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Yellowstone Leads the Way to Alternative Fuel
Last Updated: March 07, 2011
The National Park Service is entrusted with preserving and showcasing America's natural wonders and historical landmarks, maintaining 392 national parks covering millions of acres of land and water in all parts of the country, and plays host to more than 275 million visitors every year. No other place on earth has this much natural diversity and spectacular scenery in one accessible place than America's first national park: Yellowstone.
So it's no surprise that this is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. More than a million private vehicles and three million people traverse the park during the six months it's open every year. Yet the very act of admiring the scenery or stopping for one of Yellowstone's infamous wildlife jams-those daily backups caused by elk, bison, and bears blocking the road or just spotted nearby-is endangering the pristine environment that makes this place so special.
To combat the problem, the Park Service is committed to alternative fuel vehicles as a major part of their environmental stewardship program. In fact, a biodiesel-powered 1995 Dodge Ram pickup was the National Park Service's first alt-fuel vehicle, and it's still in service in Yellowstone with over 200,000 miles on its clock. Ask stakeholders in the Department of Energy's Clean Cities program: Yellowstone leads by example. All of their heavy vehicles run on biodiesel blends up to B40 in the summer. The park fleet also contains a number of flex-fuel E85 vehicles, advanced technology hybrids, and a few small electrics.
But park management is also looking to the past for inspiration. Jim Evanoff of the National Park Service explains, "Yellowstone had a very unique transportation operation prior to World War II, when we had a fleet of yellow buses. We had close to 400 of these old yellow buses that would transport people as they got off the trains in Gardiner and West Yellowstone and take them into the park. And most importantly, there was a driver that was very well educated and well versed in interpreting all the park's features to the visitors. After World War II, America fell in love with the private automobile and the station wagon, and nobody wanted to ride in these old yellow buses anymore, and they were slowly put out of service."
Amazingly, at its peak, Yellowstone was the second largest bus company in the nation behind Greyhound. Now, to reduce the volume of vehicles on the park's roads, Yellowstone has commissioned a small fleet of new biodiesel-powered yellow buses to use as employee shuttles and to serve as clean fuel ambassadors in nearby communities. The park has also acquired and refurbished eight of the original old yellow buses and put them back into service-once again giving guided tours in portions of the park.
Yellowstone is not as well suited to mass transit as other national parks, though. Parks with limited access or a single tourist attraction can more easily corral visitors' cars in one place and make use of shuttles. Glacier National Park's famous vintage red tour buses are still in daily use, plying visitors over the road to the sun. And they were retrofitted a number of years ago to run on clean propane while modern tour buses at Mammoth Cave National Park and others around the country are running on clean alternative fuels as well. Evanoff explains, "We're not just looking at alternative fuels but also looking at more green procurement. We're looking at water conservation opportunities, renewable energy such as from the sun or falling water.
Other park programs, like recycling and composting and a new partnership with Michelin to test low-rolling resistance tires, all tie together to reduce vehicle use, lower emissions, and save fuel. And the National Park Service hopes the influence of their good example extends beyond the park gates.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Trying to Clear the Air
Last Updated: March 07, 2011
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park that straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, is the place where eco-friendly hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles are now helping to preserve this lush landscape. In 2006, beautifully wrapped and decorated hybrid cars were donated to the friends of Smoky Mountains by Toyota.
Since then, the park has received grants to help purchase additional alt fuel vehicles like E-Rods electric utility vehicles. One is used by maintenance crews; the other is an integral part of the Elk Bugle Corps that educates the public about the park's wildlife. Also new are seven hybrid SUVs and a new biodiesel filling station. The park's maintenance vehicles use B50 year-round, a switch that took a little getting used to.
According to Sam Owl, fleet manager for the park, "There was a learning curve with biodiesel because filters were plugging up and cleaning out the old fuel when we first switched to B50. But once we got past that curve, it seems like things are going pretty good now." The park is working closely with the Land-of-Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition in Asheville, North Carolina, a perfect partner to help showcase the Smokies' naturally green beauty.
Electric Off-Road Vehicle Provides Fun for Kids at Camp Discovery
Last Updated: February 28, 2011
The American Cancer Society's Camp Discovery in Kerrville, Texas, is designed for kids who have been battling various forms of cancer. The kids got to help build an electric dune buggy. ACE Technologies, a local engineering consulting firm, helped design the EV kit using an ATV chassis.
The gas engine was replaced by an electric drive system that uses a lithium-ion battery pack and solar panel. The two-seater has a top speed of 55 miles per hour with a range of 30 miles. Project coordinators found the kids learned a huge lesson in EV technology. According to Gary Krysztopik, of ACE Technologies, "That's what we wanted to show the kids, too-that it's very simple. You've got a bunch of batteries and an electric motor, and you connect them up, and it turns, and you go. And that's the beauty of electic vehicles, they're so simple."
The Alamo Area Clean Cities coalition helped raise funds to build this one-of-a-kind dune buggy. James Houseman won the auction with a generous bid of $15,000--benefitting the San Antonio chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Alternative Fuels Make History in Colonial Williamsburg
Last Updated: May 19, 2010
MotorWeek success story this week takes us back in time to Colonial Williamsburg, where natural gas-powered transit buses seem a bit out of place in this hotbed of 18th-century Americana. The popular living-history museum has been using alternative fuel vehicles to transport visitors since 1995. Their bus service center--just down the road--houses close to 20 buses with an easy-to-use CNG filling station nearby.
Colonial Williamsburg also uses three electric mini-trucks for their landscaping and hotel maintenance needs. The pint-sized vehicles can only go 25 miles an hour--an ideal speed for travel on Williamsburg grounds. Workers plug into a regular outlet to charge their batteries overnight and can use it the following morning for a full day's work.
Colonial Williamsburg has been at the forefront of the alt-fuel movement--combining our love of America's past with greener technologies for America's future.
View the MotorWeek video of this story.
Disneyland Resort Moves With CNG and Biodiesel
Last Updated: April 29, 2009
Disneyland Resort, Inc. is continuing its commitment to the environment by introducing two initiatives to reduce its petroleum use while maintaining its reputation for excellent guest services. The Resort has begun using compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel its 16 guest trams that transport guests between Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure park, and parking facilities. The switch to CNG from a diesel/hybrid engine was made possible through a $1.17 million grant from the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, which paid for nearly half the conversion costs. According to Disneyland transportation specialists, using CNG will eliminate the need for approximately 50,000 gallons of diesel per year.
The Carl Moyer grant was created by the California state legislature in 1998 to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Each year, the California Air Resources Board disburses money to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which administers Carl Moyer funds in Southern California.
The Resort is also using a special B99 biodiesel made from recycled cooking oil to power its Disneyland Railroad steam trains and the Mark Twain riverboat. The move is expected to save approximately 200,000 gallons of petroleum diesel per year, according to Frank Dela Vara, Disneyland Resort's director of environmental affairs and conservation. The Disneyland Railroad's five trains have been using a soy-based biodiesel since April 2007. The B99 used cooking oil-based biodiesel will continue to reduce emissions by up to 80%.
Cranmore Mountain Resort Uses B20
Last Updated: May 30, 2008
Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, New Hampshire, has been recognized by the National Biodiesel Board for proving the viability of biodiesel in winter conditions through its use of B20 to operate four snow groomers since 2003. The resort uses more than 20,000 gallons of B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel) each year, which results in a 4,000-gallon reduction in the use of conventional diesel. The resort also invested in a 4,000-gallon above-ground, non-heated biodiesel storage tank with collaborative help from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the Granite State Clean Cities Coalition.
According to Director of Operations Jim Mersereau, Cranmore's use of biodiesel has resulted in a significant improvement in air quality because it burns cleaner than conventional diesel. "This is especially true when the machines are being worked on in the repair shop," says Mersereau. Employees have also found that not only is biodiesel better for the environment but it is convenient to use. "We have never had any problems with the biodiesel fuel in the cold, and we didn't have to make any modifications to our machines in order to use it," Mersereau says.
For additional information on Cranmore Mountain Resort, visit the Web site at http://www.cranmore.com or contact Jim Mersereau at jmersereau.mc@boothcreek.com.
Zion National Park Shuttles Run on Propane
Last Updated: September 21, 2007
Zion National Park in Utah, at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert, operates 30 propane (LPG) buses that provide transportation along the Zion Canyon scenic drive inside the park and along a route in the neighboring town of Springdale. The park bus route departs the Zion Canyon Visitor Center every few minutes. Approximately 81% of park visitors use the shuttle service during its operating season. According to Kirk Scott, general manager of the Zion Shuttle System, the buses are quieter and emit fewer pollutants into the environment than diesel. At an average 1,076 Btu of energy used per passenger mile, the shuttle buses are also about three times more fuel efficient than passenger cars.
The park purchases high-purity LPG at stable prices from cryogenic storage facilities at a refinery near Salt Lake City. The electronic components that control ignition in the Cummins B5.9 LPG engines seem to work best with at least 95% purity propane fuel and no propylene. Experienced professionals need to install the LPG fueling infrastructure. The park plans to continue using LPG in shuttles and to purchase more LPG buses to replace older buses and expand its fleet.
For more information, visit the Zion National Park website or contact Kirk Scott at parkstrans@infowest.com.
Redwood National and State Parks
Last Updated: August 22, 2007
Located near Eureka, California, the Redwood National and State Parks are currently using a variety of alternative fuels in its fleet. They are using biodiesel (B20) to operate 32 heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) used for park maintenance. The park also uses five light-duty electric vehicles and two Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) for light maintenance and park transportation. In addition, the park has an electric tractor vehicle used to haul cleaning supplies to the restrooms, pick up and transport garbage, and to perform routine maintenance work. "The electric tractor is quieter than a conventional vehicle, and it does not disturb the wildlife as much," says Roads and Trails Supervisor Richard Mayle.Redwood National and State Parks currently has an onsite biodiesel (B20) refueling station. "Biodiesel is inconsistent because it usually takes a few weeks to get a shipment to our remote location. Sometimes the fuel arrives in a few days and other times it takes a couple of weeks," says Mayle. "Biodiesel also costs a little bit more than conventional fossil fuel diesel, but we have noticed that biodiesel is cleaner and seems better for the environment."
For additional information, visit the Redwood National and State Parks website or contact Richard Mayle at richard_mayle@nps.gov.
