Building on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to continue U.S. leadership in clean energy innovation, the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) today awarded $17 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects to help small businesses in 13 states develop prototype technologies that could improve manufacturing energy efficiency, reduce the cost of installing clean energy projects, and generate electricity from renewable energy sources.
Feds Ease Alt-Fuel Vehicle Purchasing Mandate
The U.S. Department of Energy has made it easier for state and utility fleets to comply with alt-fuel vehicle purchasing mandates by including hybrid vehicles, alt-fuel fueling infrastructure, alt-fuel non-road equipment, and emerging technologies.
The changes go into effect April 21, the DOE announced.
M & M Cartage, Natural Gas Freight Hauler
Kentucky Energy and Environment Secretary Len Peters and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer celebrate the addition of 11 compressed natural gas semi trucks to the M & M Cartage fleet owned and operated by Don Hayden, at podium. M & M Cartage, based in Louisville, took delivery of their first CNG Freightliner in April 2013 and will have a total of 31 by January 2014.
LG&E and KU Adds Natural Gas Vehicle to Fleet
Exploring the Open Road with Natural Gas Vehicles
LG&E and KU recently added a compressed natural gas-powered vehicle (NGV) to their vehicle fleet at Magnolia Gas Compressor Station, located near Magnolia, Kentucky.
Commonwealth Agri-Energy Receives Agriculture Business Award
The award for the Agriculture Business of the Year went to Commonwealth Agri-Energy, Hopkinsville’s corn-to-ethanol plant. Mick Henderson, the plant’s general manager, accepted the honor.
KCFC Members Come Together for March Meeting
KCFC members attended the spring membership meeting on March 14 at the Irish Rover in Louisville. Here the coalition discussed upcoming projects for the spring, as well as new business and initiatives among members. Guest speaker Johnathan Gay provided a presentation entitled Kentucky Innovation Network: Helping Innovative Entrepreneurs Succeed. Johnathan is the Morehead State University and Innovation & Commercialization Center Director.
UPS Announces Placement of 1000 Propane Trucks
Mike Britt, UPS and Don Francis, Atlanta Clean Cities, and Melissa at Work Truck Show. UPS announced placement of 1,000 propane trucks in Oklahoma and Louisiana. Don Francis and Melissa serve as liaisons for UPS and U.S. Department of Energy.
Clean Cities Coordinators Attend Work Truck Show
Clean Cities coordinators come together at the Work Truck Show this week in Indianapolis, IN.
Obama Details MPG Plan for Trucks
President Obama is giving federal agencies slightly more than one year to draft a rule proposal that would boost fuel economy and tighten greenhouse-gas emissions for medium- and heavy duty trucks.
Obama directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to release by March 2015 a follow-up set of fuel economy standards to those adopted by the White House in 2011. That law applies to model-year 2014 through 2018 trucks, and calls for a 20% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and fuel consumption by 2018.
Ford Gives $120K to Kentucky for Battery Research
Governor Steve Beshear Friday announced Ford has awarded the state a $120,000 grant for automotive battery research.
The University Research Project grant will be used to study the preparation of materials used in making electrodes. The goal is to lower the cost, shorten the development cycle, and improve the quality and performance of future batteries. It’s the first such grant given to the state from Ford for research and development.