Valley Sky-Lines  eNewsletter - May 2011

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May 2011 - In This Edition Dan Hyde Retires Interview with Gary Weinberg, President of Western Sierra Services LVRCCC Holds Annual Meeting UPS to Expand its LNG Fleet Information About the Average Greenhouse Gas Emissions from All-Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Upcoming LVRCCC Meetings

Dan Hyde Retires By Annalloyd Thomason After serving 18 years as Executive Director for the Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition, Dan Hyde has officially retired.  Not only has he retired from the Coalition, but he also has retired from his nearly two decade position as the Manager of Fleet and Transportation Services for the City of Las Vegas. Dan knew many achievements during his career with Las Vegas Clean Cities, and is known nationally for his advocacy of strong fleet leadership as a key in cleaning up America’s cities. His bold and passionate style is one reason that in 2007, Las Vegas received the World Leadership Award in London for its innovative approach to clean fleet services.   At the height of his career, Dan built a fleet of 1,200 vehicles, with 90% operating on alternative fuels. In 1993, Las Vegas became the fifth city in the nation to become part of the United States Department of Energy Clean Cities program, and Dan Hyde was at the helm.  He is recognized and admired on a local, national and international level for his commitment to alternative fuels. In 2008, Dan was presented with the AFVi Lifetime Achievement Award for his service and dedication to advancing the market for alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies.  Dan was again recognized at the March Las Vegas Clean Cities meeting for his leadership, dedication and service.  “It’s rewarding for me,” said Hyde, “to see the momentum started 18 years ago in this City and to know that I had a part in putting Las Vegas on the map as one of the strongest advocates for clean transportation technologies.”  Ron Corbett, President of Las Vegas Clean Cities, said, “I have known Dan Hyde for nearly 20 years and in that time he has been tireless in his commitment and his efforts.  The Coalition will sorely miss him.” Back to Top

Interview with Gary Weinberg, President of Western Sierra Services Western Sierra Services provides consulting services in the areas of biodiesel and lubricants. The company’s president, Gary Weinberg, is an expert in biodiesel and has more than 16 years of experience working in the Las Vegas area and with the manufacturing and marketing of biodiesel throughout the U.S.  Gary is currently working as a consultant with Rebel Oil Company in Las Vegas NV. When did the company get its start?                              The idea began to blossom in January 2008 and Western Sierra Services Inc. was established in March.  Can you share some of the background on how Western Sierra Services was created?    In 2007 I was on the Board of Biodiesel Industries and working as Vice President of National Sales. In November it was determined that the company was not going to become publicly traded. Having worked in the Las Vegas market for over 13 years, I realized there was now a void of expertise in the biodiesel business in the Valley.  How did you decide on what your approach would be, and what niche you would fill? After discussing options with my wife, we decided to start our own company and offer consulting services in lubrication and biodiesel to the petroleum market in Las Vegas.  Can you share a bit about the customers benefitting from your services? I have been consulting for several petroleum marketers in the California, Minnesota and Las Vegas areas and for the past 2 ½ years have been successfully involved with Rebel Oil Company, the current market leader for biodiesel in the Las Vegas Valley.  Tell me about the Western Sierra Services’ participation in the LVRCCC. I’ve been involved with LVRCCC for past 10+ years. I believe strongly in the mission of the organization, which is to help create local markets for all alternative fuels.  In 2010, I was elected to the Board of Directors of LVRCCC, and have been involved in strategic planning, outreach and overall board level guidance.  I also provide expertise in biodiesel when questions arise.  Well thank you so much for this chat. It’s been a pleasure. Back to Top

LVRCCC Holds Annual Meeting     By Annalloyd Thomason   On March 3, the Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition held its annual meeting at the Rio Hotel.  Nearly 50 stakeholders and interested parties attended the meeting where, among other things, the organization elected its new Board members.  Two incumbents were re-elected, Dennis Ransel of Clark County Department of Air Quality Management and Jim Morwood of the Las Vegas Valley Water District.  Rudy Garcia of Auto Safety House, was also elected for his first term on the Board. The agenda for the remainder of the meeting was a facilitated session in which stakeholders explored and discussed four key questions: What would it be like if LVRCCC modified its mission to include broader fleet management issues?  What should be done – and how – to stimulate the market for alternative fuels/vehicles in this economy in Las Vegas?  How can the Coalition best develop a financial structure to raise a minimum of $50,000 per year? How can the LVRCCC engage the membership in serving on committees to further the success of the organization? The questions were developed to engage stakeholders in brainstorming about what the Coalition should look like and have as its mission going forward, given the current national and local market conditions for alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies.  One of the strongest messages sent by the stakeholders is that the Coalition should broaden its mission to include all fleet management issues. That topic and others related to it is the subject of a series of strategic planning meetings that are being held with the Board of Directors in preparation for the Coalition’s new fiscal year, which begins July 1. Back to Top

UPS to Expand its LNG Fleet By Kasia McBride Motivated by federal and state emissions rules, uncertain fuel prices, and increasingly by environmental consciousness, many of our nation’s largest fleet managers have decided to invest more heavily in alternative fuel vehicles and to develop sustainable fueling strategies. One of the largest alternative fuel fleets, which includes more than 2,000 alternative fuel vehicles, is United Parcel Service (UPS). UPS’s long-term goal is to minimize dependence on oil by improving operational efficiencies and advancing new technologies. The company’s emissions reduction strategy includes reducing fuel consumption and deploying alternative fuel and low emissions vehicles. The fleet operates in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Brazil, the UK, and Hong Kong, and uses a variety of alternative fuels and technologies--including compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, hybrid-electric and electric vehicles. In February 2011 UPS announced that its “green fleet” has driven 200 million miles since 2000.  “The 200 million mile benchmark proves a number of AFV technologies are viable over the long term in a variety of working environments and so we’ll continue to expand the AFV fleet” said Mike Britt, Director of Vehicle Engineering at UPS. The expansion of UPS’s fleet includes deployment of 48 LNG-powered Kenworth trucks this year. The trucks will be used on the route between Ontario, CA, and Las Vegas, NV. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that these 48 trucks alone will help displace approximately 1.25 million gallons of petroleum annually. UPS has also contracted with Clean Energy to build a publicly-accessible LNG station off Interstate 15 in Las Vegas. The new LNG station will support these 48 new trucks, an additional 11 LNG trucks that UPS already operates in Ontario, and other LNG fleet operators in the region. The station will serve as a link between existing LNG infrastructure in California and new infrastructure in Utah.  According to the article published by Las Vegas Business Press in March 2011, Clean Energy expects to deliver 1.2 million gallons of LNG per year to UPS. The deployment of the 48 LNG-powered trucks, as well as the construction of the LNG station, is funded by U.S. Department of Energy and the South Coast Quality Management District. Back to Top

Information About the Average Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from All-electric Vehicles (EVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) By Clean Cities Technical Response Service In addition to reducing petroleum consumption, EVs and PHEVs have the potential to reduce pollutant emissions, resulting in environmental and human health benefits. Vehicle emissions can be characterized as: Upstream: Emissions from the production of the vehicle fuel (e.g., electricity). Tailpipe: Emissions produced by a vehicle while operating. Well-to-wheel: The combination of upstream and tailpipe emissions. EV Emissions EVs are often referred to as “zero emission vehicles,” meaning they do not emit any tailpipe emissions. Therefore, the well-to-wheel GHG emissions associated with EV operation are entirely dependent on the source that is used to produce the electricity that powers the vehicle. Emissions from electricity production depend on the efficiency of the power plant and the types of fuel sources used. Based on the U.S. average electricity production fuel mix, the GHG emissions are lower for an EV using electricity generated from power plants than a vehicle running on gasoline or diesel. If electricity is generated from nonpolluting, renewable sources, EVs have the potential to produce no well-to-wheel GHG emissions. On the other hand, EVs powered by electricity generated using coal have the potential to produce more well-to-wheel GHG emissions than gasoline vehicles, depending on the power source. To determine your region’s specific fuel mix, as well as the emissions rates of electricity based on your zip code, see the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Power Profiler. While factors such as the time of day and season can affect which specific power plant (and fuel mix) provides the vehicle’s electricity, these average emissions rates help approximate the impact of these vehicles. PHEV Emissions PHEVs typically operate either in all-electric mode or using an internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric drivetrain in a manner similar to a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). The emissions vary based on the percent of time that the vehicle is in each operating mode. When operating in all-electric mode, emissions are considered from the source that produced the electricity. When the vehicle’s ICE is running, both the upstream and tailpipe emissions must be taken into account. The tailpipe emissions will vary depending on vehicle efficiency. Comparing EV and PHEV Emissions to ICE Vehicle Emissions The following table estimates the well-to-wheel GHG emissions associated with a 100-mile trip in four comparable compact sedans, based on the national average for electricity production emissions. Vehicle GHG Emissions (pounds of CO2 equivalent) EV 54 lb CO2e PHEV 62 lb CO2e HEV 57 lb CO2e Conventional Gasoline 87 lb CO2e The Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicle Data Center (AFDC) Compare Electricity Sources and Annual Vehicle Emissions tool allows users to determine an estimate for annual well-to-wheel GHG emissions for an EV, PHEV, HEV, and conventional gasoline vehicle based on the electricity production fuel mix in their area. In addition, Fueleconomy.gov and EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide provide annual emissions estimates for individual vehicle models. Back to Top

Upcoming LVRCCC Meetings Wednesday, June 1, 2011 LVRCCC Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday, September 7, 2011 LVRCCC Board of Directors Meeting Back to Top

 

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