Welcome to the
August-October 2017 San
Joaquin Valley Clean Transportation Center Newsletter. With funding
from the California Energy Commission, CALSTART opened the Center with
the goal to accelerate the use of clean vehicles and fuels and help the
region more quickly meet air quality targets.
Officials
from Fresno State and area government agencies gathered Sept. 12
to announce the opening of a Transportation Institute at the
university. Dr. Aly Tawfik (far right) will serve as founding
director. (Photo by Fresno State)
New
Transportation Institute Opens at Fresno State as Collaborative
Endeavor
The
opening of a new Transportation Institute was announced at a
Sept. 12 reception in the Henry Madden Library on the Fresno
State campus. The Fresno Council of Governments Policy Board
last year approved nearly $3 million from the Measure C New Technology
Reserve Program to fund the Institute, with the Fresno County
Transportation Authority Board giving final approval in December.
The Transportation Institute will open this fall as a
collaboration between the 15 cities within the Fresno COG, the
Fresno County Transportation Authority and Fresno State’s Lyles
College of Engineering, Craig School of Business and College of
Social Sciences. Dr. Aly Tawfik, assistant professor of
civil engineering at Fresno State, will serve as the founding
director.
Dr. Tawfik noted the unique challenges faced by the region,
including poor air quality, increased traffic and a
"transportation landscape that is experiencing a
revolution." Funding will not only support students and
faculty researchers as they address topics such as air pollution
and greenhouse gas emissions, safety, energy, congestion and
advanced transportation technologies, but also enable them to
seek federal and state transportation grants. CALSTART's SJV
Clean Transportation Center will collaborate with the Institute
on projects as well, such as a transportation summit planned for
early next year.
Measure C is Fresno County's half-cent sales tax for
transportation. Through the Technology New Reserve Program, with
$10 million available in this first cycle of funding
for advanced transit and transportation new
technologies. It is expected that up to $30 million will be
made available through 2027, according to information on the
Fresno COG website. (For details on other projects funded, to go
page 4 of the linked document.)
Several
AT&T vehicles fueled up during a tour of the CNG station at
the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, where a CNG Listen and
Learn session was conducted July 19 (top). The trucking fleet at
Frito-Lay's Kern plant has been converting to CNG to decrease
emissions and save on fuel costs (bottom).
Plan
to Attend CNG Listen and Learn Scheduled for Nov. 3 at Harris
Ranch
Those
who missed the first CNG Listen and Learn session in July at the
Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) in Bakersfield will
want to plan to attend another session set for Nov. 3 at Harris
Ranch in Coalinga. The session is planned for the morning,
followed by lunch. To register, email projectcleanairprograms@gmail.com.
Organized by the SJV Clean Transportation Center and the San
Joaquin Valley Clean Cities Coalition with support from SoCalGas,
the sessions are intended to provide information on funding
programs and new technologies and get feedback to help these
efforts be more successful.
The July session featured a presentation by the San Joaquin
Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) on their Prop 1B
and Truck Voucher Program (TVP) funding for truck replacements.
Prop 1B applications were due at the end of July, and the
District reports the program has been fully subscribed. The
November session will feature more details on TVP funding, which
is set to be discussed by the SJVAPCD Board at its October
meeting.
Information on the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher
Incentive Program (HVIP) for the purchase of
approved low-NOx natural gas engines will be presented, along
with renewable natural gas (RNG) as fuel for these engines. More
details from Cummins Westport will be available on its new
"Near Zero" heavy-duty natural gas engines available in
2018.
Those attending the KCSOS session toured the KCSOS CNG station,
which recently underwent a significant upgrade. The station is
open to the public and fuels the district's fleet of more than 60
buses, along with numerous public and private fleets. In addition
to revenue from CNG fuel sales, the district earns valuable
credits that enable money to be put into the classroom, noted
Scott Fieber, KCSOS Energy Conservation Supervisor. SoCalGas is
looking to identify additional sites in the Valley to locate CNG
stations.
The
LiveSmart Fair in Bakersfield was the Valley's only official EV
event during National Drive Electric Week, Sept. 9-16. A total of
123 Best.Drive.EVer test drives were recorded, surpassing numbers
from several events in the Los Angeles and Bay areas that
week.
Best.Drive.EVer
Promotes EV Experience
The San
Joaquin Valley's only official National Drive Electric Week event
was Sept. 16 in Bakersfield, hosted at Urner's and also
organized by Project Clean Air, the San Joaquin Valley Electric
Vehicle Partnership and EV Perks. The 2017 National Drive Electric
Week annual celebration of electric vehicles was a huge success,
with 276 events and including all 50 states for the first time
ever.
The LiveSmart Fair featured EV test drives with vehicles provided
by BMW of Bakersfield, Three-Way Chevrolet, FIAT of Bakersfield,
Jim Burke Ford, Bakersfield Hyundai and Bill Wright Toyota. Staff
from the California and San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
District rebate programs provided information about how Valley
residents may get up to $13,500 in incentives and rebates on an
EV.
A total of 123 test drives were recorded during the four-hour
event, far exceeding the number at similar events that week in
Oxnard, Santa Cruz, Redding and East Palo Alto. More than 50
percent of the Bakersfield EV test drivers had no previous
experience with electric cars. Prior to the drive, 86 percent had
a very or somewhat positive perception of electric cars,
increasing to 96 percent after the drive. Test drive participants
also received a free taco lunch.
In addition to demonstrations of energy-saving appliances
from Urner's, community groups offered activities for kids, free
health screenings and information on how to live smart. EV owners
brought their vehicles and shared personal insights in the EV
Perks Zone. GreenPower's zero-emission electric bus was a huge
hit, giving rides and providing information about its new
manufacturing plant in nearby Porterville.
Another Best.Drive.EVer. ride-and-drive event was on Oct. 8 at
the Apple Festival in Tehachapi, wrapping up Rideshare Week.
(Look for more details in our next issue.) Sponsors for the two
events include Best.Drive.EVer., Commute Kern, Edison
International (Southern California Edison), PG&E, the Valley
Air District, the Rose Foundation, EIG Solar and Sunpower by
Quality Home Services.
CALSTART
to Celebrate 25th Anniversary
Online
registration closes this Friday, Oct. 13, for CALSTART's 25th
Anniversary Symposium. The two-day event will begin the afternoon
of Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena
and continue through Wednesday, Oct. 25, at the Pasadena
Convention Center.
CALSTART’s 25th Anniversary Symposium connects jobs,
transportation and the environment in developing strategies to
meet 2030 targets. Preeminent policymakers and industry leaders
will explore pathways to create a clean transportation
future.
Wednesday's
keynote lunch speaker will be Mary D. Nichols, Chair of the
California Air Resources Board. Nichols has devoted her entire
career in public and nonprofit service to advocating for the
environment and public health.
For an agenda, speaker information or to register, go to www.calstart25.org.
Director's
Message
By Joseph Oldham
In this issue of the CALSTART San Joaquin Valley Clean
Transportation Center Newsletter we have information about recent
and upcoming events, plus a report on a new organization at Fresno
State University, and finally a notice about an upcoming survey so
you can let us know how we are doing in providing you information
about clean transportation options.
We soon will be shifting to a monthly Newsletter format where
special funding and event information email blasts will come out as
needed to better inform our subscribers. We think this new format
will do a better job of helping to keep you informed in the rapidly
changing world of clean transportation technology. In addition,
stay tuned for a survey that will be coming out to you that will
help us refine our Newsletter service even further.
Congratulations to CSU Fresno on the opening of their new
Transportation Institute. The CALSTART San Joaquin Valley Clean
Transportation Center is partnering with the new Institute on
several projects, including a new clean transportation summit being
tentatively scheduled for March 2018. Watch for more details
on this event in future editions of the SJVCTC Newsletter.
We told you in the last edition that we were going to be hosting
another CNG Listen and Learn session focused on natural gas engines
for trucks and buses in the fall. We now have this event scheduled
for Nov. 3 at Harris Ranch in Coalinga. These events are just some
of the ways the CALSTART San Joaquin Valley Clean Transportation
Center works to keep you informed of new opportunities to improve
your business while at the same time helping to improve our Valley
air quality.
If you are not able to make the Nov. 3 event at Harris Ranch, stay
tuned for another Listen and Learn event later in November in
Fresno. But you might want go to both since who can pass up a
chance to have a great lunch at Harris Ranch on us!
Also, you may be interested in reading about the National Drive
Electric Week event in Bakersfield on Sept. 16. It was the only
event of this type for the National Drive Electric Week celebration
conducted in the San Joaquin Valley, and the turnout statistics
look impressive.
Finally, don’t forget to register by this Friday, Oct. 13, for the
CALSTART 25th Anniversary Celebration in Pasadena on Oct. 24-25.
This promises to be a great event, and we are planning some
interesting panel discussions and speakers!
So stay tuned for our new monthly format for the Newsletter and
remember that together, we can make our Valley air quality better
and ensure a healthy future for our children!!
“The CALSTART San Joaquin Valley Clean Transportation
Center is a joint project between CALSTART and the California
Energy Commission (CEC). It is funded through a grant from the CEC
with the mission to assist residents and businesses in the San
Joaquin Valley deploy cleaner transportation options to help
improve air quality and promote economic prosperity. For more
information about CALSTART, visit www.calstart.org.”
Looking for
Grant Information?
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
District offers a variety of grants and incentive programs for
public agencies, residents, businesses and technology. Interested
parties should apply early since incentives typically are
available on a first-come, first-served basis. A complete list of
current incentive programs is available on the Air District website.
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) administers grant
programs funded through various sources, including the
Cap-and-Trade program. A complete list of the various funding
programs is available on the ARB website.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) also administers grant
programs for transportation technology. Go to the CEC website for
information.
Various Federal agencies offer grants and incentives for
transportation technology each year. All Federal agencies use the Grants.gov
website for submitting and receiving grant applications.
Newsletter
Survey: Please Give Us Your Feedback
In a few
days, you should receive a survey from us. Please take a few
minutes to give your feedback in a brief 10-question survey
evaluating the SJV Clean Transportation Center Newsletter.
The results of the survey will help us determine what you have
liked in the past and what we should cover in the future. We
appreciate your input and ideas to help us improve the Newsletter
as we transition to a monthly format to provide you with the
types of articles and other information you prefer most.
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