BOARD MEETING DATE: April 3, 2009
AGENDA NO. 25
REPORT:
Technology Committee
SYNOPSIS:
The Technology Committee met on March 20, 2009. Major topics included Technology Advancement items reflected in the regular Board Agenda for the April Board meeting. A summary of these topics with the Committee's comments is provided. The next Technology Committee meeting will be on April 17, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. in CC-8.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Roy Wilson, Chair
Technology Committee
Background
Attendance: Committee Members Supervisor Wilson, Councilmember Tonia Reyes Uranga, and Mayor Pulido participated by video-teleconference; Mayor Dennis Yates was in attendance at District headquarters.
APRIL BOARD AGENDA ITEMS
- Approve and Adopt Technology Advancement Office Clean Fuels Program
Annual Report and Plan Update
As a requirement of the Clean Fuels Program funding, the Technology Advancement Office must submit to the Legislative Analyst by March 31st of each year an approved Annual Report for the past year and a Plan Update for the current calendar year. Staff presented the 2009 Clean Fuels Program Draft Plan Update to the Board for review and comment at its October 3, 2008 meeting. Adoption of these documents was postponed one month to allow time to evaluate the impact of the Stimulus Bill on potential projects in the Plan Update and investigate leveraging opportunities with federal agencies. At this time, staff is re-submitting the Technology Advancement Clean Fuels Program Annual Report and Plan Update for Board approval.
Mayor Pulido commented this was talked about at the last Board meeting and the importance of some dedicated effort internally to communicate with the cities in our jurisdiction. As a result of the Board’s comments and direction, staff indicated they are organizing a public workshop on April 1st from 5-9 p.m to describe the Stimulus activities. Staff has invited state and federal agency representatives to describe their respective programs as well as the process required to apply. This is intended to assist our local municipalities, counties and transit agencies access the funds. The workshop will also allow opportunities for entities to identify partners for establishing coalitions.
Mayor Pulido encouraged coordination in advertising the workshop, identifying coalitions and answering questions to maximize the effort as this will be a lot of work. Staff agreed and indicated that Public Affairs will notice all the cities and counties to ensure strong attendance. Mayor Pulido also suggested inviting AQMD’s Washington lobbyists so they can hear firsthand the efforts being done locally.
Moved (Mayor Yates), seconded (Mayor Pulido), and unanimously recommended for approval.
- California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team Report and Quarterly Activity Report, Renew AQMD’s Membership in CaFCP for Calendar Year 2009 and Provide Office Space for CaFCP
The AQMD has been a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) since March 17, 2000. This report summarizes the California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team meeting held February 17-18, 2009 and provides an activity report for the period beginning October 2008. This action is also to renew AQMD’s membership in the CaFCP in an amount not to exceed $87,800 for calendar year 2009 and co-fund 50 percent of the CaFCP Regional Coordinator position located at the AQMD, in addition to office space and utilities, in an amount not to exceed $50,000. Further actions are to continue providing in-kind office space and utilities for CaFCP employees in 2009 to increase hydrogen and fuel cell outreach and education activities in Southern California.
Mayor Yates asked if the CaFCP had moved to Southern California. Staff indicated that two full-time staff members are located here in Diamond Bar, and the bulk of the activities for vehicle and station rollout will occur in our Region. Furthermore, the Steering Committee meetings are rotated between Northern and Southern California.
Councilmember Reyes Uranga relayed that a hydrogen station in Long Beach is being removed due to a lack of use and asked if this indicated a lack of interest by the automobile manufacturers regionally and statewide. Staff responded that the CaFCP recently released a fuel cell and hydrogen station “Action Plan,” which culminated a very large effort to identify areas of interest to match vehicle load with potential initial station locations. The Long Beach station appears to have had other issues associated with liability, ownership, operation as well as price for fueling. Staff indicated that due to the nascent stage of vehicle deployment, strategically locating stations to match vehicle load is the appropriate way to proceed. Supervisor Wilson agreed this is a major issue and the CaFCP is trying to address this through the Action Plan.
Councilmember Reyes Uranga requested staff to keep the Committee updated on the progress of the vehicle and station deployments.
Mayor Pulido commented that since we do not yet know what the dominant fuel will be for the future, it is important to develop and monitor different pathways, including electricity and hydrogen.
Moved (Mayor Pulido), seconded (Councilmember Reyes Uranga), and unanimously recommended for approval.
- Execute Contract to Demonstrate Natural Gas-Powered Concrete Mixer
Truck
Concrete mixer trucks are widely used in a variety of construction projects in the South Coast Air Basin. Currently no original equipment manufacturer produces a concrete truck with a natural gas-powered engine. This action is to execute a contract with McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Company to demonstrate a natural gas-powered concrete mixer truck. Total project cost is estimated at $380,000 with the AQMD cost not to exceed $100,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
Mayor Yates and Mayor Pulido questioned the reasonableness of ordering a truck with the diesel engine when the project needs to replace the engine with a natural gas version. Staff indicated that prototype projects typically do this in order to establish the viability of the new technology. Should this project be successful and large orders be secured, staff could then make the case to the chassis manufacturer, Kenworth, to provide the chassis without the engine as a glider kit.
Moved (Mayor Yates), seconded (Mayor Pulido), and recommended for approval. Supervisor Wilson abstained on this item because of a campaign contribution from Robertson’s Ready-Mix Company.
- Recognize Additional Funds under “Year 10” Carl Moyer Program, Amend
Awards under Carl Moyer Program and SOON Provision, and Execute Contract under
“Year 10” Carl Moyer Program
At its April 4, 2008 meeting, the Board adopted a resolution recognizing $34,782,473 from CARB under the “Year 10” Carl Moyer Program. This action is to recognize additional $88,691 from CARB. Effective January 1, 2009, CARB required all retrofit devices to comply with a lower nitrogen dioxide emission limit. The devices that do not meet this limit are no longer verified and many contractors now must switch to more costly devices to meet this new requirement. This action is to amend existing contracts for retrofit projects to provide additional funding. Other actions are to also execute a new contract under the “Year 10” Carl Moyer Program and amend two awards under the SOON Provision.
Moved (Mayor Yates), seconded (Councilmember Reyes Uranga), and unanimously recommended for approval.
- Execute Contract to Cosponsor Development and Certification of Natural
Gas Chevrolet Impala Sedans
Full-size compressed natural gas (CNG) sedans are widely used in public and private fleets. Currently, there are a limited number of equipment manufacturers that produce full-size CNG sedans. To increase the number and variety of CNG vehicles in fleets, NaturalDrive Partners, LLC has proposed the development and certification of CARB compliant CNG full-size sedans that would be derived from the gasoline Chevrolet Impala 3.5 and 3.9 liter models. The total cost for this project is estimated to be $234,388. This action is to execute a contract with NaturalDrive Partners, LLC to conduct this project at a cost not to exceed $81,388 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
Moved (Councilmember Reyes Uranga), seconded (Mayor Pulido), and unanimously recommended for approval.
- Execute Contract to Cosponsor Sustainable Transportation Energy
Pathways Program
The UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies is conducting a multi-year research and outreach program to develop the theory, tools and methods that allow for self-consistent and transparent comparisons of promising alternative energy and vehicle pathways, and apply these tools and methods in comparative assessments of four general transportation energy pathways in the areas of hydrogen, biofuels, electricity and fossil fuels. The Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways (STEPS) program has input from a team of multi-disciplinary researchers and support from energy companies, automotive manufacturers and government agencies. STEPS analyses will include a focus on Southern California as the early market for alternative fueled vehicles, specifically hydrogen fuel cells, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles. This action is to execute a contract with UC Davis to cosponsor STEPS program projects in 2009 and 2010 in an amount not to exceed $120,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
Mayor Pulido asked if this involvement could leverage other relevant activities at UC Davis, such as battery development. Staff responded that those activities and professors, if not directly part of the STEPS program, are directly related and collaborate as part of the program and is one reason staff supports our involvement in this project.
Mayor Pulido requested staff provide regular updates when available from the Program to the Board.
Moved (Mayor Pulido), seconded (Councilmember Reyes Uranga), and unanimously recommended for approval.
- Change of May Technology Committee Meeting from May 15 to May 22, 2009
Moved (Mayor Yates), seconded (Supervisor Wilson), and unanimously recommended for approval.
Public Comment Period
Ron Smith, Adrianus Resources, representing the consultants of McNeilus indicated Kenworth is going through the analysis right now to put natural gas engines in. He stated you start with what is existing, you go forward, and then you get the OEM’s aboard.
The meeting was adjourned.
Attachment (DOC, 146k)
A - Attendance