READ THE RFP CAREFULLY BEFORE BEGINNING A PROPOSAL!
Introduction
The Tennessee Team for NGVs--or TN NGV Task Force--was started offically in 2011 as a collaboration between the three Tennessee Clean Cities coalitions and the Tennessee Gas Association (TGA). The collaborations overarching mission is to enable a transition to much greater usage of cleaner, American natural gas as a transportation fuel in Tennessee. Specific activities include a) direct outreach to fleets about natural gas; b) managing monthly, open conference calls to discuss activities in Tennessee and how to move them forward; and c) planning workshops, road shows and other NGV events in Tennessee.
Additionally, the Team has planned an Expo in Nashville for April 4, 2012 where many vendors and supporters of NGVs will converge to speak with state legislators about supporting the expansion of natural gas as a transportation fuel in the state! Join us on one of the monthly conference calls to learn more about this event or to become a sponsor.
Primary Contacts
• Tennessee Gas Association - Lynette DiMeola: 615-872-2412; ldimeola(at)tngas.org
• East TN Clean Fuels - Jonathan Overly: 865-803-7555; jgoverly(at)utk.edu
• Middle TN Clean Fuels - Atha Comiskey: 615-884-4908; mtcf(at)comcast.net
• West TN Clean Cities - Paul Rice: 731-298-6447; mrpfrice(at)aeneas.com
Tennessee Monthly Conference Calls Information
The monthly Tennessee NGVs Task Force conference calls are open to anyone who wants to join in the discussion or listen in, we just ask that you identify yourself when the call is started. The agenda may change from call to call and we may have presenters on from time to time, but we will typically be catching up on 1) on-going projects, 2) funding opportunities, 3) new . The calls are held...
typically on the 4th Tuesday of every month, at 8:30am CT / 9:30am ET unless otherwise noted
Call number and access code: 312-340-6650, 953397
Near-future dates:
- April 24, 2012
- May 22, 2012
- June 26, 2012
Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) - 40 vehicles, mostly service trucks
Piedmont Natural Gas, Nashville - 23 vehicles
AT&T, Nashville - 30 vans
Scott Appalachian Industries, Huntsville - 9 shuttles/minivans (working on these vehicles now!)
Citizens Gas Utility District, Wartburg - 4 service trucks
Sevier County Utility District - several vehicles
City of Sevierville - 2 service trucks
City of Gatlinburg - 2 police cruisers
Elk River Public Utility District - 1 Ford F-150
Oak Ridge Utility District - 1 Ford Fusion
Marion County - 1 Ford Fusion
Public CNG Stations in Tennessee
See our map of public CNG stations in Tennessee --> TN Public CNG Stations Map
All the info on each station can be found by just clicking on the station!
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OEM information - Honda, General Motors & Ford
Honda, GM and Ford are the only light-duty car and truck manufacturers currently making OEM NGVs! Visit the below links to learn more.
Reddell Honda - Murfressboro - They are currently the only certified Honda Civic Natural Gas (formerly called the GX) dealer in Tennessee. Contact Mark Williams to learn more about the Civics you can order through them.
General Motors - Will offer bi-fuel versions of its 2013 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks. The two trucks are the 2500 HD (heavy duty) model, and can be ordered in rear-wheel or four-wheel drive and with a standard or long bed. Impco will be providing the conversions and they will be done right at the GM's OEM conversion center in Union City, Indiana. Read more on these trucks here. They are also offering a dedicated CNG option for fleet and commercial customers for the 2012 Express/Savana 2500 and 3500 Cargo Vans.Click here to visit the GM Website for more info on the vans.
Ford - They are working with Westport LD to offer the F-250 and F-350 in a bi-fuel option straight from Ford! The vehicles are pulled off the line in Louisville, upfitted by Westport at their factory nearby, then returned to the production line for delivery to your local dealer.
"Where can I find used NGVs?"
Here are a few Websites where you can find information on used NGVs that may be available anywhere in the U.S. Note that all of these links will connect you to dealerships or information that are based in other states, or that cover multiple states!
GSA Auto Auctions - The Website says they anticipate selling over 4,000 AFVs in the coming year!! Choose "Find Vehicle" at the top (little magnifying glass) and then select Fuel Type on the left-hand side and choose "CNG/Gas Bi-Fuel" and then search and you will see what NGVs are currently for sale through GSA.
Chattanooga Auto Auctions - This is the only GSA vehicle auction site in Tennessee that sells used government service vehicles. They do sell NGVs from time to time.
Training for CNG: Driver & Technician Safety, Fuel Systems Inspections, Station Design
The Natural Gas Vehicle Institute (NGVi) has been providing natural gas vehicle and systems training for many years. Visit the agove link to see their site, or click here to see their current schedule of public classes that are held all over the country.
The National Alternative Fuel Training Consortium is another option that fleets or other natural gas industry representatives have to receive training. NAFTC has an introductory level course that may be best suited for those that know little about NGVs as a way to begin learning about the vehicles that use this fuel.
The NGToolkit
The Natural Gas Toolkit, or NGToolkit.com is a website with information to help those just getting started in learning about NG as a transportation fuel. The website first and foremost features a Calculator that is a pre-setup spreadsheet for calculating ROI on CNG vehicle investments.
Other features include some online resources, and a rare find: Call-a-Fleet. Call-a-Fleet gives you contacts for other NG fleet managers from all over the U.S. that have agreed to receive phone calls from fleet managers that are learing about NG, to help them answer any related fleet or fuel questions. Get some of your questions together, and give one of them a call -- and tell them you are calling them from finding them on this website!
Southeast U.S. NGV Corridor Conference Calls
Started in 2010, Bob Strickland of Alagasco and others began these every-two-weeks conference calls that discuss natural gas actions and opportunities across the entire southeastern U.S. These are very informative calls, and there is usually at least one speaker discussing equipment, new stations, and the like.
The calls are held every other Tuesday morning beginning at 11am ET, 10am CT
Near future 2012 calls are planned for: May 8, 22; June 5, 19; July 3, 17, 31
The natural gas equipment company Fuelmaker produced the home refueling unit called the "Phill" home refueling appliance for a number of years during the '00's. They are now owned by BRC and below is a link to the is is a type of time-fill system that compresses the fuel directly into the vehicle. Overnight refueling is easy and the customer gets a complete fill for his or her daily driving needs.
>- NGV America's Guide to Available Natural Gas Vehicles and Engines - This is the quintessential, downloadable and printable document (although legal-sized) you need which lists all of the vehicles that can be converted. It is updated ~once/year by NGVA, and they are in the middle of updating it right now! Check the link, but check back soon and I'm sure it will be posted. (pdf; 119 kB)
>- 3-30-11 = The EPA's Rule Change on AFV conversions - EPA Rule Change - AFV Conversions (pdf; 591 kB)
3-27-12 >> Westport LD bifuel system installed on the F-250 and F-350 for 2012 models - Get Presentation Here Contact information - Craig Duffy, Fleet Sales Marketing Manager, Westport LD: 734-233-6871, CDuffy(at)westport.com
2012 UPDATE & NOTE: The federal natural gas tax credits for infrastructure, vehicle conversion and fuel cost all expired at the end of 2011. The NAT GAS Act is currently in congress but has not passed.
Types of Tax Credits Information
Find information on any federal or state incentives and laws at the first link, or click the links after that to see specific, federal, alt-fuel tax credits that relate to NG (and in several cases other alt fuels, too).