Pennsylvania Steps Up With $7.9M Investment in 21 alt-fuel Projects

These are the announcements that warm the hearts of all alternate vehicle aficionados. We wish every State in the Union had such plans.

Pennsylvania recently announced the investment of $7.9 million in 21 alternative fuel projects in the state. The projects include those addressing biofuels, natural gas, and technology for hybrid and electric plug-in vehicles. Awards include (ranked by amount):

1. PHL Taxi Management LLC—$900,000 – to purchase and deploy 50 new CNG taxis in Philadelphia that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to build a publicly accessible CNG fueling station in the city.
2. 451 Tyburn LLC—$837,400—to build a publicly accessible CNG station in Fairless Hills and deploy heavy-duty CNG shuttle buses for public transit service in region.
3. Endless Mountains Transit Authority—$750,000—to convert five public transit buses to CNG that will be fueled at a public fueling station built by Dandy Mini Marts in either Towanda or Sayre.
4. Giant Eagle Inc.—$750,000—to purchase 29 compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric/plug-in vehicles, and to install 10 public electric vehicle charging stations—the first of their kind in Pennsylvania.
5. Waste Management of Pennsylvania Inc.—$700,000—to build a CNG fueling station at its hauling facility in Washington, PA, which will also be available to other fleet operators. The company intends to use natural gas in its fleet of trash and recycle trucks.
6. Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania—$631,787 – to help 12 school districts purchase and use 1.8 million gallons of blended biodiesel and 280,000 gallons of B100.
7. Momentum Dynamics—nearly $587,000—to develop a technology that will recharge EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles wirelessly.
8. Western Pennsylvania Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program—$486,066—to convert heavy equipment construction fleets to accept locally produced biofuels and to demonstrate the performance, cost-effectiveness, maintenance, training and research necessary to prove the concept’s viability.
9. Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania—$425,860—to help five municipalities and school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania continue fueling 500 vehicles with biodiesel.
10. Venango Leasing Co.—$362,500—to develop a CNG fueling station with convenient public access alongside an existing fuel station in Barkeyville and to purchase equipment that will enable its existing fleet to run on a mix of CNG and diesel.
11. Dean Cerimeli/U-HAUL—$346,000 – to purchase and convert the engines of 20 vans to run on liquefied petroleum gas that will be deployed throughout the state.
12. YRC, Inc.—$250,000—to install a biodiesel blending system at its Carlisle Truck Freight Terminal.
13. International Battery Inc.—$235,000—to demonstrate the long-term performance and manufacturing viability of an advanced lithium battery pack suitable for hybrid electric and electric buses and commercial trucks.
14. Philadelphia City Treasurer, Office of Fleet Management—$205,416 – to offset the cost of purchasing more than 1 million gallons of B5 biodiesel for use in the city’s fleet.
15. The city of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability—$140,000 for its $500,000 project—to add 10 charging stations and 18 electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids to existing, successful local car sharing operations.
16. Lower Merion School District—$121,641 – to purchase and use nine CNG school buses.
17. Bryn Mawr College—$88,682—to increase its existing CNG storage capacity, and purchase one CNG transport bus and two Ford Transit Connect CNG vans.
18. Self Heating & Cooling Inc.—$48,710—to develop a public propane AutoGas station in Horsham Township and add two propane-powered vehicles to the company’s fleet.
19. Cumberland County Commissioners—$15,360—to purchase 96,000 gallons of blended biodiesel.
20. East Stroudsburg Area School District—$10,540—to convert two existing, 20,000-gallon tanks for biofuel storage and purchase B5 biodiesel.
21. West Chester University of Pennsylvania—$6,000—to cover the incremental cost of purchasing B20 biodiesel to power vehicles on campus.