Category Archives: Uncategorized

Electric Vehicles With UNC Charlotte

Considering alternative fuels for your fleet? Learn more about electric vehicles!

We visited the University of North Carolina at Charlotte last year to talk to Chris Facente, Automotive and Motor Fleet Supervisor, about the university’s fleet of electric vehicles. Check out our video on it here.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has 115 electric vehicles on its campus, including Polaris GEMs and Nissan Leafs. Facente said they’d like their fleet to be 25 percent electric in about two years.

Electric vehicles are cheaper to run because they don’t require gas and require less maintenance – and they produce no harmful emissions.

Chris Facente
Rick Sapienza, NCCETC Clean Transportation Program Manager

Learn more about electric vehicles and if this option could be right for your fleet at www.cleantransportation.org.

2019 National Drive Electric Week Events Coming Up in Raleigh

It’s National Drive Electric Week! Are you interested in learning more about electric and hybrid vehicles?

Join the NC Clean Energy Technology Center for National Drive Electric Week at NC State University in Raleigh, September 19-21!

Electric Vehicle Car Show + Ride & Drive on Thursday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Join us for a car show and ride & drive at Venture Plaza on NC State University’s Centennial campus. For this lunchtime event, there will be food trucks, static EVs and PHEVs to look at as well as test drive. If you are an owner, there will be room for up to 10 static vehicles for the static car show. Owners are also welcome to participate in the ride & drive portion of the event. For those who just want to visit and are not part of the Centennial Campus community, pay public parking is available in front of the Hunt Library. This is the same venue as the spring 2019 Earth Day event and will be a similar setup. Come on out have lunch and learn about driving on electricity!

Register here.

 

Driver Meet-Up & Car Show on Friday, September 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Join us for a plug-in electric vehicle driver meet-up, car show, and ride & drive outside the Close-King Indoor practice facility at the corner of Westchase Boulevard and Peter Karmanos Jr. Drive, next to Carter Finley Stadium.  Bring your plug-in vehicle. Open to the public.

Register here.

 

Electric Vehicle Show & Tailgate on Saturday, September 21, time TBD: Join us for a tailgate and plug-in electric vehicle car show outside the Close-King Indoor practice facility at the corner of Westchase Boulevard and Peter Karmanos Jr. Drive, next to Carter-Finley Stadium. Come learn about electric, plug-in hybrid electric and hybrid electric vehicles, as well as register for a chance to win NC State University Football prizes!

*For game day on Saturday, due to the game day congestion and traffic, if you do not have tickets for the game or parking arrangements, it is not advised that you come visit the plug-in electric vehicle show.

 

Learn more at www.DriveElectricWeek.org!

Alternative Fuels for Fleets: Propane with The Produce Box

Considering alternative fuels for your fleet? Learn more about propane!

We visited The Produce Box site in Raleigh, North Carolina, last year and talked to Founder Courtney Tellefsen about their fleet of propane vehicles. Check out our new video on it here!

The Produce Box, a produce delivery company in North Carolina, serves about 11,000 families across the state. The company has eight propane trucks, which they said they chose because they burn cleaner and save $20-30K in fuel a year. Propane is also a domestic fuel, as 90 percent of it comes from the US.

Learn more about The Produce Box at www.theproducebox.com.

Learn more about propane and if this option could be right for your fleet at cleantransportation.org.

Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability in a Campus Setting

Neighborhood electric vehicle fleet at UNC Charlotte. Photo provided by Chris Facente at UNC Charlotte.

 

Pre-Conference Day Workshop: Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability in a Campus Setting

Tuesday, August 6 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

This session, on pre-conference day before the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo 2019 in Durham, NC, will focus on the metrics needed to make smart decisions for alternative fuels and technologies in various campus settings. Maintenance will be discussed as part of the conversation along with how to equip fleets for these changes. Learn from real-world case studies and experienced fleet managers working in campus settings. Specific topics will include a look at total cost of ownership, applications, examples of vehicles, and what the future holds for fleets.

Speakers:
William Evans – Princeton University
Chris Facente – UNC Charlotte
Kathy Wellik – Iowa State University
Charles Bey – UNC Asheville
Ronald Gitelman – Yale University
Michael Duffy – University of Virginia

Both Yale University and the University of Virginia are NAFA Sustainable Fleet Accredited, and Iowa State University is in process for accreditation.

Learn more about the workshop and conference, and register now at www.sustainablefleetexpo.com!

Alternative Fuels for Fleets: Natural Gas With Waste Management

Considering alternative fuels for your fleet? Learn more about natural gas!

We visited a Waste Management site in North Carolina last year and talked to Project Manager Amanda Fairley about their fleet of natural gas vehicles. Check out our new video on it here!

Waste Management, a waste management, comprehensive waste, and environmental services company, has 21 million customers throughout North America, with 24,000 vehicles – 6,500 of which are compressed natural gas (CNG).

Whether produced via conventional or renewable methods, the advantages of natural gas as an alternative fuel include its domestic availability, established distribution network, relatively low cost, and emissions benefits, according to the Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Learn more about Waste Management and its fleet on the company’s website here. Learn more about natural gas and if this option could be right for your fleet at cleantransportation.org.

Posted by Nicole Deck

Electric/Hybrid Vehicles at the Durham Bulls Baseball Game

Last Saturday, July 13, the Clean Transportation team at NC Clean Energy Technology Center teamed up with Plug-in NC to display several electric and hybrid vehicles before the Durham Bulls baseball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park! Guests had a chance to check out the vehicles themselves and talk to the team to learn more.

Photo by Durham Bulls
Photo by Durham Bulls

Photo by Durham Bulls
Clean Transportation Specialist Allison Carr accepts the game ball!

 

Listen to our radio interview below!

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Tailgate at Durham Bulls Game

Join us for an Alternative Fuel Vehicle Tailgate before the Durham Bulls baseball game on Saturday, July 13 from 5:30-6:35 p.m. outside of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park stadium! Check out a lineup of alternative fuel vehicles, which may include electric, hybrid/plug-in hybrid electric, propane, natural gas, biodiesel or ethanol.

Two New Webinars: Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference Preview

Join us for two new, free webinars previewing some of the technologies and speakers that will be featured at the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference in Durham, NC, August 7-8 with pre-conference events August 6.

The preview webinars will be June 27 and July 11, both from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference provides an opportunity for fleet managers and transportation professionals to experience the latest vehicle technology, tools and resources designed to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. The event will include keynote presentations, 50+ speakers, breakout sessions, exhibit booths, indoor vehicle/equipment display, and networking.

Conference session topics include Electric Vehicles; Natural Gas; Propane; Biofuel Solutions; Electrification and the Grid; Telematics; Procurement Solutions; Infrastructure and Intelligent Solutions; Heavy Duty Vehicle Efficiency; Rural Fleet Operations; Idle Reduction; and Recruiting, Retention & Career Development. View the full agenda here.

Each webinar will feature different conference topics and speakers, who will give you a preview of what they’ll cover at the event.

Register for the June 27 webinar here, and the July 11 webinar here.

Posted by Nicole Deck & John Bonitz

How to Fund Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in North Carolina

An Energica electric motorcycle charging with a ChargePoint DC Fast Charger in Wallace, NC. – Photo by Chris Maxwell

Are you interested in installing new Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) (electric vehicle charging stations) in your North Carolina community? There are three possible sources of funding to make it happen.

EVSE; an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for recharging of plug-in electric vehicles including electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids; is deployed throughout the country in key areas for public charging as a supplement to residential charging, according to the US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center.

There are three types of electric vehicle chargers – Level 1, Level 2 and DC Fast Charging. Types are classified by the rate at which the batteries are charged. Level 1 provides 2-5 miles of range per 1 hour of charging, Level 2 provides 10-20 miles of range per 1 hour of charging, and DC Fast Charging provides 60-80 miles of range per 20 minutes of charging. Learn more about each type of equipment and developing infrastructure to charge plug-in electric vehicles at the US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center website here. You can also view the current map of EV chargers in the United States and Canada here.

There are three potential sources of funds to support installation of EVSE in North Carolina:

1. The VW Settlement gives North Carolina $92 million dollars for projects to reduce vehicular air pollution. These funds will be administered by NC DEQ as a part of their beneficiary mitigation plan. Fifteen percent of these funds will be allotted for EVSE (both Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers).

The NCDEQ just released a Request For Proposals (RFP) for VW settlement funds for DC Fast chargers this week. Under the DC Fast Charge program:

• $3.4 million will be available for the installation of Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Charging Infrastructure

• Projects in designated corridors will receive priority to expand the state’s charging infrastructure network

• Projects can be submitted by eligible businesses, incorporated nonprofits, and state, local, tribal or municipal government agencies

Applications will be available on July 1, 2019, and the submission deadline is September 30, 2019. The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Level 2 Charging program RFP will be released at a later date. Read more about the NCDEQ RFPs here.

2. The NC Clean Energy Technology Center’s Clean Transportation team also has limited grant funding for EVSE. The next Clean Fuels Advanced Technology (CFAT) project RFP will be released in the fall or winter of 2019. Funding will be restricted to projects where there is no ground disturbance involved (such as in a parking deck or where wires and conduit are already in place) – and no digging, trenching, pavement cutting, repaving, etc. is allowed. Take a look at the last round of funding for insights on what the next round may look like, and join the newsletter list to know when the next RFP will be issued by going here. For more information on CFAT funding, contact John Bonitz at jhbonitz@ncsu.edu.

A Hyundai Ioniq EV charging in Hillsborough, NC. Photo By Chris Maxwell

3. Duke Energy plans to invest $76 million to help spur EV adoption across the state, according to Duke Energy. Duke Energy’s proposal to the NC Utilities Commission would help fund the adoption of electric school buses and electric public transportation, and lead to almost 2,500 new charging stations in the state – more than doubling the amount of public stations currently in North Carolina, according to Duke Energy. The initiative is to help meet Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order goals of having 80,000 electric vehicles registered in the state and to reduce the state’s carbon footprint by 40 percent below 2005 levels within the next six years. Duke Energy’s plan includes:

• Residential EV Charging: This program will provide a $1,000 rebate for qualifying Level II charging stations for up to 800 residential customers. Level II charging allows customers to charge their EVs up to six times faster than a standard wall outlet.

• Public Charging: Duke Energy will install and operate more than 800 public charging stations across North Carolina, including DC Fast Charging, Public Level II and multifamily locations, which will expand the state’s network of EV charging stations.

• Fleet EV Charging: The program will provide a $2,500 rebate for 900 qualifying charging stations for commercial and industrial customers who operate fleets that are transitioning to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Municipalities and universities also qualify for these rebates.

• EV School Bus Charging Station: Duke Energy will provide financial support to eligible customers to procure up to 85 electric school buses. Duke Energy will install the associated charging infrastructure.

• EV Transit Bus Charging Station: Duke Energy will install and operate more than 100 electric transit bus charging stations for eligible transit agencies electing to procure electric buses. Electric transit buses eliminate diesel emissions and reduce fuel and maintenance costs for transit agencies.”

Source: Duke Energy

Source of electricity is taken into consideration in scoring CFAT grant proposals, with renewable-sourced energy scoring higher.  The NC DEQ VW Settlement program will give up to 10 bonus points when RECs are purchased to offset grid electricity purchases.  The Duke Energy program is still in early stages of proposal and development, and it is not yet clear what their criteria will be.

For any questions on Duke Energy’s EVSE initiatives, contact Lisa Poger at Lisa.Poger@duke-energy.com.

Winners announced for the “Keep Our Air Clean” Student Art Contest

The winners of the second annual “Keep Our Air Clean” Student Art Contest have been officially announced! Artwork will appear on billboards around North Carolina.

Elementary School Winner

Elizabeth Leonard | Fourth Grade | Grace Classical School, Jacksonville NC

 

Middle School Winner

Adriana Ryder | Eighth Grade | Arbor Academy, Waxhaw, NC.

 

High School Winner

Catalina Scott | Northwest School of the Arts | Charlotte, NC.

 

College Winner

Megan McLaughlin | Freshman | Wake Tech Community College | Raleigh, NC.

 

Thank you to all who participated!

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