars,” he said. “The ability for us to acquire the Endurance highlights that there is a bright future for manufacturing in Ohio and that Ohioans have the innovation, workforce and infrastructure to adapt to the shifting needs of the automotive market.”

U.S. Gain to Supply RNG to Oregon Bus Fleet

U.S. Gain has been chosen to supply renewable natural gas (RNG) to Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) to fuel its bus fleet. The agreement will support RVTD’s mission of providing quality public transport while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. RVTD’s general manager, Julie Brown, said the company was excited about the new relationship. “Our leadership considered a number of energy sources to power our fleet and, after significant research and dialogue with industry experts, it was clear RNG provided the best path forward, environmentally and economically,” said Brown.

Trump Administration Invests more than $117,000 to Improve Biofuel Sales in Ohio, Indiana - Harvest Land Co-Op

U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand was in western Ohio today to celebrate a recent $23,750 Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) grant to Richmond, Indiana-based Harvest Land Cooperative. “The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program supports American farmers and boosts rural economic development by expanding ethanol and biodiesel sales,” said Brand. “The investment we’re recognizing today is among $22 million awarded in the program nationwide, expected to increase ethanol demand by nearly 150 million gallons annually.

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Attention Clean Fuels Ohio Members! Do you have late-breaking news or announcements that you would  like to have included in our Member Round-up section? If so, please email Rachel or call 614-884-7336.

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ABOUT US Clean Fuels Ohio is a state-wide, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving air quality and health, reducing environmental pollution, strengthening Ohio's economy, and enhancing our nation's energy security by promoting and encouraging the use of cleaner, domestic fuels and efficient vehicles. As a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities coalition, Clean Fuels Ohio has remained the "go-to" resource for assistance with implementing alternative transportation solutions. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌