KCFC Welcomes New Member - Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research

The Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research conducts and facilitates R&D on potentially commercializable renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The Center promotes partnerships among the state's colleges and universities, private industries, and non-profit organizations to actively pursue federally and privately funded research and development resources that are dedicated to renewable energy solutions, including:

• Advanced Energy Materials Manufacturing
• Solar Energy Conversion
• Renewable Energy Storage
• Biofuels/Biomass Conversions
• Energy Efficiency & Conservation

By engaging and utilizing Kentucky's workforce and natural resources, the Center's ongoing goal is to seek outcomes that enhance global energy and economic security and maintain US technological leadership in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. The Conn Center leads research that increases homegrown energy sources to meet the national need while reducing energy consumption and dependence on foreign resources.

The Conn Center is focused on developing technologies for converting biomass to useful fuels and chemicals. Specifically, the center is interested in lipid and cellulosic biomass conversions to transportation fuels and chemicals. Such capabilities will bring Kentucky new private investors to build plants that process biofuels utilizing our research expertise and innovations.

Conn Center website: http://conncenter.org/

Thirty-Four More Hybrid Schools Buses Join Kentucky Fleets

The Kentucky Department of Education announced the latest round of school districts across the Commonwealth that will receive Hybrid Electric School Busses, as part of a federal grant program.

Barren County - 1
Bath County - 2
Breathitt County - 4
Bullitt County - 5
Garrard County - 1
Jefferson County - 18
Madison County - 2
Meade County - 1

Hybrid school buses are now operating in 35 school districts logging nearly 400,000 miles. Districts are seeing significant fuel savings over their traditional diesel powered buses.

The buses are manufactured by ThomasBuilt and International and operate with an Eaton parallel hybrid system.

Learn more about the program at http://www.kentuckycleanfuels.org/resources/hybridhorsepower.htm.

Hybrid School Bus Joins Fleet in Hart County

(Munfordville, KY) September 21, 2011 – Hart County Schools in Munfordville, KY took delivery of their first new hybrid electric school bus last week, and expect to reap fuel savings benefits throughout the new school year and beyond.

"We are excited to be adding a hybrid electric bus to our fleet in Hart County.  We strive to offer cutting edge technology in every aspect of our student's education, and this is another way we can do that as well as reduce fuel costs and save money in this challenging economic time" said Hart County Superintendent Ricky Line.

The new bus, manufactured by International Bus, was delivered to Superintendent Line and Transportation Director Daniel Hawkins, by Mark Cahill, Bluegrass International (in photo attached).  District bus drivers, mechanics, and first responders were all trained highlighting best operational practices for the hybrid-electric system. 

The bus uses an Eaton Hybrid System, a regenerative system that puts power back into the hybrid battery when the driver applies the brake.  Stop and start routes that generally do not exceed 50 mph provide the best performance for the hybrid system.  Hybrid electric buses already in operation across the state are seeing 30% or greater fuel savings. 

Thirty-five school districts across Kentucky currently operate 126 hybrid electric buses. Kentucky is home to the largest hybrid electric school bus fleet in the nation.  Over 200 hybrid buses will be purchased with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy awarded in December 2009. 

Performance data for these hybrid school buses is being gathered by the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition, a non-profit organization that administers the grant with the Kentucky Department of Education.

Find data at: http://www.kycleanfuels.org/

Hybrid-Electric School Buses in Kentucky Seeing Double

With 125 school buses on the road, Kentucky has the largest hybrid-electric school bus fleet in the nation. Not only have the school buses achieved increased route fuel efficiency with the new technology, some are achieving MPGs in the double-digits.
 
Pike County Schools, for instance, has achieved an average of 11.6 miles per gallon with their 37 buses. This eastern Kentucky school system has the largest fleet in the state and is doubling their fuel efficiency through driver education and ideal route placement of the buses.
 
“With lean times we are all going through right now, having extra money in our budget that we saved with these hybrid buses is something we didn’t dream would happen,” said Ancie Casey, director of transportation for Pike County Schools.
 
According to the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition (KCFC), one of the leading organizations responsible for coordinating the hybrid-school bus program, all the school buses are fitted with Electronic Control Modules that record and store all bus performance data, including the hybrid system data.  KCFC receives that information from each school monthly and compiles the performance data, which can be viewed on their web site.
 
Through August nearly 380,000 miles have been logged by the buses with an average hybrid fuel efficiency of 9.65 miles per gallon, three miles per gallon higher than the baseline fuel efficiency.
 
“Kentucky's broad topographic range offers excellent opportunities for real world data from the buses,” said Melissa Howell, KCFC executive director. “We hope that school systems across the country will take a look at what we are doing and use the data to help them decide if hybrid technology will provide them energy savings.”
 
The KCFC applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2010 that would offset the cost of the hybrid system for buses.  In December of last year, $12.8 million was awarded for the purchase of 215 hybrid electric school buses.
 
The Kentucky Department of Education administers the funds which can be applied for by any Kentucky public school district.  To date, 31 have taken advantage of the program.
The buses are manufactured by ThomasBuilt and International and are equipped with an Eaton hybrid system.
 
“With the data collected, we now know that the equipment is capable of achieving 12 miles per gallon, double what they were seeing with traditional diesel powered busses,” said Howell. “We have proven that in the first year!”
 
For more information on the Hybrid Horsepower for Kentucky Schools program, visit www.kentuckycleanfuels.org.