Cleaner-burning biodiesel and GTL diesel to fuel Bay Area buses during
six-month study
OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Alameda-Contra
Costa Transit District (AC Transit) and Chevron Products Company today
launched the Cleaner Fuels Test Program, which will study two alternative
fuels in a fleet of buses traveling Bay Area roadways.
During the six-month study, AC Transit will test a biodiesel fuel blend
and GTL (gas-to-liquids) diesel in a fleet of 22 unmodified diesel buses.
Chevron will provide the fuels and engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. will
provide engine assessments and technical consulting. It's anticipated the
test buses will transport more than 1.5 million passengers, travel over
400,000 miles and consume more than 100,000 gallons of alternative fuels
during the study period.
The pilot program is unique because it provides the opportunity for an
end-user, a fuel provider and an engine manufacturer to collectively learn
more about the characteristics, distribution, efficiency and emissions of
biodiesel and GTL diesel. In addition to understanding the potential
emissions benefits of these fuels, the program will help guide future
alternative fuel solutions by giving participants invaluable operational
experience in such critical areas as fuel handling, blending and storage.
The Cleaner Fuels Test Program builds on the successful partnership
between AC Transit and Chevron with the HyRoad Fuel Cell Demonstration
Program. Through the groundbreaking program, Chevron built hydrogen
production and fueling facilities that have been powering AC Transit's
fleet of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell buses since January 2006.
"AC Transit and Chevron have shown how public/private partnerships can
work to advance technological innovation through real-world demonstration,"
said Rick Fernandez, general manager of AC Transit. "As a public transit
agency, our mission is to provide the best possible service to our
communities. By exploring a range of emissions-reducing fuel alternatives,
we not only provide cleaner, 'greener' public transportation for our
region, we also help advance our range of alternative fuels, potentially
bringing benefits to communities far beyond our own service area."
"Chevron supports increasing the amount of renewable and alternative
fuels in the transportation fuel mix as a way to help expand and diversify
energy supplies," said Mike Wirth, executive vice president of Global
Downstream for Chevron.
Added Shariq Yosufzai, president of Global Marketing for Chevron,
"Pilot programs like this one are important to furthering our understanding
of how alternative fuels can play a greater role in meeting future energy
needs and in building on our legacy as a reliable supplier of quality
fuels, such as our gasolines with the proprietary Techron(R) additive."
The Cleaner Fuels Test Program will study B20, a blend of 20 percent
biodiesel and 80 percent ultra low sulfur diesel. Biodiesel can be produced
from a variety of refined biological materials and has the potential to
reduce overall carbon emissions. While B20 can be used in conventional
diesel vehicles, most engine manufacturers warranty their vehicles only for
biodiesel blends up to 5 percent. This partnership provides the opportunity
to study the impact of a higher biodiesel blend on engines.
The pilot program also will study the use of 100 percent GTL diesel, a
high-quality liquid fuel derived from natural gas that is virtually
sulfur-free, almost odorless and can potentially benefit air quality. In
addition, the ability to produce GTL diesel will help diversify supplies
needed to meet the increasing global demand for transportation fuels.
About AC Transit
AC Transit is one of the largest transit agencies in California,
serving over 67 million passengers a year throughout a 360-square mile
region. For 47 years, AC Transit has been recognized as a national leader
in the transit industry. AC Transit has captured the American Public
Transit Association's "Best of the Best" award six out of the past nine
years. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute of Washington, D.C.,
named AC Transit a "National Clean Bus Leader" for its advanced
environmental technology initiatives. In 2006, AC Transit was recognized by
the San Francisco Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission with an
award of excellence, for its pioneering work in the development of
zero-emission technology and its leadership role in advancing the cause of
environmentally sound programs for the public transport industry. More
information about AC Transit is available at
http://www.actransit.org/environment/.
About Chevron Products Company
Chevron Products Company is a division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., an
indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, one of the
world's leading integrated energy companies. We have approximately 58,000
employees, and our subsidiaries conduct business in more than 180
countries. We operate across the entire energy spectrum -- producing and
transporting crude oil and natural gas; refining, marketing and
distributing fuels and other energy products and services; manufacturing
and selling petrochemical products; generating power; and developing and
commercializing the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and
other renewables. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information
about Chevron is available at http://www.chevron.com.
About Cummins Inc.
Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is a corporation of complementary
business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and
related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling,
filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ind., Cummins serves customers in more than 160
countries through its network of 550 company-owned and independent
distributor facilities and more than 5,000 dealer locations. Cummins
reported net income of $715 million on sales of $11.4 billion in 2006. More
information about Cummins is available at http://www.cummins.com and
everytime.cummins.com
About Sasol Chevron
Sasol Chevron, a 50/50 joint venture that actively pursues commercial
application of GTL technology for selected reserves of natural gas, has
sourced the GTL diesel fuel from Sasol's plant in South Africa, where it is
produced using the proprietary Sasol Slurry Phase Distillate and will
assist with the test design of the program. More information about Sasol
Chevron is available at http://www.sasolchevron.com.
SOURCE Chevron Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.chevron.com
http://www.actransit.org http://www.cummins.com
http://www.sasolchevron.com
CONTACT:
Jaimie Levin of AC Transit, +1-510-891-7244,
jlevin@actransit.org; or Leif Sollid of Chevron, +1-925-683-0411,
leif.sollid@chevron.com
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