Transcript Natural gas
Transportation 2013-14 Annual Alternative Fuels In-Service Training “The all-of-the-above energy strategy I announced a few years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than we’ve been in decades. One of the reasons why is natural gas – if extracted safely, it’s the bridge fuel that can power our economy 2013-14 Annual with less carbon pollution that causes climate change.” Transportation In-Service Training President Barack Obama State of the Union Address January 28, 2014 “The all-of-the-above energy strategy I announced a few years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than we’ve been in decades. One of the reasons why is natural gas – if extracted safely, it’s the bridge fuel that can power our economy 2013-14 Annual with less carbon pollution that causes climate change.” Transportation In-Service Training President Barack Obama State of the Union Address January 28, 2014 Transportation We’re neither in nor out; we want to join the marketplace, not try to establish it. 2013-14 Annual We’re educators, not speculators. In-Service Training Where are the entrepreneurs? • If it’s a can’t-miss opportunity why aren’t we blanketed by entrepreneurs willing to assume all of the risk (and benefit) of the opportunity? 2013-14 Annual • Skeletal distribution infrastructure; In-Service susceptible to shortages,Training failure. Transportation Infrastructure & R&D absorption • CNG infrastructure is costly; vehicle manufacturers are pricing vehicles to recover R&D now rather than risk amortizing over the 2013-14 Annual longer term. Why? Transportation In-Service Training Regulation of production, distribution, & emissions • Does anyone think it won’t happen once the industry stabilizes and we see more fracking and methane emissions? Regulation => Cost Transportation 2013-14 Annual In-Service Training CNG as a bridge fuel • President says it’s a bridge fuel. How long will the bridge be up? How long would we need to balance the infrastructure investment? Transportation 2013-14 Annual In-Service Training The politics of alternative fuels are all Transportation over the map; it doesn’t inspire 2013-14 Annual confidence in making a change. In-Service Training Politics Some advocates say it’s easier to transition from oil to natural gas then to renewables than directly from oil to renewables; using it as a 2013-14 Annual bridge fuel as a strategy to get to renewable In-Service energy, a meansTraining to an end. Transportation Politics Others are concerned that alternative fuels R&D is being funneled to CNG development rather than exploring the renewable alternative. Transportation 2013-14 Annual In-Service Training Politics Still others worry that once we struggle to establish CNG infrastructure, we’ll be too weary to make another move for generations. Transportation 2013-14 Annual In-Service Training The Clean Fuel Alternative? • CARB found differences between MaxxForce DT and the ISL-G engine emissions to be quite comparable. 2013-14 Annual • MHC – 9-15 years in the atmosphere; more In-Service Training than 20 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2. Transportation The Total Package It isn’t enough for us to like the technology or the idea of transitioning to an alternative fuel. We have to like everything that normally goes 2013-14 Annual into our decision to purchase a manufacturer’s In-Service Training bus: quality, workmanship, features, support, cost. An attraction to the fuel the bus burns isn’t enough. Transportation Weighing the Options Transportation Ultimately, we need to believe the benefit of a transition to alternative fuels outweighs the 2013-14 Annual benefit of not making the transition. In-Service Training Transportation 2013-14 Annual Questions? In-Service Training