Capital District                                                                                                December 16, 2008

Clean Communities

 

 

Capital District Clean Communities

December 11, 2008 Meeting

Meeting Notes

 

Attendance

David Ardman, Barton & Loguidice

Pat Boudreau, National Grid

Theresa Cassiack, Malkin and Ross

Jen Ceponis, CDTC Staff

David Ericsen, Premiere Limo

Jeremiah Haley, Honda Corp

Steve Iachetta, Albany County Airport Authority

Bob Kelly, Air Products

Steven Levy, Sprague Energy (by telephone)

Pete Rea, NYSDOT R-1

Adam Rudar, NYSERDA

Deborah Stacey, CDTC Staff, CDCC Coordinator

Jane Wimmer, John Ray and Sons

 

SUMMARY NOTES:  Bob Kelly from Air Products provided a presentation on the Hydrogen fuel products and fueling infrastructure:

Air Products is a leader in hydrogen fuel infrastructure.  Air Products has established over 80 stations and 100 dispensers.  Bob reviewed some of the hydrogen products.  One product, HCNG, is a blend of hydrogen and CNG.  This product can greatly reduce NOx and HC emissions, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 300%.  HCNG, at low blends, can be run by any CNG engine.  A 20% blend can be utilized by CNG engines that have been modified to burn the fuel.  Specially designed engines can use a 30% blend.

 

The biggest danger with the hydrogen fuel is that when burning the flame is invisible.  However, hydrogen is very light and goes straight up into the atmosphere when released into the air.  Hydrogen also burns very quickly.

 

Bob had many other facts and figures on the hydrogen economy that he is willing to share with the group.  Bob distributed his business card and encouraged coalition members to contact him if they want additional information.

 

 

1.     NYSERDA

a.      NYSERDA has several Project Opportunity Notices (PONS) available that might be of interest to the CDCC.  The first is a Bio-fuel Retail Station program that pays 50% of the cost of installing the hardware needed to sell bio-fuel at the pump.  This PON is still open.  About 90 applications have been received statewide.  Several new ethanol stations are now open in the Capital District.  A complete list can be found at http://www.e85refueling.com/locations.php?resultpage=2&state=nyNew%20York . The school bus retrofit program PON just closed.  This program pays for 100% of the cost to retrofit diesel buses with Diesel Oxidation Catalysts and Particulate Filters.  NYSERDA is moving forward with the hybrid-electric school bus demonstration program.  Brown Coach will put two HEV’s in service on their Schenectady School Bus runs.  One HEV will be a plug-in hybrid.  Identical traditional diesel buses will be used on the same routes.  Data will be collected on fuel usage, repair schedules, reliability over the next year.  The same two HEV buses will go through similar testing with two other school districts—one downstate and one in the Western part of the state.

2.    CDTC:

a.      A second solicitation for the CMAQ diesel retrofit program will likely be circulated in early 2009, budgets permitting.  CDTC would like additional municipalities to put forward diesel retrofit projects.

b.  CDTC staff has been pursing Transportation Demand Management activities with the help of CDTA.  The conversion of the Commuter Register to “ipool2” is complete.  A few tweaks are being worked on, but the site is up and running and becoming quite popular.  In 2007, 60 carpool ads were processed by the Commuter Register.  Since the beginning of December, over 300 carpool ads have been processed by iPool2.  CDTA developed a press release for the website.  Several newspapers and TV stations picked up on the press release.  CDTC is working with several employers, including Albany County, Albany Medical Center and the NYSERDA/STEP facility to activate and instruct administrators of these institutions about the features of the iPool2 Employer Module. The Employer Module gives businesses access to some of the administrative features of iPool2, such as estimating emissions reductions based on employee participation rates.  CDTC staff will meet with additional area employers during the next quarter.  A meeting with Price Chopper Corporate Headquarters is scheduled for early December.  Coalition members suggested that CDTC work with Chambers of Commerce, the Business Review, and contact the WAMC Environmental Show to further the publicity of iPool2.

 

3.   OTHER NEWS:

a.      Albany Airport Authority: Steve Iachetta reported that the two year hydrogen pilot with NYSERDA and CDTA has just begun.  The Airport Authority has just received two HICE pick-up trucks and CDTA received two HICE Prius’s.  A fueling pad will be located on Airport property; hydrogen will be trucked in.  A press event will be held in early 2009 announcing the project.

b.     National Grid: Pat Boudreau distributed literature on heating rebates for both home owners and businesses.  The rebates are good for the installation of high efficiency gas furnaces and water heaters.  $25.00 rebates for STAR rated programmable thermostats are also available through this program.

 

Next Meeting

 

This group will meet again on Thursday March 12, 2008 from 10:00 am to noon. Deb Stacey will inquire about the feasibility of meeting at Brown Coach in Amsterdam to Brown’s their programmable engine heater program.