Connecticut Future Fuels Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Constitution State Residents Benefit From Fed Investment

Multi-year, Multi-million Dollar Alternative Fuels Projects Launch Statewide

Connecticut residents will attain multiple environmental, economic and employment benefits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act over the next four years as a $26.8 million Connecticut Clean Cities Future Fuels Project (CTCCFF) brings 10 separate alternative fuels projects online statewide through a 50/50 cost share grant from the US Department of Energy.

Deploying 183 alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) and providing fueling capability and infrastructure to support 21 additional fleet vehicles, reducing pollution and contributes to new jobs, the CTCCFF project addresses wide-ranging alternative energy transportation applications throughout the state.  Specific technologies engaged in the project include high capacity electric vehicle charging stations, a hydrogen production/dispensing station, multiple compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas vehicles and stations, and biodiesel fueling sites.

In addition to the employment benefits, environmental benefits of the CTCCFF work will include displacing (or eliminating):

• More than 5.8 Million Gallons of petroleum
• Almost 11 Million pounds of Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
• Nearly 500 Thousand pounds of Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Over 300 Thousand pounds of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
• Over 50 Thousand pounds of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), and,
• Over 3 Thousand poundsof Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)

The CTCCFF grant also strengthens alternative fuel availability for fleets and commercial consumers along major state corridors and raises awareness and understanding of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Specifically, the project will offset the incremental costs of:

• Providing four public access and six private fleet access fueling stations,
• Deploying 181 compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG) vehicles,
• Deploying two light duty hybrid vehicles,
• Providing fuel for six hydrogen-powered transit buses; eight light-duty CNG vehicles; and, seven light-duty electric vehicles (EVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the state of Connecticut

According to Lee Grannis, primary award recipient and head of a multi-city clean cities coalition, the CTCCFF project uses a combination of federal, state, municipal public, and private funds, to accomplish their mission of a cleaner, more efficient Connecticut.

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 “Deploying the AFVs and building the supporting infrastructure; creates and/or retains jobs; reduces dependence on foreign oil; reduces harmful emissions and contributes to a sustainable alternative fuels market. Our goal with the project was to assemble a best-in-class collection of the cleanest, readily available, renewable energy resources in the country, for the benefit of Connecticut’s citizens in public and private capacities. We have accomplished the team, now we are going to proceed with implementation of the infrastructure developments and fleet deployments,” said Grannis.

The multi-year, multi-location project also represents an unprecedented cooperation between all of the Connecticut Clean Cities organizations in the state.

“We are very excited about the Connecticut Clean Cities Future Fuels Project.  For the first time the four Clean Cities Coalition partners in Connecticut;  (Greater New Haven Clean Cities, Norwich Clean Cities, Southwestern Connecticut Clean Cities and Capitol Clean Cities) will be able to work together to produce a statewide impetus for change,” said Grannis.

In addition to job growth, pollution reduction and increased availability of alternative fuels, other expected project outcomes are:

• Execute the first collaborative, statewide multi-fuel deployment of AFVs and fueling stations by the collective Clean Cities Coalitions of Connecticut.
• Engage over 30 project partners including, non-profit organizations, state and local governments, private fleets and private enterprises, including several small businesses, for the largest deployment of alternative fuel infrastructure in the state.
• Commission the first LNG station east of the Mississippi River at Enviro Express in Bridgeport along I-95 in Southwestern Connecticut allowing the company to carry larger payloads as a result of reduction in fuel weight. 
• Place key, fuel-neutral infrastructures in strategic locations across the state to accommodate a variety of existing, currently scheduled and planned vehicles, as well as the capacity to accommodate additional vehicles including, but not limited to: Ford EVs and PHEVs; and Nissan and Chevy PHEVs; which are anticipated for commercial availability in the state between the fall of 2010 and the summer of 2011.
• Demonstrate to state and local governments, fleets and consumers the benefits available across the state through the implementation of alternative fuels.
• Capture a variety of operational and performance data sufficient to establish best practice methodologies for future program deployments and installations across the country.

In addition to commissioning 10 fueling stations and providing fuel for a total of 204 alternative fuel vehicles, the project will offer state-of-the art training workshops, outreach and education materials, and a concentrated marketing and communications plan, featuring a Web site that tracks project accomplishments, and provides a wide array of educational, marketing and communication materials targeting near-term adopters of alternative fuels in Connecticut.

“We are extremely pleased to have so many partners in this ambitious undertaking,” said Carla York, CEO of Innovation Drive, the technology commercialization firm contracted to act as project manager.  “This project represents many years of work which has established the framework in the state to complete this project. Our congratulations to the four Connecticut Clean Cities Coalitions for this accomplishment based on their diligent work over the past 10-15 years, which will now result in the largest single deployment of alternative fuel infrastructures and vehicles in the history of the state.”

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Along with the statewide cooperative efforts of the CTCCFF, the project has an added component with national impact.  Included at the project outset and present throughout the installations is an advanced data capture program designed by Sabre Engineering.  A leading in systems integration and automated data capture, the Sabre system uses state-of-the-art monitoring applications to capture real-time and delayed interval data suitable for various research applications. The data captured from the many project vehicles and installations will be used by the Department of Energy to assist in providing the required information for this project funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

For more information; CTCCFF Media Points of Contact:

Lee Grannis, Prime Contractor, Coordinator, Greater New Haven Clean Cities Coalition, Inc.

(p) 203.627.3715 — This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Carla R. York, Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Drive, Inc.

(p) 703.931.1410 — This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Specific CTCCFF Project Partners: