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| News and Events:
Alternative Fuels Training Opportunities: Funding Opportunity Announcement:
Upcoming Events and Activities: Resources and Guides:
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| 2018 TN Sustainable Transportation Forum Held in Knoxville
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| National Drive Electric Week Blazes Trail Through Tennessee National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) is a nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of today's widespread availability of electric vehicles (EVs) and to highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. EVs are fun to drive, are less expensive and more convenient to fuel than gasoline vehicles, and feature a reduced vehicle emissions profile. NDEW events were held from September 8-16 across the country, and several took place in Tennessee (one in Chattanooga, one in Memphis, and two in Knoxville). This year, Nashville hosted its own NDEW event on September 15 at Nissan Stadium. This free event featured several passenger EVs (including such models as the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt, Chevy Bolt, Tesla Model S, and Tesla Model 3), a Proterra electric bus from WeGo, and electric bicycles. Attendees were able to ride and drive the Chevy EVs, courtesy of Freeland Chevrolet. The event also launched Drive Electric Nashville, a local group for EV owners and enthusiasts interested in hosting and promoting similar events and EV opportunities in the future. The Nashville event was supported by Tennessee Clean Fuels, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Energy Programs, ChargePoint, the Metro-Nashville Department of General Services, Metro-Nashville Transit Authority/WeGo, and Freeland Chevrolet. Click here to learn more about National Drive Electric Week.
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| TVA, NES, MTEMC Launch SmartCharge Nashville Program for EV Drivers SmartCharge Nashville is a new research opportunity to help local utility companies prepare Tennessee for greater electric vehicle (EV) adoption. If you drive an EV, SmartCharge Nashville needs your help to understand the needs of current and future electric vehicle owners by gathering information on how EVs charge today. Data gathered by the SmartCharge program will inform development of infrastructure and programs that support EV utilization and maintain low cost, reliable electric service in the future. Participants will gain access to their own driving and charging data, as well as information on emissions reductions achieved by driving an EV, via an online dashboard. Participants will also receive up to $100 in compensation for their participation in the study. Enrollment is open to anyone in the Greater Nashville area who currently drives a plug-in EV and is a customer of either Nashville Electric Service (NES) or Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTEMC). Enrollment is limited, so those interested are encouraged to register soon! More details can be found on the signup website at https://www.FleetCarma.com/SmartChargeNashville/. SmartCharge Nashville is a voluntary program for EV drivers in the greater Nashville area. The program is being managed by FleetCarma ,a company specializing in electric vehicle data collection in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority and local utility companies Nashville Electric Service and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. Please contact your local power company with further questions about the program.
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| Electrify America Launches Brand-Neutral National Advertising Campaign, Called Plug Into the Present In 2015, Volkswagen (VW) publicly admitted that it had secretly and deliberately installed a defeat device—software designed to cheat emissions tests and deceive federal and state regulators—in approximately 590,000 model year 2009 to 2016 motor vehicles containing 2.0 and 3.0 liter diesel engines. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint against VW, alleging that the company had violated the Clean Air Act. In October 2016 and May 2017, the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (“Court”), approved two partial settlements related to the affected 2.0 and 3.0 liter vehicles, respectively, totaling $14.9 Billion (“the VW Settlement”). The VW Settlement will be implemented through the First Partial Consent Decree and Second Partial Consent Decree. Under these consent decrees, VW has agreed to: - Dedicate $10 Billion to the recall of at least 85% of the affected 2.0 and 3.0 liter vehicles;
- Invest $2 Billion in zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and promotion (“Zero Emission Vehicle Investment Plan”); and
- Establish a $2.9 Billion Environmental Mitigation Trust to mitigate the environmental effects of the excess nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from the affected vehicles.
VW has created a separate entity within VW Group of America, known as Electrify America, LLC, to oversee the ZEV Investment Plan (item 2 above). Under cycle one of this plan, Electrify America is spending $45 million to launch its first-ever brand-neutral national advertising campaign, to raise awareness of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs). The integrated campaign features national TV and radio broadcasts as well as a website, www.Plugintothepresent.com. The TV spot, titled “JetStones,” aims to broaden consumer awareness of the advantages and availability of ZEVs. Using the theme songs from two popular Warner Bros.’ cartoons, “The Jetsons” and “The Flintstones,” the broadcast campaign is a playful take on the transition of personal transportation from the Stone Age to the reality of electric vehicles available today. The advertising spot features electric vehicles from six different car manufacturers to showcase a wide variety of ZEVs available in today’s marketplace. Additionally, the campaign website provides information on available ZEVs and charging stations.
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| ALTERNATIVE FUELS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
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| Tennessee Clean Fuels to Host Statewide First Responder Training Sessions for Alternative Fuel Safety
Tennessee Clean Fuels recently announced a series of instructor-led classroom trainings provided by the National Fire Protection Association for first responders on alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and how to respond to electric, natural gas, and propane vehicle incidents. Trainings are scheduled to occur in October 2018 in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. These trainings are designed to equip local trainers with the knowledge and materials to teach their own staff members about alternative fuels. Each session will also feature a live demonstration of onsite AFVs, which will consist of vehicles that currently operate in and around the city in which each event is held.
Click here to learn more and to register for the trainings. Registration will cost $40 per person. If your department or squad will have difficulty covering the cost to attend, please call Daniel Siksay, Project Manager at ETCleanFuels, at 865-974-9665 to discuss available discount options.
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| Free Gaseous Fuels Garage Modification Trainings
Clean Fuls Ohio is working with Marathon Technical Services to promote a series of Gaseous Fuels Garage Modification Trainings all around the U.S. These trainings are free for attendees and offer a great opportunity to learn about needed modifications to facilities that house and maintain gaseous fueled vehicles (which may run on propane autogas [LPG], compressed natural gas [CNG], liquefied natural gas [LNG], or gaseous hydrogen [GH2]). These opportunities include in-classroom training as well as tours of local facilities. Below are some upcoming training dates in and around the southeast: - October 17 – LPG and CNG – Kansas City, KS
- October 18 – CNG – Kansas City, MO
- October 31 – CNG – Richmond, VA
- November 1 – LNG – Chesterfield, VA
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| FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT
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| FOA Released to Advance Natural Gas Vehicle Research The National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to award up to $11 million for projects that focus on: (1) reducing the cost of natural gas vehicles; (2) increasing vehicle efficiency; and (3) advancing innovative medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engine designs. Projects selected through this solicitation will complement Vehicle Technologies Office research started in FY 2017 to improve the performance, reliability, durability, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of natural gas vehicles. Cost-effectively achieving diesel-like efficiency in natural gas engines, while meeting emissions standards, will improve the viability of natural gas fueled medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. For more information about the RFP, click here.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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| TennSMART Fall Member Meeting The TennSMART Consortium will host its fall member meeting on October 2, 2018 from 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM at the Volkswagen Academy Conference Center in Chattanooga. During the meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the VW Academy. Tour slots are limited to the first 100 attendees. To participate, you must register for the VW Academy Tour in addition to registering for the general TennSMART Fall Member Meeting. Attendees are also invited to join TennSMART at the Westin Hotel in downtown Chattanooga on October 1 at 5:30 PM for the Fall Member Meeting Opening Reception, which will be held in conjunction with Oak Ridge National Laboratory's HPC4Mobility Stakeholders' Workshop. TennSMART is a public-private consortium encompassing a growing number of Tennessee and regional organizations working together to develop scientific knowledge and new technologies to change how America transports people and goods. TennSMART members are committed to the research and development of transportation topics including connected and automated vehicles, electric vehicles, cybersecurity, freight efficiency, and multimodal commuting. To become a member, click here.
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| GRIDSMART Technology's INTERSECT18
INERSECT18, an annual conference hosted by GRIDSMART Technologies, Inc., will be held on October 16-18, 2018 in Knoxville. The conference will cover major issues facing the transportation sector and how each of these issues can be impacted, and ultimately mitigated, by the ITS and technology industries. Some of these issues include cybersecurity, connected and autonomous vehicles, road safety, and more. Click here to learn more and register for the conference.
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| Strategies to Improve Multimodal Travel in Rural Communities The Victoria Transport Policy Institute released a report examining strategies to improve multimodal travel options in small towns and rural communities. Historically, the geographic isolation of rural communities has created a dependence on auto travel. However, aging populations as well as health and safety concerns have created an increased demand for multimodal travel options throughout rural areas. The report serves as a resource for planning agencies in rural areas to improve and connect walking, bicycling, and public transit.
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| PEV Policy Evaluation Rubric: A Methodology for Evaluating the Impact of State and Local Policies on Plug-In Electric Vehicle Adoption
The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) recently released a rubric on plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) policy, to assist State and local governments in evaluating what kinds of policies can increase PEV adoption. The rubric provides a unique, evidence-based method to help decision-makers identify and prioritize PEV programs and policies, and allows the user to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all PEV-related policies in a given metro area on a scale of 1-100. The rubric, developed in partnership between NASEO and Cadmus, categorizes all PEV policies into 6 policy categories and 14 policy subcategories, and each policy subcategory is assigned a weight, based on its relative strength, to spur PEV adoption relative to other policies. The rubric was originally designed for Electrify America to use when considering potential metro areas for Cycle 2 investment under the National ZEV Investment Plan, though it may also be used by policymakers at the State and local levels to evaluate their jurisdiction's current PEV policy environment.
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