Case Study: Transportation Initiative Incorporates Alternative Fuels and Electric Vehicles

The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Key Topics (Departments of Veterans Affairs and Navy) in North Chicago, Illinois, reduced greenhouse gases by incorporating electric vehicles  Electric vehicles. and alternative fuels into fleet operations. Lovell FHCC increased its  Alternative fuel. electric fleet by 200 percent in one year. In addition, it increased the use of E85 ethanol from 54 to 60 percent and incorporated biodiesel, which now accounts for 10 percent of the total fuel used. Results

Lovell FHCC’s interdisciplinary Green Environmental Management  200 percent increase in Systems Committee used the U.S. Environmental Protection electric vehicles. Agency’s Federal Green Challenge as the impetus to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by its fleet. This 126-vehicle  Two electric vehicles averted fleet includes buses, trucks and cars. At the beginning of the the use of approx. 900 gallons of gasoline. project, Lovell FHCC’s fleet had one electric vehicle. Forty-five percent of the fleet’s fuel consumption came from traditional fuels  71 percent of transportation such as gasoline and diesel. fuels used are alternative fuels.

Facility at a Glance

 120-acre campus with numerous buildings including a full hospital, residences and power plant.

 Serves sailors at Naval Station Great Lakes and veterans from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

 Participant since 2011 in the FGC categories of energy, transportation and waste.

 Recipient of EPA National FGC Award: Transportation. Three electric vehicles used by Lovell FHCC.  Recipient of EPA Region 5 FGC Award: Overall Achievement

Sustainable Materials Management and Innovation.

Federal Green Challenge

www.epa.gov/smm

ial cost meant that Lovell able vehicle with a long For More For Information Lovell FHCC contact: Joe Bozeman 224-610-4173 [email protected] Federal Green Challenge: http://epa.gov/fgc

FHCC needed to find a reli Fortunately with lifespan to achieve a pay-back. were able to diligent research, committee members to a pickup truck find an all-electric vehicle similar day-to-day to meet the rigors of Lovell FHCC’s years of service. operations while providing many money in the long term with decreased with decreased the long term money in that in It’s estimated and fuel costs. maintenance of these two electric trucks one year the use of nearly 900 gallonsavoided the use of gasoline carbon dioxide equivalent tons of and eight metric from that fuel. wasThe biggest challenge electric finding a suitable Lovell FHCC’s utilitarian pickup vehicle to replace available electric trucks. Most commercially to small and not rugged enough vehicles were too needs. Funding the handle the health care center’s was also a purchase of new electric vehicles challenge as their high init federal agencies Sustainable Materials

s on-site fueling station s on-site fueling

The Federal Green Challenge, part of EPA’s Management Program, is designed to challenge About the Federal Green Challenge Green Challenge About the Federal

throughout the country to lead by example in reducing the federal government's environmental impact. It helps agencies meet obligations under Executive Orders 13514 and 13423. In 2012, nearly 300 federal agencies,representing more than 500,000 employees participated in Federal the Green Challenge. Their combined efforts resulted in an estimated cost savings of more than $31 million to U.S. taxpayers. Alternative Fuel and Electric Vehicles Vehicles Electric and Fuel Alternative Region 5, Land and Chemicals Division, Materials Management Branch Management Materials Division, Chemicals and 5, Land Region EPA-905-F-14-002 February 2014 After switching its fuel mix to include the use of to include the its fuel mix After switching of E85 ethanol, and a larger amount biodiesel able to decrease its use of regular Lovell FHCC was fuel consumption to 29 percent gasoline and diesel fuel used. The committee collected of the total fuel it using consumption data FHCC purchased two new all- In addition, Lovell decreasing the center’s electric trucks, further members Committee emissions. greenhouse gas support for knew the best way to gain management project’s cost- electric vehicles was to justify the full-sized pickup effectiveness over time. Using a lifespan as a truck with an average 7- to 8-year (Scope 1) carbon baseline and examining the direct of the vehicle, dioxide emissions from the operation purchasing mini- they provided clear evidence that reduce Lovell electric pickups would not only greenhouse gasFHCC’s but also save emissions, sources.