Volvo LIGHTS Project Wins CALSTART 2020 Blue Sky Award

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The Volvo Group was recently honored with CALSTART’s 2020 Blue Sky Award during the organization’s annual meeting, a virtual gathering of the clean transportation industry’s top leaders and decision-makers.

The annual Blue Sky Award is presented to organizations and individuals who have made outstanding marketplace contributions to clean air, climate change mitigation and the development of clean transportation technologies. The Volvo Group and its Volvo LIGHTS project were recognized for their efforts in uniting public and private stakeholders to successfully introduce zero-emission battery-electric trucks and equipment into commercial operation.

Integrating propane into the renewable energy marketplace

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Renewable propane gas (RPG) is becoming increasingly available in several parts of the country, and efforts are underway to bring it much deeper into the renewable energy marketplace.

The Propane Education & Research Council is starting to pay attention to renewable propane for fleet vehicles but is understandably reluctant to push too hard because the U.S. is sitting on the largest supply of non-renewable propane in the world.

The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) and many state associations are battling electrification efforts that are springing up across the country, and RPG is becoming an important part of that debate. In addition, NPGA is making significant inroads into research funding for projects involving the renewable fuel.

CRC plans to acquire, relocate biodiesel plant in Kentucky

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Hemisphere Ltd., the parent company of Continental Refining Co., announced that it is exploring plans to invest an additional $25 million to acquire, relocate and install a soybean crushing, biodiesel refining and blending facility at the current CRC oil refinery in Somerset, Kentucky. The ability to produce biofuels and soy-based products in Somerset would open new markets while providing farmers, CRC’s customers, vendors, investors and the community a solid AgriTech business opportunity that provides a positive economic impact for the entire region.

Local entrepreneur and Hemisphere Limited CEO Demetrios Haseotes purchased the refinery in 2011, investing over $40 million updating and improving the facility’s crude oil refining capabilities. Although he has been known as an oil man for the last several decades, agriculture is the root of his family’s business empire and runs deep in Haseotes’ blood. He was raised on the family’s Rhode Island dairy farm that grew to become the Massachusetts-based Cumberland Farms convenience store chain with 1,000 sites in eight states. The family also owned the Gulf Oil brand and distributed petroleum products. While those businesses were sold in recent years, Haseotes started Midland Farms in 2002, now a large New York-based fluid dairy processor. He moved to Pulaski County in 2012. Haseotes may soon shift his focus to soybeans as the future of diesel energy production and additives at his Continental refinery.

Goodyear, TuSimple collaborate on autonomous vehicle freight operations

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The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has entered a strategic relationship with TuSimple to provide tires and tire management solutions to TuSimple’s Autonomous Freight Network (AFN).

As part of this collaborative effort, Goodyear will provide products and repair services to enhance the safety and operation of autonomous trucks. Additionally, Goodyear and TuSimple will conduct wear studies designed to understand how autonomous trucks and tires can help better predict maintenance, understand tire longevity and reduce the carbon impact of fleets.

National Biodiesel Board Elects New Governing Board Virtually

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JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The National Biodiesel Board members met virtually this week to elect new Governing Board leaders from across the biodiesel and renewable diesel value chain. NBB’s new leadership will help the development and success of the industry, reflecting the member-driven and member-focused values of the trade association.

“As the national trade association for the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry, it is critical that we are led by a strong team of advocates from all sectors of the industry,” said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen. “As we see consumers and policymakers leading the shift to cleaner transportation and heating fuels, NBB’s Governing Board will continue to play a critical role in our goal to double our production and become a 6 billion gallon a year industry by 2030.”

PowerTap, Cryotek Partner on Hydrogen Filling Stations

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Clean Power Capital Corp.’s 90% owned subsidiary – PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp. – has partnered with Cryotek pursuant to an eight-month contract to provide engineering and design for the next-generation PowerTap hydrogen filling stations, which are planned to be deployed across North America starting in 2021.

“PowerTap is excited to work with Cryotek as our engineering and design partner to commercialize the next generation of PowerTap hydrogen filling stations,” says Raghu Kilambi, CEO of PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp. “Cody Bateman and his engineering team are the ideal partner for PowerTap as we plan our aggressive rollout of hydrogen filling stations commencing in 2021.”

2021 National Ethanol Conference Shifts to Digital

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The Renewable Fuels Association announced today that the 26th annual National Ethanol Conference to be held February 16-18, 2021 will now be an all virtual format.

“As RFA prepares to enter its 40th year in operation in 2021, the upcoming NEC will hold special meaning for our organization and the entire industry,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led us to adopt a fully digital format, we are confident the NEC will continue to serve as the largest and most visionary ethanol policy and marketing event for industry leaders and stakeholders. This is a critical time for our nation’s ethanol industry, which faces a changing political landscape, regulatory challenges, and uncertainty in the marketplace. But it is also a time of incredible opportunity for low-carbon renewable fuels, and NEC will serve as an excellent forum for exploring the strategies and approaches that will facilitate continued success for our essential industry in the future.”

Top Five Reasons Propane is Proven for Clean Transportation

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For four decades, propane autogas has been a proven fuel of choice for fleets of all sizes. From coast to coast, fleets have selected propane autogas as the energy solution to lower operating costs and clean up communities with reduced emissions. Every day, over 50,000 propane-powered commercial fleet vehicles are on the road in the United States, and more than 1.2 million students ride to school and home on a propane autogas school bus.

But there are more benefits to propane autogas than just reduced operating costs and emissions. Combine that with the fuel’s reliability, performance, and innovation, and propane autogas is an ideal energy source for now and well into the future. School transportation departments, private contractors, and businesses are choosing propane autogas for these top five reasons and more.

Electrify America Unveils Plug&Charge Payment Technology

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Electrify America says its fast-charging network now offers an innovative payment technology called Plug&Charge, which allows electric vehicle (EV) owners to begin a charge without having to use their wallets, smartphones or bank cards.

After a brief online registration, drivers can automatically pay for charging by simply plugging in their EV. The charger communicates with the vehicle to identify, authenticate, authorize and bill the customer’s registered account for the charging session. The entire process allows for a seamless charging experience for the customer.

Road Ranger Fleet Refuels With One-Millionth Gallon of Autogas

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Since 1961, Roy Jorgensen Associates has provided maintenance consultant services, facility maintenance operations and roadway maintenance services throughout the U.S. One of the roadway programs Jorgensen oversees is the Road Ranger Service Patrol Fleet.

The Road Ranger fleet provides incident management response services and limited no-cost highway assistance to motorists to improve highway safety for emergency responders and the motoring public. In 2015, Jorgensen collaborated with Alliance AutoGas (AAG), an international network that provides propane autogas solutions to light-, medium- and heavy-duty fleets, to begin a pilot propane autogas program.