Clean Green Transportation

1. Clean Green Transportation New York Capital District Clean Air Initiative Thomas Li Max Jenquin Joe Venusto

2. Pollution & Global Warming • Air pollution every day • Coal plants and energy generation • RESULT: Global Warming • Alternative fuels for city buses and public transportation • OBJECTIVE: Reduce pollution from public transportation by investigating the benefits and drawbacks to different sources of alternative fuel and implementing a pilot program in CDTA bus lines.

3. Rationale • CDTA produces about 56.1 million pounds of CO2 per year • Spends approximately $9.76 million on diesel fuel per year • Analysis of different alternative fuels • Numerous similar projects and campaigns • Each fleet is unique • Use analysis to determine best fit for CDTA • Types of fuels to be analyzed have been selected based on environmental and economic criteria

4. Related Projects • Lafayette, Indiana – study by Yang, Tyner and Sarica • Study showed CityBus’ lowest cost was with compressed natural gas • Feasibility of Clean Green Transportation • Phoenix, Arizona • Purchased 120 CNG buses • Will provide lower costs in long term • Biotour • Successfully converted bus to run on Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) • Possibility of WVO being new fuel

5. Aims, Location, and Organization • Research alternative fuels and their impacts both environmentally and economically • Perform cost-benefit analysis specific to the CDTA fleet • Campaign to convince the organization to adopt the strategy • CDTA operates in Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga, and Albany • Nonprofit Research Organization operating largely on campus: New York Capital District Clean Air Initiative • Investigate • Campaign • Implement

6. Project Design and Context • New York Capital District Clean Air Initiative • Statistical and computational analysis, academic research, community outreach, project management, and design • Investigate and analyze: E85 Ethanol, Biodiesel, Propane, Compressed Natural Gas, and PEMFC Hydrogen cells • Key Phases: • Data collection • Data analysis • Conversion & campaign plan development • Campaign for conversion • Execution of conversion plan

7. Funding • Phases 1-4 require minimal, if any, funding • Entire organization consists of volunteers • Phase 5 requires that CDTA provide an initial investment • Phase 4 will include a fundraising campaign • Local community • Businesses • Grants

8. Timeline • Phases 1-4: • Approximately 1-2 year(s) to be divided as necessary. • Will allow thorough investigation of all alternative fuel and time for campaigns. • Phase 5: • Immediately follows successful campaign • Timeline to be determined (long term) • Restricted by possible CDTA contracts and agreements

9. Barriers to Completion • High costs • Conversions • Possible need to purchase/phase in new buses • Funding for Clean Green Transportation • Expensive conversions-require outside funding/donations • Companies must perceive good investment opportunity • Technology • New fuel systems must be advanced and optimized for CDTA usage

10. Scaling Up and Out • Public transportation across the nation needs to transition to more sustainable sources of fuel. • Convince CDTA to begin conversion program in all routes. • Draw from experiences and research by other cities: • Lafayette, IN, Phoenix, AZ • Use this and our experience to convince other cities • Decreased price for technology as time progresses • Use NYCDCAI to organize supporters and advocacy groups on a national scale

11. Main Stakeholders

12. Influential Social and Cultural Trends • Green movement—public opinion on alternative fuels • Political support • Changes in emission regulations • If CDTA cannot run same routes with higher standards, it will reduce runs • Fuel prices • Lower prices of other fuels could influence decision

13. Concluding Statements: Evaluating Success • Objective: reduce emissions in Capital District • Success based on how effectively and efficiently that goal is accomplished • Did CDTA adopt alternative fuel? • How effective was the plan overall? • Success will provide effective response to sustainability issue in Troy and Capital District • Will also allow us to provide feedback, research, and information to other cities looking to implement similar initiatives.

14. Bibliography • Anderson, Tim. "Waste Vegetable Oil Conversion for Diesel Bus." Instructables. Autodesk Inc., 07 Aug 2007. Web. 7 Nov 2013. • "CDTA Board Approves Strategic Fleet Financing Plan." Capital District Transport Authority. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • Cline, Annika. "City Approves Alternative Fuel Bus Purchase." Downtown Devil. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • "EERE: Vehicle Technologies Office Home Page." Carbon Dioxide from Gasoline and Diesel Fuel. US Department of Energy, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • "Fuels & Vehicles." EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center. US Department of Energy, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • Jennifer A. Dlouhy, $3.5M grant goes to CDTA for hybrid electric buses. Timesunion.com news. Published Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. • "Petroleum and Other Liquids: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update." US Energy Information Administration. US Department of Energy, 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. • Todd Litman, Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits, June 14, 2010. From the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, for the American Public Transportation Association. • "Vegetable Oil as a Fuel." Squeaky Wheels Adventures. Squeaky Wheel Adventures, n.d. Web. 7 Nov 2013.

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