The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) will host a two-part webinar series to introduce prospective applicants to the new grant estimator and updated application forms. Details for each webinar are provided below.

• TERP Talk: Completing the ERIG Grant Estimator. This webinar will walk participants through the ERIG Grant Estimator for Non-Road and On-Road activities. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30^th at 2:30 p.m. (CST).

• TERP Talk: Completing the ERIG Replacement Application. This webinar will walk participants through the ERIG Replacement Project Application (TCEQ-10430B). The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, June 6^th at 2:30 p.m. (CST).

If you are interested in tuning into this webinar series, please RSVP to terp@tceq.texas.gov by Tuesday, May 29^th to receive sign-in instructions.

To find out more about the ERIG program, please visit the ERIG webpage at www.terpgrants.org or call TERP staff at 1-800-919-8377.

Schwan’s Home Service Inc., a nationwide food delivery company, is planning to deploy 600 propane autogas delivery trucks by year’s end.

The company is deploying 200 ROUSH CleanTech-powered Ford E-450 cutaways this month and plans to lease an additional 400 units by the end of 2018. Each frozen-food delivery truck is equipped with a Ford 6.8L V10 engine and a ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas fuel system.

“Propane-powered vehicles have played a key role in Schwan’s product delivery for more than 40 years,” says Danielle Stariha, senior manager of fleet and procurement for Schwan’s Home Service. “Total costs of ownership for propane autogas is much lower than traditional fuels and other alternative technologies, which is why we are continually implementing the newest propane technology.”

“Schwan’s long-time investment in propane autogas is a testament to the staying power of this economical and domestically produced transportation fuel,” adds Todd Mouw, president of ROUSH CleanTech. “And we are bringing Schwan’s the cleanest-operating propane technology on the market.”

According to ROUSH CleanTech, each Ford E-450 propane autogas truck emits about 91,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime than a gasoline-powered vehicle. Propane autogas can also reduce greenhouse gases by up to 25%, carbon monoxide by up to 60% and nitrogen oxide by 20% compared to gasoline, the company adds.

“Propane-powered vehicles are much quieter than equivalent diesel-powered vehicles, which leads to higher driver satisfaction,” notes Ron Moore, vice president of warehouse and fleet operations for Schwan’s Home Service. “We deliver across the U.S. in various climates, conditions and terrains, and our drivers are excited about the ROUSH CleanTech-powered E-450 chassis.”

Source: ngtnews

Anheuser-Busch has placed an order with Nikola Motor Co. for up to 800 hydrogen-electric semi-trucks.

The zero-emission trucks are expected to be integrated into Anheuser-Busch’s dedicated fleet beginning in 2020. The vehicles will be able to travel between 500 and 1,200 miles and be refilled within 20 minutes, reducing idle time.

Anheuser-Busch aims to convert its entire long-haul dedicated fleet to renewable-powered trucks by 2025. Nikola’s technology will enable the brewer to achieve this milestone across its long-haul loads while also helping to improve road safety through the trucks’ advanced surround viewing system.

“At Anheuser-Busch, we’re continuously searching for ways to improve sustainability across our entire value chain and drive our industry forward,” comments Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch. “The transport industry is one that is ripe for innovative solutions, and Nikola is leading the way with hydrogen-electric, zero-emission capabilities. We are very excited by the possibilities our partnership with them can offer.”

“Hydrogen-electric technology is the future of logistics, and we’re proud to be leading the way,” adds Trevor Milton, CEO of Nikola Motor Co. “Anheuser-Busch has a long history of investing in progressive, sustainable technology, and we are excited to partner with them to bring the largest hydrogen network in the world to the USA. By 2028, we anticipate having over 700 hydrogen stations across the USA and Canada.”

The partnership with Nikola will contribute to Anheuser-Busch’s 2025 sustainability goals, which include reducing CO2 emissions by 25% across its value chain. The carbon reductions gained from these 800 trucks will reduce the brewer’s carbon emissions from logistics by more than 18%, the company estimates.

Source: ngtnews

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $19 million to support 12 new cost-shared research projects focused on batteries and vehicle electrification technologies to enable extreme fast-charging.

According to the agency, the selected research projects are focused on developing electric vehicle (EV) systems that can recharge rapidly at high power levels – decreasing typical charge times to 15 minutes or less using a connector or wireless fast-charging system.

The DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office, part of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, invests in early-stage research to enable private-sector development and commercialization of affordable, energy-efficient transportation technologies that can strengthen energy security, support U.S. economic growth, and offer consumers and businesses additional transportation choices, the agency explains. The projects announced today will help advance the DOE’s research on batteries and electrification to reduce battery pack cost to under $100 per kilowatt-hour, increase range to over 300 miles, and charge in under 15 minutes or less by 2028.

According to the DOE, recharging current EV batteries takes much longer than refueling the average liquid-fueled internal combustion vehicle; slower charge rates are required to allow the lithium-ions to penetrate to the deepest portions of the active material on the electrode. Furthermore, charging at too high of a rate runs the risk of lithium plating, increased battery temperature, and other detrimental side chemical reactions that can decrease life and performance characteristics of the batteries. The nine selected battery projects listed below focus on advanced anodes, electrolytes and battery cell designs that can be charged rapidly – in less than 10 minutes – while still maintaining performance over the 10-year-life goal:

• Regents of the University of California, University of California San Diego (San Diego) – $650,000
• Pennsylvania State University (University Park, Pa.) – $1,000,000
• Regents of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.) – $1,500,000
• SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (Menlo Park, Calif.) – $1,500,000
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) – $900,000
• Microvast Inc. (Orlando, Fla.) – $1,500,000
• Research Foundation for the State University of New York – Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, N.Y.) – $800,000
• University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.) – $720,000
• Coulometrics LLC (Chattanooga, Tenn.) – $1,000,000

The three selected electrification projects listed below will develop and verify electric drive systems and infrastructure for EV extreme fast-charging, which increases charging power levels from current home charging at 7 kW to power levels up to 400 kW. They will also reduce typical charging times from 8 hours down to 15 minutes or less:

• Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification Inc. (Salt Lake City, Utah) – $4,300,000
• Delta Products Corp. (Fremont, Calif.) – $3,500,000
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) – $2,200,000

More information on the projects can be found here.

Kenworth has debuted its new T680 tractor equipped with a parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system.

The special Kenworth T680 vehicle is part of the Hybrid Emission Cargo Transport (HECT) demonstration project, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

The T680 HECT truck uses the Cummins Westport ISL G near-zero-emission engine fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG), as well as a generator to extend the truck’s battery range. The truck has a 30-mile zero-emissions range using the electricity stored in the lithium-ion batteries. When the batteries are depleted, the near-zero-emission engine turns on to generate more energy and extend the truck’s range up to 250 miles.

Kenworth’s partner in developing the truck’s parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system is BAE Systems. The system’s energy management and control capabilities ensure that energy generated by the engine and regenerative braking system is appropriately distributed through the dual-rotor electric motor, resulting in lower fuel consumption, the partners explain.

“Our near-zero-emission hybrid-electric Kenworth T680 has been developed to evaluate potential alternatives to diesel power for commercial vehicles,” states Stephan Olsen, Kenworth’s director of product planning. “We believe that in certain applications, such as drayage and regional hauling, the T680 HECT truck will be an excellent solution for local clean air regulations while delivering performance our customers expect. Later this year, when the truck is placed into service with Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, we anticipate it will perform equally – or even better than – current diesel trucks.”

Source: ngtnews