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UT Austin Installs First Texas Hydrogen-Fueled Vehicle Fleet Spring 2009

The station began operation with delivered hydrogen at the University of Texas in Austin in August 2008 and began producing its own hydrogen on-site from natural gas using the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) technology in the spring of 2009. The Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) contributed to the project's funding.

New National Fuel Economy Policy Announcement May 2009

President Barack Obama announced a new national policy on Tuesday that will increase the fuel economy and reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. The policy includes proposed new fuel economy standards will cover model years 2012-2016, achieving an average fuel economy of 35.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for model year 2016.

New Biodiesel Standard Allows Automaker Approval of 20% Blends June 2008
ASTM International, one of the largest standards development organizations in the world, has approved a new specification for diesel fuel blends containing 6%-20% biodiesel. According to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), ASTM standards for the 20% biodiesel blends, or B20, are a crucial hurdle for the full acceptance of the use of such blends in diesel vehicles. With the new specification in place, automakers and engine manufacturers can test B20 in their diesel engines and know that consumers will be fueling their vehicle with a fuel of the same quality. While setting the new B20 standard, ASTM International also made changes to its specifications for B5 and for 100% biodiesel, or B100.

Updated Labeling Requirements for Diesel Fuels with Renewable Fuel Blends June 2008
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to set labeling requirements that address the blending of biodiesel and other types of biomass-based diesel fuels into diesel fuel. Some companies are converting biomass such as animal fats directly into a liquid with the properties of diesel fuel, a product that blurs the lines between biodiesel and diesel fuel. At first, the FTC proposed to treat all renewable diesel fuels the same, but the NBB warned that not all biomass-based diesel fuels would necessarily meet the ASTM standards required by automakers for diesel fuels. On the other hand, biomass-based diesel fuels that meet ASTM standards could be used in much higher concentrations than biodiesel, which is usually limited to 20% biodiesel blends for standard diesel vehicles. Considering those comments, the FTC decided to set separate labeling requirements for biodiesel blends and biomass-based diesel fuel blends. See the final ruling.

DOE to Award $30 Million for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Demonstrations June 2008
DOE has selected three cost-shared projects to develop and demonstrate cost-competitive plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that are capable of traveling up to 40 miles without recharging. DOE announced last week that General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and the General Electric Company (in a team with Chrysler LLC) will receive up to $30 million in funding over the next 3 years, subject to congressional appropriations. PHEVs are hybrid vehicles that can be driven in electric-only or hybrid modes and recharged from a standard electric outlet, and a 40-mile all-electric range would encompass most daily roundtrip commutes, satisfying 70% of the average daily travel in the United States without the use of gasoline.

Toyota Doubles the Range of its Fuel Cell Vehicle June 2008
Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a new version of its fuel cell hydrogen vehicle (FCHV) that can travel about 515 miles on a single refueling.

Farm Bill 2008 Speeds Advanced Biofuels Commercialization May 2008
Congress has passed the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the new farm bill that will accelerate the commercialization of advanced biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol, encourage the production of biomass crops, and expand the current Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program. Section 9003 provides for grants covering up to 30% of the cost of developing and building demonstration-scale biorefineries for producing "advanced biofuels," which essentially includes all fuels that are not produced from corn kernel starch. It also allows for loan guarantees of up to $250 million for building commercial-scale biorefineries to produce advanced biofuels. For bill details, see this DOE article.

Company Produces "Green" Crude Oil and Gasoline from Algae May 2008
Sapphire Energy has announced that it has produced "green" gasoline from a synthetic crude oil made from algae. The algae yield a crude oil replacement that is literally green, and according to the company, the "green crude" meets fuel quality standards and is completely compatible with the existing petroleum infrastructure, from refinement through distribution to retail suppliers. Gasoline produced from the green crude achieved a 91 octane rating while meeting fuel quality standards. Sapphire Energy considers the achievement to be at the forefront of an entirely new industrial category, called "green crude production."

Trucks Deliver a Cleaner Tomorrow May 2008
Under the banner of "Trucks Deliver a Cleaner Tomorrow," truckers aim to reduce their fuel consumption by 86 billion gallons while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 900 million tons over the next decade. To meet that goal, the American Truckers Association recommends that shippers and carriers join the SmartWay Transport Partnership Program, an effort spearheaded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the goal of improving the fuel efficiency of trucking. See the program Web site, and the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership.

Natural Gas and Hybrid Vehicles Lead Annual Green Rankings February 2008
This is a U.S. Department of Energy article.

Natural Gas and Hybrid Vehicles Lead Annual Green Rankings February 2008
The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX was once again ranked the greenest new car sold in the United States by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE's Green Book Online, released last week, places the Honda Civic GX on top for the second year in a row, followed by the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid. Other hybrids in the top-twelve list include the Nissan Altima Hybrid in sixth place and the Toyota Camry Hybrid in tenth. The ACEEE's annual evaluation of the current model year vehicles ranks them primarily in terms of air emissions and fuel economy.

Fuel from Algae February 2008
A new process could make fuel from algae as cheap as petroleum.

San Antonio to Build First CNG Refueling Station January 2008
Clean Energy has been awarded the contract by the City of San Antonio to design, build and operate the city's first compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station, which will initially fuel 15 refuse trucks and is expected to expand to fuel 30 refuse trucks by next year. This move will make the city's CNG refuse fleet the largest in Texas.

DOE Offers $30 Million for Developing Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles January 2008
DOE announced on January 17th that it is offering $30 million over the next three years for companies to design and build plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and then test them in fleets located in geographically diverse areas. The PHEVs must be able to travel at least 10 miles using only their electric drives, although DOE would prefer vehicles that come closer to achieving the goal of a 40-mile electric range.

Chevron Researches Biofuel from Algae January 2008
Chevron partners with Solazyme on developing biofuel from algae.

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