UPS Clearing the Air with new LNG Tractors

Purchase Is Step Toward U.S. Energy Security

UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced it has purchased another 48 heavy tractor trucks equipped to run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), bolstering its continuing effort to reduce the emissions of its truck fleet while taking a step toward energy security.

The vehicles, to be deployed this year in the western United States, will replace older generation diesel vehicles. These LNGs are expected to produce 25 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the older trucks and use 95 percent less diesel fuel than the vehicles they replace.

“This is an important step not only from an environmental standpoint but from the viewpoint of U.S. energy security,” said Mike Britt, UPS’s director of vehicle engineering.  “Liquefied natural gas is a cheaper, cleaner-burning fuel that is better for the environment and more sustainable than conventional diesel.  And it’s also a fuel that’s in abundant supply inside the United States; it doesn’t have to be imported.”

According to Britt, there are multiple technologies and alternative fuels being explored or deployed today to provide propulsion for small- and mid-sized trucks.  “But at the moment, LNG is the only suitable alternative to diesel for the really heavy, long-haul tractor trailers you see on the highway,” he added.  “As a fuel, LNG is very dense, providing a large amount of energy for the amount of space it occupies.  This makes LNG an excellent potential fuel for large trucks that need to travel a long distance before refueling.”

Manufactured by Kenworth, the LNG tractors are powered by Westport HD Systems and initially will pull trailers on a transit lane linking Ontario, Calif., and Las Vegas, Nev., along with UPS’s 11 existing LNG tractors.  UPS is the only private delivery company using this technology in its fleet and now has more than 1,100 natural gas-powered vehicles in service.

UPS operates one of the largest private fleets of alternative fuel vehicles in its industry – 1,914 in total.  Since 2000, UPS’s “green fleet” has traveled more than 185 million miles.  Besides LNG, UPS has deployed Compressed Natural Gas, propane, electric and hybrid electric vehicles in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. 

LNG technology uses natural gas as the main fuel with a small amount of diesel delivered at high pressure to the combustion chamber.  Westport estimates approximately 95 percent of the diesel fuel usage is replaced by energy generated from the natural gas.  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that this displacement will amount to about 1.25 million gallons of petroleum annually.

“The added advantage of LNG is it does not compromise the tractor’s abilities, fuel economy or drivability, and significantly reduces greenhouse gases,” added Britt.  “These trucks have a solid 600-mile range and with reliable fueling infrastructure make an excellent alternative fuel system.” 

UPS currently bases its 11 LNG tractors in Ontario, from which they can make the round trip to Las Vegas on one tank of fuel.  UPS is working closely with the DOE’s Clean Cities program to construct a LNG fueling station in Las Vegas.  Once that facility is completed in 2011, UPS will base the 48 new tractors in Las Vegas and dramatically expand the number of long-haul routes in the West on which they’re used.

“UPS has shown environmental leadership in expanding its natural gas fleet of delivery vehicles to a fleet of heavy-duty interstate trucks powered by Westport HD,” said Clark Quintin, President of Westport HD.  “Connecting California’s existing LNG fueling stations with developing ones in Utah will create valuable LNG capability on a busy goods movement corridor.”

UPS pursues a wide range of socially responsible and sustainable business practices designed to reduce its impact on the environment and improve communities around the world.  Learn more about UPS's responsible business practices at www.ups.com/responsibility.

Hybrid Eaton Hybrid System to Power New Fuel Efficient IC Bus CE Series Hybrid

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced the commercial availability of its hybrid electric power systems for Navistar’s IC Bus™ brand school buses. The IC Bus CE Series hybrid electric school bus with unique hill start assist can provide school districts with up to a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy, up to 35 percent reduction of NOx emissions and up to 85 percent reduction of diesel particulates.

“School districts across the country are looking for ways to reduce their fuel cost and provide a greener footprint for their community without compromising passenger or driver comfort,” said Dimitri Kazarinoff, vice president and general manager for Eaton’s Hybrid Power Systems Division. ”With the Eaton hybrid system, they now have a proven option that has more than 100 million miles of real-world experience.”

“We are pleased to incorporate Eaton’s proprietary Hybrid System to improve fuel economy by up to 30 percent and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said John McKinney, President, IC Bus.

Eaton worked with IC Bus to specially design its hybrid system for school bus deployment. The hybrid system combines the MaxxForce® DT with MaxxForce Advanced EGR (exhaust gas recirculation)—the industry’s only no-hassle 2010 emissions solution—with an electric motor that has a peak power output of 44 kilowatt. Through regenerative braking, battery charge is controlled to provide a steady supply of power.

This allows for less wear and tear on brakes and additional operational savings. Eaton matches the system to an automated six-speed Eaton transmission and stores energy in lithium-ion batteries. The hybrid system also includes Eaton’s unique hill start assist technology that keeps the bus from rolling backwards on a grade. In addition, maintenance is simple with this hybrid system, requiring only a normal coolant check and battery compartment filter replacement in accordance with the regular maintenance schedule. IC Bus and Eaton back up the entire hybrid system with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Eaton offers the world’s most complete line-up of hybrid systems for commercial vehicle applications and the charging and networked charging infrastructure for commercial and residential applications. Eaton hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and hybrid hydraulic power systems are available or in development on truck models including Crane Carrier Corporation, DAF, Daimler, Freightliner, Ford, International, Iveco, Kenworth, and Peterbilt and on bus models from BCI, Foton, Heng Tong, IC Bus, JNP, King Long, Shen Long, Solaris, Tata, YoungMan, Yutong and Zhongtong.

Companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises and PepsiCo are using delivery vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems. Work trucks with Eaton hybrid power are also in service at Florida Power and Light, and many utility and telecom companies across North America and city bus transit fleets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America are using Eaton hybrid power in their fleets.

Benefits of the Eaton hybrid systems include fuel savings up to 35 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions and extended brake life which helps customers to significantly reduce their operating costs. For more information on Eaton’s hybrid power systems, visit www.eaton.com/hybrid.

About Eaton
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drive train and power train systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit http://www.eaton.com/.

About Navistar
Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco® RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. The company also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com/newsroom.

Proposed US 2012 Budget Cuts DERA, Fuel Cell Funding, Boosts Electric

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration’s proposed 2012 budget eliminates or reduces funding for a number of programs, from DERA to fuel cells, and creates a consumer rebate for the purchase of electric vehicles. The cuts include eliminating funding for the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) and the budgets for the Fuels Program, the Fuel Cells Program, the Oil and Gas Research program, and the Unconventional Fossil Technology program.

The administration has stated a serious commitment to electric vehicle technology, with a proposal to transform the existing $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles into a rebate available to consumers at the point of sale; a $200 million program to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure; removal of regulatory barriers to implementing electric vehicle infrastructure; and an increase in support for vehicle technology R&D.
In addition, the administration’s proposed 2012 budget for the EPA include implementing new standards to reduce emissions from cars and light-duty trucks for model years 2012 through 2016, extending that program to model year 2017 and beyond, and creating a similar program to reduce GHGs from medium-and heavy-duty trucks for model years 2014-2018.
With the budget now being sent to Congress for consideration, it will likely undergo major changes as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives pushes for deeper budget cuts.

By Greg Basich

Wright-Patt leading many alternative-energy efforts

By  Ron Fry Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio  -- The Air Force is at the forefront of many Department of Defense energy initiatives.

Most are either happening, or are managed, right here at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Air Force Materiel Command oversees the development and testing of alternative fuels for Air Force aircraft.

And, because the Air Force has worked hand-in-hand with the commercial aviation industry on development of biofuels, we anticipate fuel producers will respond by bringing them to market sooner, reducing U.S. demand for foreign oil and increasing supply using domestic, renewable sources.

We are seeking more "green" ways to power our fighters, bombers, transports and remotely piloted aircraft. In fact, one of the command's five priorities is to conserve resources.

Here are a few more nuggets of success:

•  The Air Force's A-10 flight at Eglin AFB, Fla., on March 25, 2010, marked the first time an aircraft's (Air Force or Navy) only fuel source was a 50/50 blend of conventional and biomass-based fuel.
• In August, a C-17 test flight at Edwards AFB, Calif., used a blend of JP-8 jet fuel, biomass-based renewable fuel and Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel to power the aircraft.
• In November, a Global Hawk became the first remotely piloted aircraft to use the JP-8/ Fischer-Tropsch fuel blend, completing two flight-test sorties (46 hours total) at Edwards AFB.
• The Air Force Fuel Certification Office has certified more than 95 percent of the Air Force fleet, including all fighter aircraft, for unrestricted operations using a blend of Fischer-Tropsch and JP-8.
• Since 2007, all Air Force construction projects are required to use the U.S. Green Building Council's energy-efficiency designs.
• More than 40 installations and radar sites produce renewable energy using wind turbines, solar arrays, landfill gas generators or ground-source heat pumps.
• The Air Force's first biomass plants are in development at Eglin AFB and Robins AFB, Ga.
• The Air Force has identified 15 solar projects it hopes to construct and bring on line by 2013.
• Also, the Air Force Research Laboratory headquartered here at Wright-Patt is a DOD leader in energy initiatives.

Learn more

ROUSH CleanTech Develops Liquid Propane Autogas Cutaway for Frito-Lay

Snack food leader notes propane autogas-powered delivery trucks are key to environmental steardship

ROUSH CleanTech has begun development of a liquid propane autogas fuel system for the Ford E-350 dual rear wheel (DRW) cutaway chassis. While this vehicle is used extensively by Frito-Lay, the first customer for the fuel system conversion, other fleets will also be able to utilize this technology to make the switch to propane autogas.

“Based on the proposed project, this appears to be a viable solution to improve our cost per mile, as well as reduce our environmental footprint,” said Joe Gold, fleet asset and engineering manager at Frito-Lay North America. “If technically successful, and if the conversion economics continue to be favorable, there is potential within the Frito-Lay fleet to convert up to 2,000 gasoline-powered vehicles to propane autogas across the U.S. within the next several years.”

A particular environmental concern is reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx), and the propane autogas-powered vehicle delivers. The ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane autogas Ford E-350 cutaway is estimated to provide significant emissions reductions for two of the six criteria pollutants regulated under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. When compared to the emissions baseline of typical gasoline vehicles, significant improvements in engine-out emissions are anticipated for both NOx (50 percent reduction) and particulate matter (25 percent). These conservative reduction estimates are based upon recently-completed emissions testing at ROUSH CleanTech’s EPA-certified testing facility on similar Ford E-series vans that reported a 67 percent reduction in NOx and 50 percent reduction in particulate matter, with additional reductions in non-methane organic gases (25 percent).

Besides contributing to cleaner air, this ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane autogas Ford E-350 cutaway will help reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. Based upon an average annual mileage of 20,000 miles for vehicles in the delivery and service industries, and an average fuel economy of 10.5 miles per gallon for a comparable gasoline vehicle, each propane autogas Ford E-350 vehicle is expected to displace almost 1,667 gallons of gasoline per year. Annually, a fleet of 1,225 vehicles would displace 2 million gallons of gasoline each year and 20 million gallons over a 10-year lifetime.

“We are extremely pleased that Frito-Lay has seen the potential of the ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane autogas fuel systems. Our engineering team is already hard at work developing this E-350 cutaway,” said Joe Thompson, president of ROUSH CleanTech.

The E-350 DRW cutaway will be based on the Ford 5.4 liter, 2-valve V-8 engine and planned for first quarter 2011 production. For more information, please visit ROUSHcleantech.com.

About the company: Based in Plymouth Township, Mich., ROUSH CleanTech designs, engineers, manufactures, assembles, and installs dedicated liquid propane autogas fuel systems for a variety of light- and medium- duty Ford vehicles, including the F-150, F-250, and F-350 truck series, and the E-150, E-250, E-350, and E-450 cutaway van series. Currently offered through authorized Ford dealerships around the country, the ROUSH CleanTech liquid propane autogas fuel system delivers the same factory Ford performance characteristics, warranty coverage, and serviceability. Customers can reduce operating costs significantly while reducing vehicle emissions. Complete details on ROUSH CleanTech fuel system offerings can be found online at ROUSHcleantech.com or by calling 800-59-ROUSH.

KCFC's Howell Helps Jacksonville Establish Clean Cities Program

KCFC Ex Director Melissa Howell was a guest at the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization to assist them with efforts in establishing a Clean Cities program in Jacksonville.

Pictured are: Carl David, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Charlie Brown, Ferrellgas, Wanda Forrest, NFTPO, Melissa Howell, and Jay Worley, JEA.

Thomas Built Buses Goes Propane

CleanFUEL USA will partner with Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. to build and certify a multi-purpose 8-liter General Motors propane engine for the Thomas Type C Saf-T-Liner C2.

The new engine will feature CleanFUEL's new 8L liquid propane injection system, which will initially be developed for use in delivery trucks and school buses. Freightliner plans to certify the propane fuel injection system to power the Thomas conventional.

"We've seen an industry-wide shift to becoming more environmentally conscious, and our customers are requesting more options for green-fleet vehicles," said Jonathan Randall, director of sales and marketing for Freightliner, in a recent statement. "We look forward to collaborating on this project and keeping with our legacy of providing innovative technologies that benefit customers and the environment."

According to CleanFUEL, the engine wll be available for 2012 model-year vehicles, which will allow fleet operators to keep up with the stricter emission standards.

“From a fleet standpoint, we see immense potential for this new 8L platform to stimulate additional interest and adoption in the market for propane-powered vehicles," said CleanFUEL President and COO Tucker Perkins.

Kits will also be made available to convert medium-duty gasoline vehicles to run on propane.

Currently, Collins Bus had the only factory-direct, certified propane-powered Type A school buses in use. Blue Bird has a certified, propane-powered Type C Vision at districts nationwide and s in production with its own certified Type A propane Micro Bird that recently passed a crash test, a Blue Bird spokesperson said.