Middle School ready to begin 'No Idling' Program

[Click here for direct link to this story] The Center for the Environment's Campaign for Clean Air staff has been helping Kannapolis Middle School prepare for its "No Idling" campaign for parents who drop off and pick up their children at school. Campaign staff provided a "No Idling Toolkit" fr teachers and students involved in the program. Students in one classroom are responsible for collecting data about car idling at the school. As part of the planned media blitz, they will hand out air quality literature provided by the Campaign staff and explain the program and its purpose. Campaign staff has also provided the class with a CO2 monitor to students can see the differences in emissions between hybrid and gasoline cars.

Center for Environment Announces Champions for Clean Air

The Center for the Environment will honor three organizations in Rowan and Cabarrus counties this spring as Champions for Clean Air, including Carolina Blue Skies and Green Jobs partner, Centralina Council of Governments/Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition. The award recognizes their extraordinary commitment towards reducing harmful emissions during 2009 and 2010. An independent panel reviewed all submissions and selected the winners.

Drive Green Save Gr$$n - ecodriving training for individuals and fleet managers

An eco-driving workshop was held near Charlotte on May 25, 2011, presented by the North Carolina Solar Center's Clean Transportation program and hosted by the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition. Drive Green Save Green drew in people like Annette Collins, a Belmont woman who was looking for a way to reduce her fuel spending. It also attracted people in the 'driver's seat' of entire fleets of vehicles, like those operated by Coca-Cola Bottling Company, various city and county offices, and a neighboring school district. The idea is that, by learning driving habits that optimize fuel efficiency, individuals and directors of fleets of any size can save money, reduce emissions, and reduce their use of imported petroleum. The workshop featured a series of presentations on improving fuel efficiency, followed by two test drives using a ScanGauge fuel usage meter (one of several options for fuel use tracking). On the first run the driver was not coached and was not given feedback on their efficiency. On the second, the passenger reiterated the tips learned in the workshop and gave the driver updates on fuel efficiency as they went. Even though the route was short, all but two drivers experienced notable fuel efficiency improvements between the drives, the largest being 7 miles per gallon! Contact the NCSC Clean Transportation program if you are interested in hosting a workshop: 919-513-7831, cleantransportation@ncsu.edu, www.cleantransportation.org.

[media coverage, Gaston Gazette, http://m.gastongazette.com/news/save-57817-gas-collins.html]

North Carolina Propane Roadshow -

On May 25, 2011 the Raleigh Expo Center was lined with an array of diverse looking vehicles, all with one thing in common - they were all powered at least in part with liquid propane fuel, or "autogas". A muscle car, a utility van, a rough-and-tumble Jeep, a souped up riding lawnmower, and a police cruiser were just a few features of the 5-hour event aimed at sharing information about autogas - its history, present offerings, and future developments waiting in the wings. But as the name suggests, the Roadshow was not just about "telling", it was also about "showing" how propane-fueled vehicles work. Several of the displays were available to test drive, including a few pick-up trucks and lawnmower models. Sadly, the Camaro was not among them, but still, the event met its goals. The Roadshow was hosted by NC Propane Gas Association, Propane Education & Research Council, Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, and Capital Ford. There were vehicles and/or displays from Roush, Bluebird, Clean Fuels USA, Alliance Autogas, the North Carolina Solar Center's Clean Transportation program, Ferrell Gas, Dixie Chopper, Blossman Gas, Capital Ford, and many more.

One Million Gallons Displaced: Announcing the Carolina Blue Skies and Green Jobs Initiative

Last year, US DOE Secretary Steven Chu and Vice President Joe Biden announced nearly $300 million in Clean Cities grants to support clean vehicles, fuels and infrastructure development. The Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG), based near Raleigh, North Carolina, was among the 25 award recipients. The Carolina Blue Skies and Green Jobs Initiative was awarded just over $12 million and was designed to provide support for alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure projects by collaborating with five principal alternative fuel partners in the Carolinas: Triangle Clean Cities Coalition (TCCC), Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CFCC), Land-Of-Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition (LOS-CVC), North Carolina Solar Center, and Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition (PSCFC). “We are excited to bring this opportunity to our stakeholders. In these tough economic times, it is vital to keep our focus on sustainable practices that will improve our environment and economy,” stated Kathy Boyer, coordinator for Triangle Clean Cities.

Carolina Blue Skies will include vehicles and fueling infrastructure for electric, hybrid-electric, CNG, LPG, E85, and biodiesel fuels and technologies. It has been estimated that this Initiative will displace nearly 3.7 million gallons of petroleum annually after full implementation while creating and preserving jobs and jumpstarting local economies in both North and South Carolina.

Alternative fuel use in North Carolina has grown significantly in the past decade. In 2008 alone, North Carolina Clean Cities stakeholders displaced the following gallon gas equivalent (gge): 723,400 gallons from B100; 1,623,975 from E85; 67,803 from CNG; 12,337 from NEVs; 16,271 from HEVs; 399,307 from biodiesel blends (B5 – B50), and 14,361 from LPG. North Carolina formed the NC Biofuels Center with the goal of using at least 10% locally produced biofuel by 2017, and has recently begun several initiatives to prepare for electric vehicles, including participating in the national Project Get Ready and pioneering other local programs. South Carolina is emerging as a leader in alternative transportation fuel infrastructure, fuel consumption, and fuel production in the southeast. In a state of 4.3 million people, South Carolina utilized 73,000,000 gallons of E85, 498,000 gallons of biodiesel, and 40,000 gallons of CNG in 2008. While significant progress has been made in recent years in both Carolinas, there is still more work to be done.

This Initiative will expand alternative fuel infrastructure in North Carolina by nearly 30% and will increase the number of alternative fuels stations by 20% in South Carolina. It will also improve air quality in both states. Currently, 24 counties in North Carolina are in non attainment or maintenance for National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and in South Carolina there will be projects in five of the six counties at risk for non- attainment for ground level ozone.


Projects in South Carolina
Nine organizations in South Carolina will share more than $4.2 million awarded through the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s State Energy Office to convert vehicles to run on new fuels and to build the state’s network of alternative vehicle refueling stations.

A total of 341 vehicles will be refitted to operate with either propane, compressed natural gas (CNG) or hybrid technology. In addition, 68 refueling stations will be built to service these vehicles, most of which will be available for public use, including ethanol, biodiesel, propane and compressed natural gas facilities.

“These funds will reduce harmful emissions by promoting the use of alternative vehicles and creating jobs in our state,” Andrew Epting of the South Carolina Energy Office said.


Projects in North Carolina

Four North Carolina organizations will dispense nearly $7.8 million to twenty five recipients over the next four years for alternative fueling infrastructure and alternative fueled vehicles. The Triangle J Council of Governments and North Carolina Solar Center in Raleigh, NC, Land of Sky Council of Governments in Asheville, NC, and Centralina Council of Government in Charlotte, NC will all work to purchase or convert 164 vehicles to run on propane, compressed natural gas (CNG), biodiesel and hybrid technology.

The North Carolina projects will also plan to install 96 alternative fueling stations (including 80 charging stations), making biodiesel, propane, electric charging stations, and CNG more available to fleets and customers.


By the Numbers

12,004,175
million dollars to AFV/infrastructure development

3.7 million
Gallons of gasoline displaced per year after full implementation

300+
number of jobs created and retained in NC/SC (over 100 with Federal Funding)

Announcing......this blog!

Carolina Blue Skies and Green Jobs is a project led by Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG) with $12 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The initiative will provide for major expansion of alternative fuel vehicles and refueling infrastructure in North and South Carolina through the collaboration of Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, NC Solar Center, Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition, Land-of-Sky Clean Vehicle Coalition, and Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition. Representatives of these organizations will contribute to this blog, posting about news, events, technological developments pertinent to the project mission, and work being accomplished by project partners.

Currently, 24 counties in North Carolina are in non-attainment or maintenance for National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and in South Carolina there will be projects in five of the six counties at risk for non-attainment for ground level ozone. The initiative will benefit both states by lowering harmful emissions while creating local jobs.

Funding for the Carolina Blue Skies Program was provided by: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and U.S. Department of Energy - Clean Cities.