1. Clean Green Transportation New York Capital District Clean Air Initiative Thomas Li Max Jenquin Joe Venusto

2. Opening • Air pollution every day • Coal plants and energy generation • RESULT: Global Warming • Alternative fuels for city buses and public transportation • OBJECTIVE: Investigate the benefits and drawbacks to different sources of alternative fuel and use this information to implement a pilot program in the local CDTA bus lines to test the new fuel and its capacity for mass transit.

3. Rationale • CDTA spends $9.76 million on diesel per year • produces approximately 56.1 million pounds of Carbon Dioxide per year. • Analysis of different alternative fuels • Numerous similar projects and campaigns • Each fleet is unique – what works for one may not for another • Use analysis to determine best fit for CDTA • Types of fuel to be analyzed have been selected based on economic and environmental criteria

4. Related Projects and Organizations • Lafayette, Indiana • Study showed CityBus’ lowest cost was with compressed natural gas • Feasibility of Clean Green Transportation • Phoenix, Arizona • Purchased 120 CNG buses • Will provide lower costs in long term • Biotour • Successfully converted bus to run on Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) • Possibility of WVO being new fuel

5. Aims, Location, and Organization • Research alternative fuels and their impacts both environmentally and economically • Perform cost-benefit analysis specific to the CDTA fleet • Campaign to convince the organization to adopt the strategy • CDTA operates in Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga, and Albany • Nonprofit Research Organization operating largely on campus: New York Capital District Clean Air Initiative • Investigate • Campaign • Implement

6. Project Design and Context • New York Capital District Clean Air Initiative • Statistical and computational analysis, academic research, community outreach, project management and design • Investigate and analyze: E85 Ethanol, Biodiesel, Propane, Compressed Natural Gas, and PEMFC Hydrogen cells • Key Phases: • Data collection • Data analysis • Conversion plan and campaign preparation • Campaign for conversion • Execution of conversion plan

7. Project Design and Context • Funding • Phases 1-4 require minimal, if any, funding • Entire organization consists of volunteered time • Phase 5 requires that CDTA provide an initial investment • Efforts to raise funds from the public and government will be made in phase 4

8. Most Significant Barriers to Completion • High costs • Conversions • New fuel • May have to purchase new buses • Funding for Clean Green Transportation • Companies must perceive good investment opportunity • Need donations and support to purchase conversion tanks and new fuel systems • Technology • New fuel systems must be advanced and optimized for CDTA usage

9. Project Design and ContextStakeholders • Lots of stakeholders because of the scope and scale • CDTA • Residents of Troy and Capital District • Sodexo and local Troy and C.D. restaurants • Economics • Lower prices and costs

10. Potential for Scaling Up and Out • Public transportation across the nation needs to transition to more sustainable sources of fuel. • Convince CDTA to begin pilot program in Troy routes. • Draw from experiences and research by other cities: • Lafayette, IN & Phoenix, AZ • Use this and our experience to convince other cities • Decreased price for technology • Use NYCDCAI to organize supporters and advocacy groups on a national scale

11. Stakeholders: CDTA • Conversion costs will be high initially • Lower costs in long run • Used vegetable oil is relatively inexpensive • Diesel is more expensive, but less will be bought • Decrease in long run costs for the CDTA prompted by a high initial investment • Positive publicity because of green transition

12. Stakeholders: Troy and Capital District • Riders may initially experience slight increase in riding price because of increased costs the CDTA will incur • In long run, prices will drop because of the lower costs to the CDTA • Results in more ridership (lower prices encourage ridership) • May decrease emissions more than just by the CDTA’s fuel conversion

13. Stakeholders: Local Restaurants • Stakeholders only if WVO is the best fuel • Will be encouraged to monitor used oil quality to ensure it is usable by fleet • Costs to firms will decrease • Restaurants must pay disposal fees to dispense WVO • Fees will decrease • Positive publicity because of green transition support

14. Social and Cultural Trends • Green movement—public opinion on alternative fuels • Political support • Changes in emission regulations • If CDTA cannot run same routes with higher standards, it will reduce runs • Easier for C.G.T. to persuade support from CDTA • Better publicity • Fuel prices • Lower prices of other fuels could influence decision

15. Evaluating Success • Long run goal to reduce emissions in Troy and Capital District • Success based on how effectively and efficiently that goal is accomplished • Did CDTA adopt alternative fuel? • How effective was the plan overall? • Success will provide effective response to sustainability issue in Troy and Capital District • Will also allow us to provide feedback, research, and information to other cities looking to implement similar information

16. Bibliography • Anderson, Tim. "Waste Vegetable Oil Conversion for Diesel Bus." Instructables. Autodesk Inc., 07 Aug 2007. Web. 7 Nov 2013. • "CDTA Board Approves Strategic Fleet Financing Plan." Capital District Transport Authority. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • Cline, Annika. "City Approves Alternative Fuel Bus Purchase." Downtown Devil. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • "EERE: Vehicle Technologies Office Home Page." Carbon Dioxide from Gasoline and Diesel Fuel. US Department of Energy, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • "Fuels & Vehicles." EERE: Alternative Fuels Data Center. US Department of Energy, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. • Jennifer A. Dlouhy, $3.5M grant goes to CDTA for hybrid electric buses. Timesunion.com news. Published Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. • "Petroleum and Other Liquids: Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update." US Energy Information Administration. US Department of Energy, 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. • Todd Litman, Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits, June 14, 2010. From the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, for the American Public Transportation Association. • "Vegetable Oil as a Fuel." Squeaky Wheels Adventures. Squeaky Wheel Adventures, n.d. Web. 7 Nov 2013.

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