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Most School Buses Belch Toxic Diesel Fumes but this one Reduces Them by 90%! Courtesy George Beeler, NCARB California Welcomes the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus. One of the nation's first plug-in hybrid electric school buses was recently on view in California's beautiful Napa Valley. It was being delivered to Napa Valley Unified School District by Advanced Energy, IC Corporation and Enova Systems. The Napa Valley Unified School District will become one of eight school districts in the U.S. - and the first in California - to operate a new plug-in hybrid electric school bus. The new bus will help offset increasing fuel costs for the district, with the potential to double fuel efficiency and reduce emissions by up to 90 percent. The new bus is a result of a nationwide initiative called the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project, led by Raleigh, N.C.-based Advanced Energy, a non-profit corporation that initiated a buyer's consortium of school districts, state energy agencies and student transportation providers. The hybrid plug-in school bus is built by IC Corporation, the nation’s largest school bus manufacturer, and Enova Systems, a leading provider of hybrid drive systems. Bringing the hybrid school bus to Napa is the result of strong local support and funding from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus USA program, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Partially sponsored by a $100,000 contribution from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, this “next generation” school bus significantly reduces the amount of diesel emissions and lowers the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere. “Air pollution affects all Bay Area school children,” said Jack Broadbent, Executive Officer of the Bay Area Air District. “Napa’s plug-in hybrid school bus not only cleans up the air by reducing diesel emissions, it also offers a daily lesson in environmental stewardship for our youth.” PG&E provided $30,000 to help with the purchase of the plug-in hybrid school bus. In April of 2007, PG&E showcased the first-ever utility Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology demonstration in the Silicon Valley and, in June, PG&E announced it had also teamed with Google to bring plug-in-hybrid technology to its Mountain View campus. Over the last 15 years, PG&E’s clean fuel fleet has displaced more than 3.4 million gallons of gasoline and diesel, and helped to avoid 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. “The adoption of plug-in hybrid vehicles represents a tremendous opportunity to meet our state’s landmark greenhouse gas emission goals, and to protect our natural heritage,” said Brad Whitcomb, Vice President of Customer Products and Services for PG&E. “We are committed to helping the Napa Valley, along with our entire service area, bring more alternative fuel and clean energy into our communities.” An additional $30,000 to fund the bus was provided by the U.S. EPA through the Clean School Bus USA program and the West Coast Collaborative, a public-private partnership to reduce diesel emissions. "The Napa Valley Unified School District is taking an important step in protecting the health of students, bus drivers and residents with their new plug-in hybrid school bus, which combines the best attributes of electric and clean diesel technology to dramatically reduce fuel consumption and diesel emissions," said Amy Zimpfer, Air Division Associate Director for the U.S. EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. "EPA is proud to provide funding for this important milestone, which not only has significant environmental benefits, but also helps reduce greenhouse gases and brings exciting new technology to the local community." How the Hybrid School Bus Works While the exterior of the hybrid school bus looks the same as a standard school bus, it is powered with innovative new technology. The hybrid school bus project features Enova's Charge Depleting System (or "Plug In"), which was extensively tested and evaluated at IC Corporation’s research and technology facility in Fort Wayne, Ind. With an overnight charge, this system utilizes a larger battery based on advanced battery chemistry that provides stored energy intended to be drawn down over the driving cycle, thus optimizing fuel economy. In other words, the bus will use a diesel engine to operate, but the electric battery will activate when needed to reduce the amount of diesel fuel used to power the engine. Improving Fuel Economy, Reducing Emissions Depending on the bus route, fuel economy is expected to improve by 70-100 percent and emissions are expected to be reduced by up to 90 percent. “This project provides operational benefits to school districts, while also providing the reduced emissions levels desired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a valuable return on investment to school boards,” said Ewan Pritchard, P.E., Advanced Energy’s hybrid program manager. The initial powertrain for the hybrid school bus will couple a MaxxForce 7™ diesel engine with the 25/80-kilowatt hybrid-electric powertrain, incorporating a transmission, batteries and an electric motor. The system is based on a parallel architecture, allowing the system to utilize both diesel and electric power in a highly efficient manner. The hybrid bus is also configured to run on biofuel blends to increase its environmental performance. Next Generation School Buses “IC Corporation’s hybrid school bus revolutionizes the school bus industry,” said Michael Cancelliere, Vice President and General Manager of IC Corporation. “Improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions helps school districts and the environment. IC Corporation is committed to environmental leadership and delivering value to our customers.” Later this year, other school districts around the country will be receiving the remaining IC Corporation hybrid school buses awarded in Advanced Energy’s bid. By the end of 2007, 19 hybrid school buses will be in operation because of Advanced Energy’s consortium. About IC Corporation The nation's largest integrated manufacturer of school buses, IC Corporation is a leader in passenger protection, chassis design, engines and ergonomics. The company is also a producer of commercial buses. About Advanced Energy Advanced Energy is a Raleigh, N.C.-based nonprofit corporation that strives to create environmental, economic and societal benefits through innovative and market-based approaches to energy. The Hybrid Electric School Bus Project represents a collaborative effort among many parties to improve the nation's fuel efficiency and air quality. The project has demonstrated that industry, government and non-profits can successfully work together to improve the environment and encourage the economy. About Enova Enova Systems is a leading supplier of efficient, environmentally friendly digital power components and systems products. The Company develops, designs and produces non-invasive drive systems and related components for electric, hybrid-electric, and fuel cell powered vehicles in both the “new” and “retrofit” vehicle sales market. |
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