December 2013 Question of the Month

Question of the Month: What is the current status of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and how do the new 2014 proposed requirements differ from previous years’?

Answer: The national RFS program was developed to increase the volume of renewable fuel blended into transportation fuels. As required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized RFS1 program regulations, which became effective on Sept. 1, 2007. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 increased and expanded this standard through RFS2, mandating that by 2022, 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel be blended into transportation fuels. Though EISA set final volume requirements, EPA must determine renewable fuel percentage values annually to meet the requirements. Fuels are broken down as follows:

Total renewable fuel: The total amount of renewable fuel required to be blended into the fuel supply each year, which includes conventional and advanced biofuels (defined below). Conventional biofuel volume requirements are simply the total renewable fuel volume requirements minus the advanced biofuel volume requirements. While EISA specified volume requirements for most categories through 2022, the statute allows EPA to reduce these volumes under certain conditions (see below for further discussion).  Each renewable fuel category is described below.

• Conventional biofuel: Any fuel derived from approved sources of renewable biomass that reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 20% from baseline petroleum GHG emissions. Conventional biofuels are generally produced from starch-based feedstocks (e.g., corn, sorghum, wheat).
• Advanced biofuel: Any fuel derived from approved renewable biomass, excluding corn starch-based ethanol. Biomass-based diesel and cellulosic biofuel volume requirements fall under this overarching advanced biofuel category. Note that remaining advanced biofuel volume requirements not met by cellulosic and biomass-based diesel can be met with other advanced biofuels, and cellulosic biofuel and biomass-based diesel volumes that exceed their volume requirements also may be used to meet the advanced biofuel quota. Other advanced biofuels may include sugarcane-based fuels, renewable diesel co-processed with petroleum, and other biofuels that may exist in the future. Advanced biofuels must reduce GHG emissions by at least 50% from baseline petroleum GHG emissions.
• Cellulosic biofuel: Any fuel derived from cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin. These fuels must reduce GHG emissions by at least 60% from baseline petroleum GHG emissions.
• Biomass-based diesel: A diesel fuel substitute made from renewable feedstocks, including biodiesel and nonester renewable diesel (diesel produced from animal- and plant-based fats, oils, and greases). It cannot be co-processed with petroleum; however, those fuels fall under the general advanced biofuels category. Biomass-based diesel must reduce GHG emissions by at least 50% from baseline petroleum GHG emissions.

For a list of fuel pathways that qualify under each renewable fuel category, see Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 80.1100-80.1167.

Obligated Parties
Any party that produces gasoline or petroleum diesel for use as transportation fuel in the United States, including refiners, importers, and blenders (other than oxygenate blenders), is considered an obligated party under the RFS program. Each year, EPA determines the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) for obligated parties. The RVO is calculated as a percentage, by dividing the amount of renewable fuel (gallons) required by the RFS2 for a given year by the amount of transportation fuel expected to be used during that year.

Volume Requirements and Percentage Standards
While EISA specified most volume requirements through 2022, the law did not address the biomass-based diesel requirement beyond 2012 and left some flexibility on the cellulosic biofuel requirement. The statute also allows EPA to change requirements under certain conditions, including when (1) the projected production of cellulosic biofuel in any year is less than the volume specified in EISA or (2) conditions are met under the general waiver authority provided by the Clean Air Act.

In 2013, EPA requires obligated parties to meet the following volume requirements collectively. Also included are the associated RVO percentages.

Final Volume Requirements for 2013
Category	Volume	Percentage
Cellulosic biofuel	14 million gallons	0.008%
Biomass-based diesel	1.28 million gallons	1.12%
Advanced biofuel	2.75 billion gallons	1.60%
Total renewable fuel	16.55 billion gallons	9.63%

On Nov. 15, 2013, EPA published a proposed rule to establish new volume requirements and associated percentage standards for 2014. For the first time, EPA is requesting comments on a range of volumes for each renewable fuel category to determine a final requirement (see table below). Also for the first time, the proposed total renewable fuel volume requirement is lower than statutory levels mandated in EISA to resolve compliance concerns related to the ethanol consumption "blend wall" (discussed below) and renewable fuel production constraints. The table below outlines the proposed new volume requirements and the associated RVO percentages.

Proposed Volume Requirements for 2014
Category	Volume	Percentage	Range
Cellulosic biofuel	17 million gallons	0.010%	8-30 million gallons
Biomass-based diesel	1.28 billion gallons	1.16%	1.28 billion gallons
Advanced biofuel	2.20 billion gallons	1.33%	2-2.51 billion gallons
Total renewable fuel	15.21 billion gallons	9.20%	15-15.52 billions gallons

Ethanol Blend Wall The ethanol “blend wall” refers to the difficulty of incorporating an increasing amount of ethanol into the transportation fuel supply at percentages exceeding 10%. Almost all gasoline sold in the United States is E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline). While blends as high as E15 (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline) can be used in some conventional vehicles, these blends are difficult to market on a widespread basis because they can be used only in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and model year 2001 and newer vehicles due to equipment compatibility issues. Additionally, “E85” (51%–83% ethanol blended with gasoline) and other mid-level ethanol blends can be used only in FFVs. EPA has proposed the lower advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel volume requirements above for 2014 due to the anticipated inability of the market to supply the Congressionally mandated volume of renewable fuels to consumers in 2014.

In conjunction with the 2014 volume requirements and percentage standards, EPA is also considering a joint petition from the American Petroleum Institute and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, as well as individual petitions from several refining companies, requesting a partial waiver of the 2014 applicable volumes under RFS2. EPA is collecting comments on both issues through Jan. 28, 2014.

 Here is the proposed rule and EPA fact sheet.

Additional information can be found on the EPA RFS2 and Alternative Fuels Data Center RFS Program websites.

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

Current Connecticut Building Codes

Any new electric vehicle charging station, as known as electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), requires a permit. You can find the pdf application here.

As mandated by the Connecticut General Statues § 29-252, the State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee are responsible for adopting a State Building Code based on a nationally recognized model building code.

Currently Connecticut uses the 2003 International Residential Code and the 2005 National Electrical Code for building and structures. The 2013 Amendment stated the codes will be updated to the 2009 International Residential Code and the 2011 National Electrical Code along with Connecticut Code Changes. The effect was supposed to take effect October 1, 2013, but because of issues in the administration review process, there is a delay. Anticipated implementation date is now December 31, 2013.

To find out more please check the Office of the State Building Inspector website.

Clean Cities Offers Fleets New Tool to Evaluate Benefits of Alternative Fuel Vehicles

If you are interested in this tool and need help, please call Lee Grannis at 203.627.3715.

Clean Cities is providing fleets a new tool to calculate payback periods and emissions benefits of alternative fuel vehicles.

Developed by Argonne National Laboratory, the Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) Tool can help a fleet estimate vehicles’ petroleum use, greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, and total cost of ownership.

The AFLEET Tool provides three calculation options:

• The Simple Payback Calculator uses acquisition and annual operating costs to calculate the payback period for purchasing a new alternative fuel vehicle relative to a comparable conventional vehicle; it also calculates the vehicle’s average annual petroleum use and emissions.
• The Total Cost of Ownership Calculator evaluates the net present value of operating and fixed costs over a new vehicle’s planned ownership period, as well as its lifetime petroleum use and emissions.
• The Fleet Energy and Emissions Footprint Calculator estimates the annual petroleum use and emissions of existing and new vehicles, accounting for older vehicles’ higher air pollutant emissions.

The AFLEET Tool requires Microsoft Excel to run and may be downloaded free from Argonne National Laboratory or accessed through the Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Courtesy of Clean Cities
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/news_detail.html?news_id=21084

November 2013 Question of the Month

Question of the Month: What are the key terms to know when discussing ethanol flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and their fueling infrastructure?

Answer: It is important to know how to “talk the talk” when it comes to FFVs. Becoming familiar with the terms below will help you better understand these vehicles and the associated fueling infrastructure so that you can ask the right questions and make informed decisions.

FFV: An FFV is a vehicle that has an internal combustion engine and can run on E85 (defined below), gasoline, or a mixture of the two. Except for fuel system and powertrain adjustments that allow the vehicles to run on higher ethanol blends, FFVs are virtually identical to their conventional gasoline vehicle counterparts; however, drivers can expect a slightly lower fuel economy when driving on ethanol compared to gasoline, depending on the ethanol blend.

Types of Ethanol
Ethanol can be categorized into two main types based on the feedstocks used for its production:

• Starch- and sugar-based ethanol: Produced from feedstocks like corn, wheat, milo, and sugarcane, starch- and sugar-based ethanol makes up the majority of all domestic ethanol production. In fact, corn is the most common ethanol feedstock in the United States. This type of ethanol is manufactured through dry- or wet-mill processing. More than 80% of ethanol plants are dry mills due to lower capital costs. Dry-milling consists of grinding corn into flour and fermenting the mixture, resulting in distiller grain and carbon dioxide co-products. Wet mills separate the starch, protein, and fiber in corn prior to processing these components into products, such as ethanol.
• Cellulosic ethanol: Produced from feedstocks like crop and wood residues, dedicated energy crops, and industrial and other wastes, cellulosic ethanol offers advantages over starch- and sugar-based feedstocks (e.g., no concerns with food versus fuel). Feedstock components include cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Because it is more challenging to extract sugars necessary for ethanol production from these feedstocks, cellulosic ethanol is more difficult to manufacture than starch- and sugar-based ethanol. This type of ethanol can be produced through two conversion pathways:  
• Biochemical: Feedstocks are pretreated to release hemicellulose sugars and then undergo hydrolysis to break cellulose into sugars. Sugars are fermented into ethanol, and lignin is recovered and used to produce energy to power the process.
• Thermochemical: Heat and chemicals are added to feedstocks to create a mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, also known as syngas. Syngas is then mixed with a catalyst to produce ethanol. 

Ethanol Blends
The following ethanol blends can be used in conventional gasoline vehicles (note model year restrictions for E15):

• E10: (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) – E10 is classified as "substantially similar" to gasoline by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is legal for use in any gasoline-powered vehicle. More than 95% of the U.S. gasoline supply contains up to 10% ethanol to boost octane, meet air quality requirements, or satisfy the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), which calls for 36 billion gallons of biofuels to be blended into transportation fuel by 2022. E10 must meet ASTM D4806 fuel specifications. ASTM International develops specifications for conventional and alternative fuels to ensure proper vehicle operation and safety.
• E15: (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline) – E15 is legal for use in model year 2001 and newer vehicles; however, there are several EPA and state agency requirements and regulations stations must adhere to when selling E15. Fuel producers that market E15 are required to individually register with EPA. While E15 does not qualify as an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), it does help meet RFS2. E15 must meet fuel specifications laid out in ASTM D4806 and cannot be used in motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles, off-road vehicles, or off-road equipment.

The following ethanol blends above E15 should only be used in FFVs due to material and compatibility issues associated with the high alcohol content of ethanol:

• Mid-level blends: Blender pumps (defined below) can create various other ethanol blends between E15 and E85 (also defined below). E20 (20% ethanol, 80% gasoline) and E30 (30% ethanol, 70% gasoline) are the most common blends selected. Mid-level ethanol blends must meet fuel specifications laid out in ASTM D7794. 
• E85: E85 is considered an alternative fuel under EPAct and can contain 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and season. This variance in ethanol content is allowed to ensure proper starting and vehicle performance in geographic locations where cold temperatures can affect fuel properties. Though dependent on the blend, drivers can expect about 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline, resulting in a corresponding reduction in fuel economy, when using E85. E85 must meet ASTM D5798 fuel specifications.  

Infrastructure
Low-level ethanol blends up to E10 have already been incorporated into the majority of the U.S. gasoline supply, and fueling stations that supply these blends are not required to update their fueling infrastructure. Ethanol blends above E10, however, do require specific ethanol-compatible equipment, including:

• Dispensers: E85 and blender pump dispensers require specialized metals and seals to perform with high concentrations of ethanol. Permitting authorities typically require all ethanol dispensers to be UL-listed for the ethanol blend dispensed.
• Hanging hardware: Hanging hardware, including hoses, nozzles, swivels, and breakaways used to dispense ethanol blends should use ethanol compatible materials. Permitting authorities typically require hanging hardware to be UL-listed for the ethanol blend dispensed.
• Storage tanks: EPA guidance allows underground storage tank (UST) manufacturers to provide a statement of compatibility for their products with specific biofuels blends. All tank manufacturers have issued statements of compatibility with ethanol blends. For a list of UST manufacturers and their ethanol-compatibility statements, please refer to the Clean Cities Handbook for Handling, Storing, and Dispensing E85 and Other Ethanol-Gasoline Blends (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/uploads/publication/ethanol_handbook.pdf)

Most stations that dispense mid-level blends also have the following:

• Blender pump: This type of fuel dispenser offers FFV owners a variety of ethanol-blended gasoline products between E15 and E85. Blender pumps draw fuel from two separate storage tanks (E10 and E85) and can dispense preprogrammed blends of those fuels. Blender pumps also may be used to dispense E15 legally. Note that blender pumps currently are offered only at select fueling stations and are mainly concentrated in the Midwest. The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Fueling Station Locator (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations/) includes details about E85 stations with blender pump availability. 

Additional information on FFVs, ethanol feedstocks, and infrastructure can be found on the AFDC Ethanol website (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol.html).


Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

Clean Cities Launches iPhone App for Alternative Fueling Station Locations

Alternative fuel stations in the palm of your hand.

iPhone users now have access to a free app that locates fueling stations offering alternative fuels, including electricity, natural gas, biodiesel, E85, propane, and hydrogen. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed the new app for DOE’s Clean Cities program. It is available for download through Apple’s App Store.

The Alternative Fueling Station Locator app allows iPhone users to select an alternative fuel and find the 20 closest stations within a 30-mile radius. Users can view the locations on a map or as a list containing station addresses, phone numbers, and hours of operation.

“If you drive an electric vehicle, for example, you can now use your iPhone to easily identify, contact, and navigate to the charging station that is most convenient for you,” NREL Project Manager Trish Cozart said. “Generally, people don’t search for a station while they’re sitting at a computer; they need this information while they’re out and about, which makes a mobile application the ideal means to deliver it.”

The app draws information from Clean Cities’ Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), which houses the most comprehensive, up-to-date database of alternative fueling stations in the United States. The database contains location and contact information for more than 15,000 alternative fueling stations throughout the country.

“The number of alternative fuel vehicles on the road has been increasing steadily over the last two decades,” Cozart said. “Drivers and fleets have an unprecedented array of options to cut or eliminate petroleum use, and this new app serves as one more tool to facilitate these transitions.”

The AFDC is a comprehensive clearinghouse of information about advanced transportation technologies. The site offers unbiased information, data, and tools related to the deployment of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles.

In addition to the iPhone app, the AFDC provides multiple ways to access and use its alternative fueling station data. The Alternative Fueling Station Locator functions as a “widget,” meaning that users can embed the tool onto their own websites. The data are also available via data feeds that developers can access and use in their own mobile and Web applications. Provided through NREL’s developer site, developers can retrieve the data via a Web services API (application programming interface).

Courtesy of Clean Cities
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/news_detail.html?news_id=21037

October 2013 Question of the Month

Question of the Month: How have fleets benefited from alternative fuel use during emergency situations?

Answer: Another hurricane season is upon us. As such, we are reminded of the lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy, which made landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey last October. Specifically, alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles were able to provide critical services and assist in recovery efforts when conventional vehicles were taken out of service due to fuel shortages and power outages at fueling stations.

It has been reported that more than 20% of conventional fueling stations had no fuel as many as 11 days after the storm. Meanwhile, alternative fuel fleets were still operating. For example, the compressed natural gas (CNG) Atlantic City Jitney minibuses were assisting with evacuation and the Oyster Bay CNG refuse and dump trucks were helping with clean-up efforts. Because CNG infrastructure is typically fueled by an underground pipeline, these stations are not as dependent on fuel delivery trucks for their supply. Therefore, these fleets were able to jump into action and provide support during a difficult time. CNG was not the only alternative fuel used during the Superstorm Sandy aftermath. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey continued their use of biodiesel blends without fuel supply interruptions. For a video summarizing the use of alternative fuel vehicles after Superstorm Sandy, see the following MotorWeek story: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/case/1323.

Emergency situations can include natural disasters, such as hurricanes, flooding, tornados, earthquakes, and wildfires. However, they also include systems and infrastructure failures, pandemics, and physical or cyber attacks. To that end, the Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition in Phoenix, Arizona is working with the Arizona Department of Emergency Management to encourage fuel diversity in an area of the country that is vulnerable to fuel shortages due to pipeline ruptures.

How can we learn from these experiences?

• Incorporate alternative fuels into emergency planning efforts.

• Energy Assurance Plans. Through the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) State Energy Assurance Program provided grants to 48 states to develop or update their Energy Assurance Plans. The goal of these plans is to ensure secure and reliable energy infrastructure that will allow for rapid restoration and recovery in the case of an emergency. As such, many state plans champion fuel diversity and include a shift to alternative transportation fuels to reduce petroleum demand, manage fuel supply, and maintain essential public needs during emergency situations. State energy offices are encouraged to revisit and update their plans frequently. As alternative fuel infrastructure expands in your area, Clean Cities coalitions are encouraged to get in touch with their state energy office to incorporate alternative fuels into their Energy Assurance Plan. For more information, see the DOE State Energy Assurance Program website: http://energy.gov/oe/services/energy-assurance/emergency-preparedness/state-and-local-energy-assurance-planning. The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Energy Assurance Planning website (http://www.naseo.org/energyassurance) is also a useful resource.

• Disaster Preparedness Plans. In addition to energy planning, state offices and agencies of emergency management have overarching plans to manage emergency situations. Alternative fuel and advanced vehicles can also play an important role in these strategies. To find your state emergency management office, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website: http://www.fema.gov/state-offices-and-agencies-emergency-management.

• Work with stakeholders to educate them on the benefits of alternative fuels in emergency situations. Tell them the stories about alternative fuel use during Superstorm Sandy. Utilities, municipal governments, and refuse companies may be particularly interested in these lessons learned.

• Know where the available fueling infrastructure is. Using the Alternative Fueling Station Locator (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations/), you can identify stations in your area and work with those station operators to determine whether they will be available during an emergency situation. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is collecting information from natural gas stations about generator availability, specifically those that could power compressors and other infrastructure during an outage. Initial results indicate that over 50% of planned and existing CNG and liquefied natural gas stations have access to a generator that can operate the station. Please note that information about generator availability at individual stations will not be available through the Fueling Station Locator. However, it will be used to assist DOE and others in developing federal, state, and local energy assurance and emergency preparedness plans that incorporate alternative fuels.

For additional information about the response to Superstorm Sandy and alternative fuel use in emergency situations, please refer to the Webinar on the Role of Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Emergency Preparedness (http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/toolbox/webinar_emergency_preparedness.html).

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

New Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Guide

Today’s fleets are increasingly interested in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that use alternative fuels or advanced technologies that can help reduce operating costs, meet emissions requirements, improve fleet sustainability, and support U.S. energy independence. Vehicle and engine manufacturers are responding to this interest with a wide range of options across a steadily growing number of vehicle applications.

This guide provides an overview of alternative fuel power systems-including engines, microturbines, and fuel cells- and hybrid propulsion systems. The guide also offers a brief overview of individual medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, listed by application. Notably, a transition to any alternative fuel or advanced technology is a long-term commitment that merits thoughtful research and planning, with attention to technical, economic, and geographical considerations. Clean Cities’ Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) offers a suite of tools that can aid a fleet in its analysis.

Clean Cities collects the vehicle information presented in this guide from multiple sources, including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), conversion companies, and product literature. Diligent effort was made to contact all manufacturers that offer commercially available vehicles with alternative fuel or advanced technology options. Manufacturers are also invited to send comments, additions, or corrections related to any information contained in the guide by contacting the AFDC webmaster at afdc.energy.gov/progs/webmaster.php. The AFDC’s online heavy-duty vehicle database reflects product changes made or identified after publication.