As Announced by the Air Resources Board
The Heavy Duty Technology and Fuels Assessment Overview has been released for public comment.
Sector specific reports on the individual technology and fuels sectors will be released for public comment in 2015 as they are completed.
If you have any questions, contact: Renee Littaua at 916 324-6429 or via email. Anyone wishing to submit information or public comments for consideration on either the overview or the individual sector reports may do so electronically.
To download a copy of the Assessment go here.

SDG&E Integrates Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage Systems Into California’s Energy and Ancillary Service Markets

From Sempra Energy website, February 23, 2015
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today announced that it is actively bidding a group of energy storage systems and electric vehicle fleets as one resource directly into the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) energy markets. These markets include those that address short-term imbalances in electricity supply caused by such things as intermittent renewable energy. The achievement ranks SDG&E as one of the first utilities to integrate electric vehicles (EVs) into California’s wholesale energy market.

“This pilot project emphasizes SDG&E’s focus on innovation in the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors,” said James P. Avery, SDG&E’s senior vice president of power supply. “There is tremendous potential for dispatchable distributed energy resources to enhance reliability and achieve greater efficiencies. The key to unlocking that potential is to better understand how these resources provide value both at the customer site level and at the larger electric grid level. This project does just that.”

The project currently aggregates stationary storage systems together with the charging demand of EV fleets at five separate locations throughout San Diego County. The assets are remotely controlled using software that both balances the participant’s charging needs, and identifies opportunities to provide demand response services at the grid level. Demand response is when customers don’t charge EVs or consume energy at peak hours, which alleviates stress on the grid and helps make sure adequate resources are available for the entire region. The project achieves this by correlating charging activity with wholesale energy prices. By agreeing to not charge in certain high price hours, the aggregated resource is paid the marginal energy price in those hours, similar to a conventional generator. The pilot project will end in late 2015.
Read complete release here.

By John Anderson, March 29, 2015 for gizmag.com

The California utility, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), has begun bidding energy resources from fleets of electric vehicles and storage systems into the state’s wholesale power market. The pilot program, one of the first of its kind, is meant to provide insights into how electric vehicles and other kinds of distributed energy resources can make the grid more reliable and efficient.
The project is expected to end in late 2015, with the planners hoping to glean valuable information on electric vehicle-grid integration and grid energy distribution. This grid-to-vehicle relationship is seen as a key factor in planning a more distributed energy grid, allowing EVs to charge at night when demand is low and acting as a grid resource when demand is high.
The issue with renewable energy, such as wind and solar, is its reliance on intermittent sources, combined with a lack of robust, efficient storage systems. California’s solar panels produce most of their energy during the middle of the day, but taper off in the evening when consumer energy needs are traditionally highest. Meanwhile, electric car batteries and other energy storage systems typically need recharging on a daily basis, if not more often.
The challenge for utilities such as SDG&E is integrating electric vehicles into the grid and efficiently allocating energy resources to the right place at the cheapest time, while benefiting both the customer and the supplier. The idea is to find workable solutions now, while the market is still relatively small. SDG&E says more than 13,000 electric vehicles are in use in its territory, while the state’s Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Action Plan wants to put 1.5 million zero-emissions vehicles on the road by 2025. The San Diego utility plans to add at least 5,500 EV charging stations during that time.
Read complete article here.

NGT News on Friday March 13, 2015 ngtnews.com
Ryder System Inc. has announced the grand opening of a new maintenance facility in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. With the growing presence of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in the region, Ryder says it has engineered the facility to meet the compliance standards to provide NGV maintenance.
The company says its facility is positioned inside one of the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County and provides commercial natural gas and diesel vehicle maintenance for Ryder full-service lease and rental customers, mobile maintenance, and a 20-minute rental service guarantee. Located on 13630 Firestone Blvd., the facility will feature a rental counter for businesses that are in need of a commercial vehicle, and on-site diesel fueling will also be available for Ryder customers.

“Ryder is continuing to see growth and expansion across North America, as more businesses understand the value of outsourcing their fleet management to Ryder,” says Dennis Cooke, Ryder’s president of global fleet management solutions. “

“We are happy to provide our customers in the Los Angeles County area with state-of-the-art diesel and natural gas vehicle maintenance services, expert technicians, and a wide selection of the latest commercial rental vehicles.”
Read original article here.

Metro for Transit and Motorcoach Business Web Posted on March 12, 2015 www.metro-magazine.com
The Capitol Corridor JPA (CCJPA) and Southwest Passenger Rail Association join the San Joaquin JPA, LA Metro, RCTC and various passenger rail organizations are partnering to host the 3rd annual California Passenger Rail Summit. The 2015 CPRS events take place in Sacramento with an evening welcome reception on Tuesday, April 28 in the Roundhouse at the California State Railroad Museum and a full-day program on Wednesday, April 29 at the Sacramento City Council Chambers.

These are interesting times for passenger rail development in California. With the formation of the new California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), California is on the verge of significant enhancements to the passenger rail system.

The modernization and integration of the passenger rail services that is being led by CalSTA and the Federal Railroad Administration, working with transportation agencies throughout the state, are creating an environment of investment in passenger rail infrastructure that has been unparalleled in recent years and will continue to grow. Join us as we meet with leaders in the industry for two days of discussion regarding the modernization and integration of passenger rail service in California. Speakers will discuss funding, development, and strategic approaches to the growth of passenger rail in the state. Joining us at this event will be state and federal representatives, passenger rail agencies, and other leaders working together to shape the future of passenger rail. Please see link http://californiapassengerrailsummit.com/ for more information or email info@californiapassengerrailsummit.com

Save the Date:

Tuesday, April 28th – Kickoff Reception at the California State Railroad Museum
Wednesday, April 29th – Panel Discussions and Presentations at Sacramento City Hall
Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Read original article here.

NGT News on Friday March 13, 2015 ngtnews.com

Cummins Power Generation, a subsidiary of Cummins Inc., has introduced a new compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered Onan 5.5 kW generator set designed to provide auxiliary electric and optional hydraulic power for commercial truck fleets that run on CNG.
The company says service fleets could use the CNG genset’s 120/240 V of auxiliary power to run power drills, fans, pumps and other equipment. As an option, the unit is also available with a hydraulic power takeoff to operate small cranes, splicing equipment and bucket hoists, while simultaneously providing electric power.
The new Cummins Onan generator has an enclosed muffler and exhaust catalysts that help it meet all applicable U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board air quality standards, the company adds.
The generator set is backed by a two-year limited warranty and a five-year drive warranty and is supported by the Cummins dealer network.
Read original article here.

by NAW Staff on Wednesday 11 March 2015 www.nawindpower.com

A highly anticipated government report says U.S. wind power could double over the next five years and ultimately become one the country’s largest sources electricity, with the savings to consumers reaching tens of billions dollars annually.
After two years research and peer review, the White House and the U.S. Department of Energy have released “Wind Vision: A New Era of Wind Power in the United States.” The new report updates and extends a 2008 Bush administration report, “20% Wind Energy by 2030,” which galvanized the rapid growth of wind to the point that it now generates 4.5% of U.S. electricity. Wind Vision describes a new scenario for wind to reach 10% by 2020, 20% by 2030, and 35% by 2050, as well as provides a roadmap for government and industry to get there.

“We can do this and save you money by doing it,” says Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). “This definitive report provides the wind industry with aggressive targets for the growth of wind energy in America, and we stand ready to meet them. It starts with getting common-sense policies in place so we can double U.S. wind energy in the next five years.”

“This report documents how wind energy already provides major economic and environmental benefits to America, including protecting consumers against energy price spikes and making deep cuts in pollution and water use,” comments John Kostyack, executive director of the Wind Energy Foundation. “As wind becomes one of the country’s top sources of electricity, Wind Vision promises even bigger benefits for decades to come.”
Over 50 industry executives and professionals will serve as ambassadors to educate Americans and elected officials about those benefits, under a year-long joint campaign announced by AWEA and the Wind Energy Foundation to disseminate the findings. In addition, AWEA says over 400,000 supporters of wind energy have signed up at powerofwind.com to ask state and federal lawmakers to support the needed policies.
Read complete article here.

Biodico builds, owns and operates sustainable biorefineries based upon patented and proprietary technology developed over the past 19 years.
Biodico has developed full-scale commercial facilities in Australia, California, Colorado, Nevada and Texas, and has conducted feedstock and production feasibility studies for clients in over 20 countries. Biodico’s team of experts is called upon frequently to address conferences and conduct workshops both domestically and internationally. Biodico is also the recipient of numerous grants to conduct fundamental research. In 2005, the Company was selected to receive the US EPA Project of the Year award for developing the first biogas operated, renewable biofuels production facility.
Check out Biodico’s Biofuel CA montage here. Read more about Biodico here.

From Unmanned-Aerial.com on March 17, 2015
Draganfly Innovations has introduced what it calls an all-inclusive solution that can plan, fly and process advanced multispectral data: the Draganflyer Pro-Ag package.
The solution consists of a compact, ready-to-fly vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); a transport case; Draganfly Surveyor flight planning software; the just released, third-generation MicaSense RedEdge five-band, multispectral camera; and a two-axis stabilized gimbal.
According to the company, the combination of the MicaSense RedEdge and Draganflyer UAV provides a quick and effective solution for agricultural consultants and farmers.
Draganfly Surveyor allows multi-flight mapping for situations in which the project requires multiple flights to cover the area; it will automatically join the flights to create one project.
The collected imagery is used to assess the health of crops and identify damage caused by pests or invasive weed growth. The scientific-grade multispectral imagery provides accurate and repeatable crop health maps so that the proper corrective course of action can then be determined, the company explains.
Read original article here.

From Unmanned-Aerial.com on March 16, 2015
Seattle-based MicaSense Inc. has introduced its third generation of RedEdge, a multispectral camera optimized for use in commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
RedEdge advances the toolset available to modern growers and agronomists and empowers them to closely monitor and quickly respond to changes in their crops. Weighing 150 grams (5.3 ounces), RedEdge provides scientific-grade imagery across five discrete bands for accurate and repeatable crop health maps, explains MicaSense.
A full-featured host interface enables stand-alone operation, as well as tight integration to any platform. Wi-Fi connectivity allows camera management in the field from any mobile device.
After capturing imagery, MicaSense’s cloud-based processing solutions turn raw data into actionable information. Standardized data outputs also enable post-processing using a number of mapping and GIS applications.
MicaSense is teaming with multiple drone technology companies to provide complete solutions: For example, RedEdge is now integrated into Airware’s commercial platform, and Aerial Technology International has combined RedEdge with its AgBot system. Draganfly Innovations is offering RedEdge tightly integrated with its latest UAV system, the Draganflyer Pro-Ag package.
Read original article here.