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“Driving Wisconsin Forward”

AUgUst 2012 | Wisconsin cLeAn cities - soUtheAst AReA | MonthLy neWsLetteR

Also In This I s sue:Did you know? Clean Cities has a success stories databaseMember Spotlight: BioCNG, LLCWelcome New and Returning MembersQuestion of the Month: Alternative fuels improve our economy?Eye on Wisconsin Clean CitiesEvents, Resources, and More...

ALTERNATIVE FUELS DATA CENTERGETS AN UPGRADE

GIVING BIOFUELS A BOOST

VEOLIA OPENS COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS FUELINGSTATION IN WAUNAKEE

PROPANE IN THE PARK

Stay Connected!

1 | August ReFUEL

www.facebook.com/wisconsinCC www.youtube.com/wccseatwitter.com/wccsea

www.flickr.com/wicleancities www.wicleancities.org

ReFUEL is Wisconsin Clean Cities - Southeast Area’s (WCC-SEA) monthly

coalition newsletter.

WCC-SEA is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3), organization, and is one of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions across the U.S. WCC-SEA works to reduce emissions, encourage the use

of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, and develop the refueling infrastructure necessary to

sustain the industry.

August ReFUEL | 2

Member Spotlight: BioCNG, LLC

In This Issue:Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

Page 8

Page 16

Did you know?Clean Cities has a success stories database

Welcome New and Returning Members

Mark Your CalendarsA full listing of upcoming events Wisconsin Clean Cities

is hosting or attending

Eye On Clean Cities

Page 10 Question of the MonthHow does using alternative fuels help our economy?

Pages 11-15

Features:

Giving Biofuels A Boost

Veolia Opens Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Station in Waunakee

Propane in the Park: Wisconsin Clean Cities shows propane is no longer just for your grills

Alternative Fuels Data Center Gets An Upgrade

Are you a member yet?Star t mak ing an impac t by joining Wisconsin Clean Cit ies to day!WCC-SEA re l ies on suppor t f rom our members. Dues and corporate memberships enable WCC-SEA to hold meet ings, sponsor educat ional workshops, and provide v i ta l outreach mater ia ls .

What c an WCC-SEA do for you?• Net work ing oppor tunit ies with f leets & industr y par tners• Technical t ra ining, workshops, and webinars• I nformation resources on a l ternat ive fuels , advanced vehic les, id le

reduc t ion, and other technologies that reduce petroleum use• I ndiv idual consultat ion and technical ass istance• Funding oppor tunit ies f rom the U.S . Depar tment of Energy, state and

local government agencies, nonprof i ts , and foundat ions• Publ ic recognit ion for progress in reducing petroleum consumption• Assistance with media outreach

Join to day! Vis i t w w w.wic leancit ies.org/ join .php, emai l info@wicleancit ies.org, or ca l l 414-221-4958.

Join the ranks with these notable supporters:

Did you know?Clean Cities has a success stories database

August ReFUEL | 4

Clean Cities maintains a database of case studies and success stories about alternative transportation technologies and alternative fuels. The database contains success stories from across the United States, submitted by Clean Cities coalitions, about the different fuels and technologies, applications, and vehicles. They are either web stories or videos, and you can search by category or keyword. Case studies or success stories are great when researching the feasibility of new technologies and finding other fleets to contact with questions. The case studies section is part of the newly updated Alternative Fuels Data Center website.

To find a case study relevant to your fleet, visit: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/case

Or contact Wisconsin Clean Cities at: info@wicleancities.org or (414) 221-2958.

BioCNG™, vehicle fuel for a green future, was co-developed by Cornerstone Environmental Group, LLC, a national environmental consulting firm that provides permitting, engineering and field services and Unison Solutions, Inc. (a manufacturer).

BioCNG™ was invented in response to the growing interest in lower cost alternative vehicle fuels. The patent pending system converts biogas into a renewable natural gas (RNG) suitable for use as CNG vehicle fuel at a fraction of the cost of gasoline or diesel. BioCNG, LLC offers various sized units that produce up to 1,000 gallons of gasoline equivalent (GGE) per day. Multiple units can be installed for larger projects and higher production rates.

In addition to producing lower cost fuel, the system also benefits the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CNG from natural gas reduces carbon monoxide by 90 percent, ground-level ozone emissions by 75 percent, and greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent. It produces little or no particulate emissions. Furthermore, emissions from CNG made with biogas are even less.

The BioCNG™ system was first installed in December 2010 at the Rodefeld Landfill, in Dane County, WI. It has been operating successfully since March 2011, converting landfill methane gas into compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel for County-owned vehicles at a great savings for the County. This project received the 2011 U.S. EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) Project of the Year award for its innovative technology.

Following the success of the Dane County project, two additional projects were developed, one at a wastewater treatment plant in the City of Janesville, WI and one at a landfill in St. Landry Parish, LA. Several other systems are under construction or in the process of being permitted.

BioCNG, LLC supplies equipment, performs permitting, site design, installation, startup, and training for our systems and fueling stations.

To learn more about BioCNG, LLC and the BioCNG™ system visit www.biocng.us.

Member Spotlight:BioCNG, LLC

Biogas-to-CNG Conditioning/Fueling System

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W e l c o m enew an

d

returningMembers

George Corliss, PhD

Dual Fuel Systems

Parker Hannifin Corporation

Outpost Natural Foods

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

Help us improve the content, style, and delivery by taking a short,

anonymous survey.

Harter’s Quick Clean-Up

BioCNG, LLC

U.S. Venture

Washburn County

Truck Country

Clean Energy

August ReFUEL | 6

August 8th, 2012 10:00 am—1:00 pm

10: 00 am — Panel Discussion: Kwik Trip, Clean Cities

Infrastructure, Industry Updates, Safety and Basics of Natural Gas

10:45 am — 15 minute Break

View sponsor table displays and a variety of NGV’s

11:00am — Educational Break Out Sessions

Topics Include: Engines & Maintenance, Vehicles & ROI, Conversions and More

Noon— Lunch Provided by Kwik Trip

Meeting held at Hilton Garden Inn

1355 West 20th Avenue

Oshkosh, WI 54902

For more information or to RSVP:

KTBeyondGreen@kwiktrip.com or

1-855-710-3800

The Next Steps...The Next Steps... Get the answers to the questions you’ve been asking!Get the answers to the questions you’ve been asking!

7 | August ReFUEL

For more event information, visit www.wicleancities.org.For sponsorship opportunities, email info@wicleancities.org

or call (414) 221-4958.

Mark Your Calendars and Register Today!September 8, 2012Heritage Hill Presents: History of the Automobile10:00 AM - 4:30 PM2540 S. Webster Ave, Green Bay, WI 54301http://heritagehillgb.org/calendar/history-of-the-automobile/230

September 27-30, 2012Wisconsin Science FestivalWisconsin Institutes for Discovery330 N. Orchard St., Madison, WI 53715http://wisconsinsciencefest.org

September 28-30, 2012Fall Jefferson Car Show and Auto Swap Meet503 N. Jackon Ave., Jefferson, WI 53549http://www.madisonclassics.com/car-shows/fall-jefferson.php

October 2012: A Month of Odyssey!October is the month for National Odyssey day and Wis-consin has 4 different days across the state. Don’t miss it!

October 4, 2012Topic: Wisconsin FleetsLocation: Monona Community Center, Monona, WI

October 11, 2012Location: La Crosse, WI

October 18, 2012Topic: Natural GasLocation: U.S. Venture, Appleton, WI

October 25, 2012Topic: Alternative Fuel Tour around MilwaukeeLocation: Milwaukee, WI

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August 8, 2012Kwik Trip Natural Gas Event10:00 AM - 1:00 PMHilton Garden Inn1355 W. 20th Ave., Oshkosh, WI 54902RSVP: KTBeyondGreen@kwiktrip.com or 1-855-710-3800

August 11, 201215th Annual Stoughton Coffee Break Festival9:00 AM - 4:00 PMMandt Park400 Mandt Pkwy, Stoughton, WI 53589http://stoughtonwi.com/coffeebreak

August 21, 2012Idle Reduction Workshop8:30 AM - 1:00 PMMATC - Oak Creek Campus6665 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek, WIRegister at http://idlewi.eventbrite.com

August 23, 2012Plugging In to the Future: An Educational Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Workshop8:30 AM - 1:00 PMOdyne SystemsN4 W22610 Bluemound Rd., Waukesha, WIRegister by contacting Emily DeVillers at (414) 221-2509 or email Emily.DeVillers@wicleancities.org.

September 2012Propane Safety Training CourseWaukesha County Technical CollegeDate, & Time: TBA

Are you a member of Wisconsin Clean Cities?Have your organization, an article, or an ad featured in the Wisconsin Clean Cities monthly

newsletter free. It’s your chance to tell others what your company is doing to promote petroleum reduction and other green initiatives, or tell them about a great deal.

Not a member of Wisconsin Clean Cities?Join today! Gain recognition for the great work your company is doing.

View details listed on page 3 or visithttp://www.wicleancities.org/join.php.

All articles or ads must be submitted by the 20th of each month to be featured. For more detail or to submit an article or ad,

contact Heather Goetsch at (414) 221-4487 or email heather.goetsch@wicleancities.org.

We want you!

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A: The most obvious benefit to our economy when switching to alternative fuels is cutting our independence on foreign oil. Today, about half of the oil we use is imported and our dependence in-creases as we use up domestic resources. Foreign oil dependence has cost the U.S. about $1.9 trillion from 2004 to 2008. There is no question that producing our own fuel in the United States will help strengthen our economy immensely. In addition, jobs will be created to help support the vehicle making process, and the infrastructure necessary to sustain these vehicles. Everybody knows that job creation boosts the economy. Researchers estimate that it can take up to 2.5 to 3 decades for the transition from petroleum to alternative fuels to be complete. Along the way, at least 4.2 million jobs will be created. Along with creating jobs, the prices of alternative fuels have generally been more stable and lower than gasoline. The stability of fuel pricing helps to stimulate the economy and encourage financial growth.

For more information, visit: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/oildep.shtmlhttp://www.afdc.energy.gov/

Q: “How does using alternative fuels help our economy?”Cassandra Bridger, Milwaukee, WI

Question of the Month

Submit your questions for Question of the Month by visiting:http://bit.ly/WCCQoftheMonth.

August ReFUEL | 10

President Obama’s administration announced on July 2, their plan to fund $30 million in federal funding to match private investments in commercial-scale advanced drop-in biofuels. The Department of Energy (DOE) accompanied the announcement with $32 million in new investments for earlier stage research that will continue to drive technological breakthroughs and additional cost reductions in the industry. Biofuels are just one part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above strategy to enhance the United State’s energy security, reduce reliance on imported oil, and support rural economies. Additionally, all biofuels are part of the Clean Cities fuels portfolio.

In fact, biofuels have been around as long as cars have. Henry Ford originally wanted to fuel Model Ts with ethanol, and researchers have shown early diesel engines ran on peanut oil. It was the discovery of huge petroleum deposits that kept gasoline and diesel prices low for decades to the detriment of biofuels. But, with the recent rise in oil prices along with growing awareness and concern about global climate change heavily influenced by carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels have been regaining popularity as illustrated by the Obama Administration’s new funding opportunities.

Biofuels are fuels produced directly or indirectly from organic material (biomass) including plant materials and animal waste. Overall, biofuels produce energy for approximately 10% of the total world energy demand. Conversion technologies allow the extraction of biofuels from materials such as wood, crops, and waste. They can be solid, gaseous or liquid. Biofuels may be derived from agricultural crops, including conventional food plants or from special energy crops. They may also be derived from forestry, agricultural, or fishery products or municipal wastes, as well as from agro-industry, food industry, and food service by-products and wastes. Vehicles are fueled with secondary biofuels, such as ethanol, biodiesel, bio-oil, biogas, synthesis gas, and hydrogen.

For given technologies, the competitiveness of biofuels depends on the relative prices of agricultural feedstocks and fossil fuels. The relationship differs among crops, countries, locations and technologies used in biofuel production.

In energy markets, liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are direct competitors with petroleum-based gasoline and diesel. Policies such as mandated blending of biofuels with petrol and diesel and subsidies and tax incentives can encourage biofuel use, while technical constraints such as a lack of vehicles that run on biofuel blends can discourage their use. Biofuels and fossil fuels compete on the basis of their energy content, and their prices generally move together.

Biofuel development is influenced by a wide range of national policies in multiple sectors, including agriculture,

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Giving Biofuels a Boost

energy, transport, environment and trade, as well as broader policies affecting the overall “enabling environment” for business and investment. Policies applied to bioenergy, particularly liquid biofuels, significantly influence the profitability of biofuel production. Identifying the relevant policies and quantifying their impact in specific cases is difficult because of the variety of policy instruments and ways they are applied; however, they have generally translated into subsidies aimed at supporting biofuels and influencing the financial attractiveness of their production, trade and use.

Most life-cycle analyses of biofuels, to date, have been undertaken for cereal and oilseeds in Europe and the U.S. and for sugarcane ethanol in Brazil. A limited number of studies have considered vegetable oil; biodiesel from palm oil, cassava and jatropha; and biomethane from biogas. Given the wide range of biofuels, feedstocks and production and conversion technologies, we would expect a similarly wide range of outcomes in terms of emission reductions – which is indeed the case. Most studies have found that producing first-generation biofuels from current feed-stocks results in emission reductions in the range of 20%–60% relative to fossil fuels, provided the most ef-ficient systems are used and carbon releases deriving from land-use change are excluded.

Research into the production of liquid transportation fuels from microscopic algae, or microalgae, is reemerging and a focus at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). These microorganisms use the sun’s energy to combine carbon dioxide with water to create biomass more efficiently and rapidly than terrestrial plants. Oil-rich microalgae strains are capable of producing the feedstock for a number of transportation fuels—biodiesel, “green” diesel and gasoline, and jet fuel—while mitigating the effects of carbon dioxide released from sources such as power plants.

In addition to microorganisms, many think a better way of making biofuels will be from grasses and saplings, which contain more cellulose. Cellulose is the tough material that makes up plants’ cell walls, and most of the weight of a plant is cellulose. If cellulose can be turned into biofuel, it could be more efficient than current biofuels, and emit less carbon dioxide.

For more information about biofuels, visit: http://www.eere.energy.gov/topics/biomass.html

http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biofuels.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ck3FYVNl6s&feature=plcp

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Veolia Environmental Services (ES) Solid Waste, Inc., the solid waste division of Veolia Environmental Services North America Corp. (VESNA), announced the introduction of a fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) powered refuse trucks to its Waunakee, Wisconsin, service area. A ceremony attended by Wisconsin officials, Veolia executives and members of the Waunakee community was held at the Veolia ES Solid Waste – Waunakee location on July 11, 2012 to celebrate the company’s new fleet and CNG fueling station.

“We are very proud to be the first private sector company to bring CNG technology to the state of Wisconsin,” said Jim Long, president and CEO of Veolia ES Solid Waste, Inc. “Having been based in Milwaukee for many years and with a long history serving customers throughout Wisconsin, this investment is extremely meaningful for us.” Veolia has invested in 13 new CNG-powered trucks and a CNG fueling infrastructure that includes 48 fueling bays, allowing for future expansion of the fleet as required to support the community’s needs. “This fleet of CNG trucks will serve over 25,000 households across the greater Madison area, as well as the single-stream recycling needs of over 5,000 commercial and industrial customers across Dane, Green and Sauk counties,” explained Long.

Customers will immediately notice the new fleet out on the streets. The truck bodies are wrapped with eye-catching decals showcasing the city of Madison. More importantly, the new CNG trucks run approximately 15 percent (8-10 decibels) quieter than trucks powered with diesel engines, reducing the noise trucks generate while on route. The trucks also come equipped with automated collection systems that increase efficiency and protect the safety of drivers by keeping them in the cab instead of on the curb.

The Waunakee fueling infrastructure utilizes time-fill fueling technology that allows drivers to fuel their trucks during overnight hours, minimizing administrative and operational downtime. The site will continue to use diesel-powered collection trucks to collect industrial and commercial waste, but will be replacing those trucks with CNG-powered models over the next two years. The natural gas is being provided to the site by Madison Gas & Electric. As of 2012, Veolia operates four CNG fueling stations and over 100 CNG-powered refuse collection and support vehicles in North America.

For more information about Veolia Environmental Services and their green initiatives and services, visit: http://www.veoliaes.com/en.html

Veolia Opens Compressed Natural GasFueling Station in Waunakee

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Propane in the Park:Wisconsin Clean Cities shows propane is no longer

just for your grill

Wednesday, July 25 had a high of 97º in Grafton, Wisconsin, but that did not stop enthusiasts and curious folks from joining Wisconsin Clean Cities (WCC) at Lime Kiln Park for Propane in the Park. The event and lunch was sponsored by AmeriGas. Supporting sponsors were Boehlke Bottled Gas Corporation and Ferrellgas. The event was additionally supported by Charter Fuels, ROUSH CleanTech and the Wisconsin Propane Gas Association. The event featured four models of propane lawn mowers, several Ford trucks, a propane weed trimmer, propane generator, and brush burner. More than 40 stakeholders from lawn care companies, municipalities, and the general public came to the event to learn more about propane, view and ride the vehicles, and the different options available to them to include in their fleets and daily lives.

Lunch was made on a propane grill and cooked by Lorrie Lisek, Executive Director of WCC, and WCC Board of Directors member Jerry Medinger, the official “Grillmasters.” The event was photographed and all photos are courtesy of local photographer Nicholas Patrinos. WCC thanks all the sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and stakeholders that attended!

View more photos from the day: http://www.flickr.com/wicleancities.

Learn more about propane:http://www.afdc.energy.gov/

Lawn mower incentives are available! http://www.autogasusa.org/mower-incentive

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Ever wonder what the nozzle of a hydrogen fueling pump looks like? Now you can find out by simply hovering over the icon on the newly upgraded Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) website. Not only does the AFDC page look nicer aesthetically, but it is much easier to navigate. Whether you want an overview of a fuel or vehicle type, look for way to conserve fuel and lower your costs, or find alternative fueling stations in your area, you can find it directly on the homepage of the new AFDC website.

But the greatest part of the AFDC update is the revamped station locator. According to Heather Goetsch with Wisconsin Clean Cities, the new locator is “Fantastic! It includes all the same features we are used to seeing, but includes details that were not available before, such as total station counts for the search area.”

Powered by Google, the redesigned AFDC station locator adds new features, functionality, and improvements; many of which were developed through discussions with Clean Cities coordinators, GeoEVSE Forum members, and other industry stakeholders.

When searching for stations, the new locator allows you to do the same search by fuel type and location, but instead of a zip code, you can enter in names of cities, counties, states, or even a highway. “You can type in ‘Interstate I-94, Wisconsin’ and get all the stations along the highway,” Heather states, “This is the function we’ve been wanting, and the AFDC has now provided for us.” Once the search is complete a window on the left side of the page will tell the user how many stations total in the search area and then allow the user to download a spreadsheet with all the details.

In addition to the locations, the updated locator has more easily accessible advanced search options. Users can specify whether they want to include:

• private stations• planned stations• the type of owner (private, federal, state, local, utility)• the type of payment (type of credit card, cash, checks, CFN, gas card, or type of electric charging)• what type of charging station (level 1, level 2, DC fast, legacy chargers)• a mile limit to the results.

“Not only will trip planning be much simpler, but we can assuage range anxiety on-the-spot.” That’s right, you can now plan trips using the application instead of simply finding the stations. Even better: the application and entire website can be accessed from your smart phone or tablet. NREL specifically planned the website so it auto-adjusts to the size of your screen or window, meaning even the smallest of screens can view the site and use the tools.

Check out the new AFDC webpage today! Visit http://www.afdc.energy.gov/

Learn about all the new features through a free webinar on August 15!http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/toolbox/webinars.html

Alternative Fuels Data CenterGets An Upgrade

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Wisconsin Clean Cities attended Veolia Environmental Services’ grand opening of their new compressed natural gas station on July 11, 2012 (view the summary on page 13). Also in July, WCC helped the Wisconsin State Energy Office organize the 2nd Natural Gas for Transportation Roundtable. The Roundtable was held on July 19 at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin, and more than 100 people were in attendance. The third Roundtable will be held this Fall in Southeast Wisconsin.

1) The filling lines for Veolia Environmental Services’ refuse trucks.

2) Three of thirteen new compressed natural gas refuse trucks acquired by

Veolia Environmental Services.

3) Attendees at the 2nd Natural Gas for Transportation Roundtable listen intently

about the benefits of natural gas for businesses and consumers in Wisconsin.

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Eye on Wisconsin Clean Cities

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