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Summer 2017 EV Expands Global Bio- gas Visibility with “Study LA Metro Adopts the Country’s Tour” for South Africans Cleanest for its Huge Fleet In South Africa, EThekwini Metro- At the end of May, the Los Angeles “near-zero” engines that reduce emis- politan Municipality’s Durban Solid Metropolitan Transportation Author- sions of smog-forming NOx to levels Waste (DSW) division has been a rec- ity (“Metro”) became the largest transit 90% lower than the EPA standards. ognized energy leader since 2005, when fleet in the country to commit to ultra- Metro’s Director of Technol- the City pioneered the first - low-carbon, waste-based renewable ogy called the switch to RNG and to-electricity project on the continent (RNG) for the city’s . the new engines “an easy decision.” at one of its large municipal landfills. The contract starts with a one-year pi- Derived from organic materials— Due in part to the expertise de- lot, in which Clean Energy will wastewater, farm manures, food veloped through that experience, provide RNG—branded as “REDEEM” waste—RNG is the only potentially DSW is looking to develop another —at one of Metro’s 11 existing fueling net-carbon-negative fuel available. On project at its second large landfill. stations, each of which serves about its own, RNG represents a 70% or more Since the municipality owns and oper- 200 buses. If the pilot is successful, the reduction in GHG emissions compared ates a large fleet of refuse trucks run- other 10 stations will come on-line for to , and a 40% reduction com- ning on expensive imported diesel an additional four years, fueling Metro’s pared even to “low emission” geologic fuel, they are especially interested in entire fleet of 2,200 buses with the only natural gas. producing ultra-low-carbon renew- commercially-available vehicle fuel able natural gas (RNG) for vehicle made entirely from organic waste. RNG has already been proven in use. That led them to Energy Vision. heavy duty buses and trucks; it can be The greenhouse gas reductions will used in any vehicle or dispensed from be significant. LA’s entire bus fleet will any station equipped to use natural displace the equivalent of 33 million gas. It is also available on the markets gallons of diesel every year. Over the now at a discount to diesel fuel, mak- five years of the contract, Metro’s GHG ing it a compelling economic choice. emissions will fall by over 520,000 metric tons compared to the fossil Metro’s selection of RNG for its bus fleet natural gas it now uses, and by almost is another big step forward for South- 900,000 metric tons compared to diesel. ern California’s air quality and climate. EV’s Tomich with the South African delegation at St. Landry Parish’s biogas-to-vehicle fuel project It will also mean that more than 90% In a separate decision, Metro will start of the natural gas used in California Following an inquiry from the US Agency a program of vehicle retrofits and re- as transportation fuel will come from for International Development (USAID), placements to equip the entire bus waste-based RNG. EV developed an itinerary of site visits fleet with new Cummins-Westport best suited for DSW’s goal of exploring a municipal biogas-to-vehicle fuel project. At the end of April, EV President Matt Tomich led a week-long study tour for three municipal officials and a USAID Low Emissions De- velopment program representative.

The biogas study tour highlighted the technologies, logistics, policies and busi- ness case(s) associated with six biogas- to-vehicle fuel project sites, of varying sizes, in Louisiana (2) and California (4). Between site visits and follow-up dialogue, the next steps for how to best LA Metro will soon begin running its bus fleet on ultra-low-carbon RNG with near-zero emission engines Continued on Page 3 1 LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER & CHAIR EV: On The President Trump has certainly done waste-based fuel, planned for July April 6 his best to slash our country’s energy in Albany, will keep this ball rolling EV’s ‘Drinks and Dialogue’ cocktail event programs to pieces, to deny the value in New York. Our 2017 workshops brought together environmental and busi- of science, and now turned his back scheduled for Portland, OR, and ness leaders, and included remarks by for- on the Paris Climate Accord – pos- Sacramento, CA in the fall will fur- mer NYS Dept. of Environmental Conser- sibly the best chance the ther highlight the benefits vation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens. global community has had of this strategy. Each fleet to safeguard our children’s conversion from high-- future. However, he has bon diesel to carbon-free done more than that. He has renewable natural gas is an infuriated and energized our important step toward our country’s Mayors, Gover- climate and clean air goals. nors, environmentalists, clean energy advocates, and South Africa’s request for EV’s Joanna Underwood and Matt Tomich with former DEC Commissioner Joe Martens millions of Americans newly help in converting or- recruited to action, recognizing that ganic waste into fuel for its refuse April 24-28 the future of our fragile planet is trucks, and the invitation by C40, a EV’s Tomich led a group of municipal up to them. Thank you, President mega-cities sustainability initiative officials from Durban, South Africa on a tour of biogas-to-vehicle fuel project sites Trump, for that. launched by former NYC Mayor in Louisiana and California. The South Michael Bloomberg for EV to or- African delegation met with operators and And from our municipal and state ganize a webinar for its 91 member got a first-hand look at six facilities (p. 1). decision makers have come some cities around the world will expand April 29 exciting initiatives. As our page one our role as a major force for change Energy Vision’s Joanna Underwood and story indicates, one of the country’s internationally. Kyle Jeremiah traveled to Washington, largest bus transit fleets, the 2,200 D.C. to join 200,000 people in the People’s Climate March. buses serving the City of Los Ange- And from the expertise of Energy Vi- les, is making a wholesale shift to the sion’s Consultant James Cannon, on use of waste-based renewable natural the light-duty vehicle market, comes gas and to the new near zero natural more good news – the expanding gas engines which cut lung-damag- trend in use of electric plug in hybrid ing emissions of nitrogen oxides to competitively priced with gaso- 90% below the EPA standards. line models. Do consider making a PHEV your next car. In addition, Republic Waste Manage- ment, the 8th largest waste manage- Energy Vision is revving up to Joanna and Kyle represent EV in Washington, D.C. ment company in the country has catalyze the revolution to a clean fuel May 4-5 contracted with California-based future. We are living up to our vision EV participated in the inaugural “Smart Clean Energy Fuels to use waste- of a future, and Cities NYC” summit by leading a tour based fuel for its trucks in 20 states. your support and collaboration have of the Newtown Creek wastewater plant been at the heart of our success. We and hosting a panel discussion on urban organics and biogas. The panel featured Just these buses and refuse trucks, all are pleased to have added a new As- National Grid, AirLiquide and the NYC now fueled by geologic compressed sociate, Phil Vos, to our staff. But we Dept. of Environmental Protection. natural gas, will achieve greenhouse have a long way to go. So if you have May 18 gas reductions of more than a million given before, please give again, and EV’s Tomich moderated a panel on the “Fu- metric tons per year. A similar num- tell your friends and colleagues about ture of Public Transit” at a Chicago forum ber of buses and trucks making this the enormous impact this venture’s put on by energy services giant Ameresco. transition from diesel to RNG would work is having. May 21-22 have five times these gain. EV’s Tomich participated in annual Capi- tol Hill visits in DC to educate members Energy Vision’s forum for regulators, of congress about the biogas-to-vehicle legislators and business leaders on fuel strategy. 2 Biogas Study Tour continued from Page 1 move forward in exploring a biogas- that a successful project requires vi- to-vehicle fuel project in South Africa sion, leadership and a level of technical continue to be explored and discussed. training/skills, among other things. As a result, DSW and USAID are consid- DSW is now assessing biogas quality ering a national two-day summit (in and quantity at the second landfill site, South Africa) later this year to be led by and the needs of its municipal sanit- EV. The workshop will aim to jumpstart ation fleet, including the number/ a new industry with immense poten- type of and fuel use costs. tial to create significant environmental, One of many Waste Management transfer trucks pow- public health, climate and economic The biogas study tour made it clear ered by RNG produced at its Altamont, CA Landfill development benefits for South Africa. Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Sales Soar in 2016 by James S. Cannon, President, Energy Futures Early this year, the oil giant BP re- al and futuristic technologies — Plug- zero emission vehicles for most daily leased its annual Energy Outlook, in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). driving needs. At greater daily driving which forecasts global energy trends distances, PHEVs operate as the clean- through 2035. BP predicts renewable PHEVs retain a burning en- est and most efficient vehicles on the resources will be the fastest growing gine that provides power to the ve- road today by using hybrid . energy sector, quadrupling world- hicle. An onboard battery pack also wide during the next two decades. provides power through an electric Top Three PHEV Models in the US (2016) motor. What separates a PHEV from

However, BP also predicts that fossil a standard hybrid vehicle is the pres- 1. Chevy Volt fuels will continue to supply at least 75 ence of a charging that allows the percent of the global energy mix. De- batteries to be recharged with electric- 2. Ford Fusion spite decades of real progress, the gap ity generated on the grid, ideally from 3. Ford C-Max Energi between the reliance on incrementally renewable wind and solar resources. cleaner transportation fuel use and sales of true zero emitting vehicles re- PHEVs entered the U.S. market in De- PHEV purchase costs are competi- mains too wide to breach. There is no cember 2010 with the . tive with their conventional counter- smooth transition between the two. Sales remained small during their first parts. Prices for the Volt, the best- year, but quintupled in 2012. By the selling PHEV, start at $33,220. This Alternative fuels, like natural gas and next year, sales of the six PHEV op- price is reduced for many, by up , have displaced high carbon tions slightly exceeded the total sales to $7,500 in federal tax credits and oil, mainly in bus/truck fleets, and ef- of the 10 battery electric vehicles in various state financial incentives. ficient hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) the U.S. market. PHEV sales in 2016 have incrementally reduced per vehicle jumped an astounding 69.1 percent Electricity costs just a fraction of gaso- oil use and carbon emissions, primar- to 72,935 vehicles. There are now line, so PHEVs provide the best of both ily in light-duty vehicles. However, 17 PHEV models for sale in the U.S. worlds without compromising the eco- sales of zero emission and bat- nomic or performance expectations of tery electric vehicles powered by re- An average PHEV can be driven modern drivers. Since transportation newable energy are still infinitesimal. roughly 50 miles powered solely by now accounts for the largest share of electricity from its batteries before US GHG emissions, PHEVs can play The good news is that there is a new it must turn to the gasoline engine. an increasingly large role in reduc- automotive technology with booming Thus, PHEVs, if powered by renew- ing emissions from passenger vehicles. sales that marries advanced convention- able electricity can operate as true Remembering Kenneth F. Mountcastle, Jr. October 8, 1928 - February 26, 2017 Never did an environmental organiza- hand-written notes of thanks to ev- tion have a more enthusiastic, thought- ery major donor and to staff members ful and generous supporter than Ken for specific accomplishments. No one Mountcastle. As Chairman for many was more grateful for his leadership years of INFORM, the predecessor and presence than I, knowing he al- to Energy Vision, he energized board ways had my back. Thank you, Ken, participation, and his sense of humor for this and so much more. You are rippled through the group. He also sent now forever part of this country’s sto- Joanna Underwood, Ken Mountcastle, Jr. ry of environmental progress. -JDU and Howard Dean in NYC in 2004 3 Energy Vision Expands Its Core Team This May, Energy Vision expanded its and was drawn to Energy Vision’s fo- staff with the addition of Phil Vos, a cus on extracting energy and nutrients seasoned project manager with ex- from our vast supply of organic waste. tensive research, writing and business development experience across the Before joining Energy Vision, Phil energy and waste industries. worked for nearly seven years in the energy efficiency industry. He has also In this new role, Phil will be worked on industrial materials re-use directly involved in several new programs, and is a proud member of the projects profiling the expansion Brooklyn Solid Waste Advisory Board of the organic waste-to-fuel indus- (SWAB). Phil earned his BA in Politi- try in North America and explor- cal Science at Columbia University, and ing site-specific project feasibility. teer in 2016. First learning about the his MSc in Economic Development potential of anaerobic digestion tech- Studies from the London School of Phil, a native of New York City, origi- nology in the early , he has been Economics. He lives with his wife and nally came to Energy Vision as a volun- excited by the technology ever since, son in Brooklyn.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joanna D. Underwood Michael S. Gruen Brendan Sexton Founder and Chair Attorney-at-Law Environmental Consultant Eric Verkerke President, The City Club of New York Former DSNY Commissioner Co-Founder, Emergence Creative Cynthia Adler Actor and Writer John J. Magovern Simon Sylvester-Chaudhuri Bailus Walker Jr., PhD, MPH AVP, Stifel Financial Corp. Partner, Global Futures Group Howard University College Johannes D. Escudero of Medicine CEO, RNG Coalition Joan C. Pearlman Mustapha Tlili Professional Women Photographers Senior Advisor, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

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