News Briefs | 11.7.17

SCAQMD Announces Alt-Fuel School Bus Funding

The South Coast AQMD has announced a funding opportunity through the Lower-Emission School Bus Program, which helps public school districts buy new Type C or Type D alternative fuel buses. SCAQMD is accepting applications for replacing pre-1994 school buses sized at more than 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

The agency will fund as much as $165,000 for Type D CNG buses and is prioritizing applications for alternative fuel buses certified below the 0.2 grams per brake horsepower-hour NOx emissions standard. The program also provides as much as $14,000 per CNG bus for fueling infrastructure. Applications are due Jan. 4, 2018.

CARB Hires Consulting Firm to Test Alt-Fuel Technologies

CARB has hired Ricardo Strategic Consulting, a Santa Clara–based engineering and environmental firm that specializes in transport and energy, to monitor, collect, and analyze data for heavy-duty vehicle projects funded by the Air Quality Improvement Program and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Ricardo will monitor more than 140 vehicles—including NGVs and battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and plug-in diesel-electric hybrid vehicles—to compare their emission reduction benefits and performance against those of traditionally fueled trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles. The firm will use the data to assess the competitive position of alternative fuel technologies and identify key steps toward their large-scale commercialization.

Catalina Pacific Launches CNG Concrete Mixer Truck Fleet

Catalina Pacific, a CalPortland company based in Glendora, has launched a fleet of 52 new CNG-fueled near-zero-emission concrete mixer trucks. By the end of 2017, the cement and concrete producer expects to operate a total of 118 Kenworth T880S mixers outfitted with the Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero 8.9-liter engine. Catalina Pacific plans to refuel the CNG mixer trucks at local Clean Energy natural gas fuel stations until construction of two private fueling facilities is completed.

Long Beach Transit Receives $600,000 Grant for CNG Bus Engines

SCAQMD’s Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee has awarded Long Beach Transit a $600,000 grant from the Near Zero Incentive Program to buy 40 Cummins Westport ISL G Near Zero 8.9-liter CNG bus engines.

CARB Certifies Greenkraft 8.8-Liter CNG Engine

CARB has certified Greenkraft’s 8.8-liter V8 CNG-powered engine through the On-Road New Vehicle and Engine Certification Program at less than 0.02 g/bhp-hr, the agency’s optional low-NOx level. The engine is available as a stand-alone product or can be installed in a Greenkraft heavy-duty truck weighing 26,000 pounds or 33,000 pounds.

CARB Certifies Landi Renzo Ford NGV Platforms

Landi Renzo has received CARB certification for its natural gas versions of model year 2018 Ford F-250/350 trucks and the Ford E-350 cargo van.