U.S. Sets Much Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Wednesday, August 29, 2012

U.S. Sets Much Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards

By BILL VLASIC

DETROIT — The Obama administration issued on Tuesday the final version of new rules that require automakers to nearly double the average fuel economy of new cars and trucks by 2025.

The standards — which mandate an average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon for the 2025 model year — will increase the pressure on auto manufacturers to step up development of electrified vehicles as well as sharply improve the mileage of their mass-market models through techniques like more efficient engines and lighter car bodies.

Current rules for the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, program mandate an average of about 29 miles per gallon, with gradual increases to 35.5 m.p.g. by 2016. The new rules represent a victory for environmentalists and advocates of fuel conservation, but were attacked by opponents, including the Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, as too costly for consumers.

While the regulations have been in development for more than a year, the White House’s decision to make them final on the first full day of the Republican National Convention seemed intended to highlight one of President Obama’s proudest accomplishments at a time when Mr. Romney has laid out a different energy and environmental agenda.

The administration called the new rules “historic,” and estimated that Americans would reduce their oil consumption by 12 billion barrels over the course of the program. “These fuel standards represent the single most important step we’ve ever taken to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Mr. Obama said in a statement.

But the Romney campaign has criticized the new rules as “extreme” and said the standards would limit the choices when consumers shop for a new car. “The president tells voters that his regulations will save them thousands of dollars at the pump, but always forgets to mention that the savings will be wiped out by having to pay thousands of dollars more upfront for unproven technology that they may not even want,” said Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for the Romney campaign.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

Wayne Helix™ Fuel Dispensers Featured at Expo Postos & Conveniência

Press release from GE:

21 August 2012

Wayne Helix™ Fuel Dispensers Featured at Expo Postos & Conveniência

 

Wayne will Showcase Its New Global Platform, the Helix Fuel Dispenser, at Expo Postos & Conveniência Trade Show in Brazil

AUSTIN, TEXAS — August 21, 2012 — Wayne, A GE Energy Business(NYSE: GE) and a global innovator of fuel dispensers and forecourt technologies, is presenting its new global dispenser line at the Expo Postos & Conveniência trade show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The international trade show, which features products, technologies and services that support fueling stations, convenience stores and food service outlets, runs today through August 23. This year the event celebrates its 10^th anniversary and is expected to receive 170 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors.

Among those exhibitors, Wayne will showcase its recently launched Wayne Helix™ fuel dispenser. This dispenser line is built on a global platform that represents the best of Wayne’s advanced technologies and transaction security in an intelligently designed pump. Wayne created the Helix dispenser based on feedback from around the world. Distributors, retailers, technicians and motorists helped to influence the features, functions and serviceability of this redesigned and reconceived fuel dispenser.

"The Helix dispenser line represents a big step in the progression of forecourt fueling, and we are excited to present it to our customers in South America,” said Paul de la Port, Wayne vice president of products. “The Helix dispenser achieves a sleek iconic design that improves the experience for users, and our customers can expect consistency and simplicity to own and maintain it over the life of the product.”

In addition to the Helix family of dispensers, Wayne will feature its Wayne Vista™, Global Century™ and fleet fuel dispenser lines. Complementing the dispensers will be the Wayne Xflo™ fuel meter, which combines revolutionary engineering and precision design to help maintain accuracy and reduce meter drift. Fuel retailers also will see demonstrations of the Wayne Fusion™ forecourt system, which provides comprehensive forecourt control—including multiple device and POS management, reporting and remote visibility—all in a single tool. Wayne also will showcase several value-added solutions, including media, automatic tank gauging, technology services and remote support via Wayne’s network operations center (NOC).

Wayne Global President Neil Thomas remarks, “It is a very exciting time here at Wayne, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to display our hard work and dedication to the fuel dispenser industry and our customers. This is our chance to show the world the fuel dispensers and forecourt technologies of the 21^st century.”

Fuel retailers around the globe will have additional opportunities to see the new Helix fuel dispenser line along with the latest Wayne products, technologies and services. After Expo Postos & Conveniência, Wayne travels to Frankfurt, Germany for Automechanika in September, and then to Las Vegas for the NACS Show in October. Wayne will begin taking orders for Helix fuel dispensers later this year.

About Wayne, A GE Energy Business

Wayne is a component of GE’s (NYSE: GE) 2011 acquisition of Dresser, Inc. and is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and servicing of forecourt fueling solutions where reliability and uptime are critical. Dispensers, payment platforms, control systems and technology from Wayne play an essential role in traditional and alternative fueling sites around the world. Wayne is ISO14001 certified. http://www.wayne.com

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

News Release from GE - Oblong

08 March 2012

FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO REAL SOLUTIONS, OBLONG RECEIVES INVESTMENTS FROM MORGAN STANLEY AIP, GE-NRG ENERGY-CONOCOPHILLIPS VENTURE AND FOUNDRY GROUP

LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2012 – Oblong Industries, the company that created the computing environments depicted in the film Minority Report, has announced that it is partnering with two new funders for its Series B capital raise: Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners, and Energy Technology Ventures — a GE-NRG Energy-ConocoPhillips venture. The Foundry Group, already an Oblong investor, led the new funding round.

Oblong and its partners view this latest investment round as an opportunity to fuel growth, further extend the company’s technology leadership position, and deliver solutions to a broader market.

Oblong’s g-speak™ spatial operating system provides data visualization, analytics, and integration capabilities across multiple computers, screens, and applications. The g-speak environment supports many different kinds of computing and input devices, from desktops and laptops to mobile devices, from large-screen “mission control” centers to walk-up information kiosks. Oblong pioneered the development of gestural interfaces and continues to ship the world’s most scalable and accurate system for interactive hand and object tracking.

Oblong’s Mezzanine™ product, built on the g-speak platform, introduces next-generation, real-time collaboration with integrated telepresence. Mezzanine allows any user on an enterprise network to share content and applications with any colleague, any where in the world, dynamically and interactively.

Video of Oblong’s products is available at the company’s website:http://www.oblong.com/.

"We believe Oblong's spatial operating system is revolutionizing the way people interact with their computers," said Jamey Sperans, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners. "We are delighted to be partnering with Oblong's team of visionaries in pursuing the multiple market opportunities for this transformative technology."

Oblong’s technology research began over two decades ago at the MIT Media Lab. Today, the team is comprised of developers and engineers formerly with companies including Apple, Google, Pixar, Microsoft, Accenture and Walt Disney Imagineering.

Kwindla Hultman Kramer, Oblong’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We founded Oblong because we want to make computers better, smarter, and easier to use. We're proud of the multi-user, multi-screen, multi-device spatial operating environment we're supplying to partners like Boeing, SAP, and GE Digital Energy. And we look forward to taking that platform to broader markets in 2012.”

“We seek to invest in brilliant innovations that solve real problems with a talented team that can execute. We found that in Oblong. Their groundbreaking technology has the potential to fundamentally change how we interact with and act on data,” said Kevin Skillern, GE Energy Financial Services’ Managing Director of venture capital and representative of Energy Technology Ventures.

Oblong will use the new investment dollars to scale product commercialization and custom solutions development. Partners are critical to this scaling, and GE recently announced that Oblong’s technology has been licensed by GE Digital Energy for use in new Smart Grid analytics software. The product will enable utilities to use integrated digital tools and data sources designed to make decisions, both in infrastructure planning and real-time operations.

GE’s partnership with Oblong was conducted through GE’s ecomagination Accelerator program. The $20 million ecomagination Accelerator program, a spin-off from the $200 million ecomagination challenge, is designed to scale offerings of leading start-up companies through GE as a global growth platform. In addition to equity investments, GE funds commercial pilots through the Accelerator program in key growth markets like the smart grid.

Financial details on the Series B financing round in Oblong Industries were not disclosed.

News Release from Illinois EPA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2012

Illinois EPA Designates 15 Chicago Area “Green Fleets”

Oak Park—The Illinois EPA, in coordination with the Chicago Area Clean Cities coalition, designated 15 new Chicago area Green Fleets at an event held today in Oak Park.  The Illinois Green Fleets program provides for “Green Environment, Green Energy, & Green Economics for a Green Illinois,” through the use of clean alternate fuels, such as natural gas, biodiesel, ethanol, propane and electricity in their fleet vehicles, as well as retrofiting existing diesel trucks with clean technology options to reduce diesel particulates. Information regarding the program can be found at http://www.illinoisgreenfleets.org/.  “These are family-owned and larger businesses, as well as public bodies, that have seen the value in supporting clean air, energy independence, jobs and providing insurance against the concern about high prices for gasoline and diesel,” said Interim Illinois EPA Director John Kim. “These new Green Fleets join an elite fraternity of over 100 designated fleets throughout the state. We see more and more family-owned small businesses that are taking the initiative to purchase and convert their vehicles and equipment to run on a clean American fuel,” said Darwin Burkhart, program manager for the Illinois EPA and Chairman of Chicago Area Clean Cities. The 15 new Illinois Green Fleets are: Abt Electronics, a family-owned electronics and appliance store based in Glenview, uses biodiesel in its diesel truck fleet and has 30 vans that use E85 ethanol fuel and two vans that run on natural gas. In addition, the Abt family installed diesel oxidation catalysts on eight diesel delivery trucks to further reduce particulate emissions. Groot Industries, a family operated waste hauler based in Elk Grove Village, has 33 refuse trucks that run on natural gas and has installed two natural gas refueling stations to share with other fleets. Other waste companies being recognized are Waste Management in Wheeling and Veolia ES Solid Waste in Northbrook with 33 and 20 natural gas refuse trucks, respectively. Competitive Lawn Service, a small commercial lawn business in Downers Grove, is the first lawn and landscaping business in the country to convert many of its pickup trucks and mower equipment to propane.  Doreen’s Pizzeria, a family-owned business in Calumet City, has seven natural gas-powered delivery trucks that display “Green Pizza Machines” on the sides of the vehicles. Ozinga Ready Mix, a family-owned business in Mokena, is believed to be the first concrete company in the country to convert 14 of its mixing trucks to run on natural gas. SCR Medical Transportation, a family run paratransit service in the Chicago area, operates 20 natural gas vans and shuttles for people needing mobility assistance. In addition, GO Airport Express operates two propane and two natural gas-powered shuttle vans and Yellow Cab Chicago has 79 natural gas taxis; both companies operate from O’Hare and Midway airports. Other Green Fleets that are being acknowledged at the event are Northern Illinois University in DeKalb that uses E85, biodiesel, natural gas, and hybrid vehicles in many of its trucks, buses, campus police cars, and other campus vehicles and equipment; Chicago Park District that has E85, biodiesel, natural gas, hybrids and electric vehicles; Dillon Transport of Burr Ridge that uses E85 in the company’s flex fuel vehicles; Foodliner of Franklin Park that operates six Freightliner trucks on natural gas; and the DuPage County Division of Transportation that has nearly half its fleet running on E85, biodiesel, natural gas and electricity.    ###

News Release from the DOE - Nat Gas & Biofuels Funding

President Obama Announces Funding for Breakthroughs in Natural Gas and Biofuels as Alternative Fuels for Vehicles

February 23, 2012 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Obama announced new funding to catalyze breakthrough technologies for two key alternative fuels – natural gas and biofuels – as part of his all-of-the-above energy strategy to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and provide American families new choices for vehicles that do not rely on conventional gasoline.   Through its Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), the Energy Department will make $30 million available for a new research competition in the coming months that will engage our country’s brightest scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to find ways to harness our abundant supplies of domestic natural gas for vehicles. The Department of Energy will also make $14 million available to support research and development into biofuels from algae.  These programs will spur American innovation and encourage scientific breakthroughs that will help diversify the nation’s energy portfolio, grow American companies, and develop alternative vehicle technologies that do not rely on oil.

President Obama announced the programs during a speech at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida, where he toured the school’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), an Energy Department program that teaches students how to become industrial energy efficiency experts as they help small- to mid-sized manufacturers cut energy costs.

“As President Obama made clear in his State of the Union address, in order to build a strong economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we must invest in developing American energy sources like natural gas and biofuels,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Through the new programs announced today, we can help revolutionize the way Americans fuel their cars, saving money for families and businesses while building new industries here in the United States.”

Funding Breakthroughs in Natural Gas Vehicles


ARPA-E’s $30 million funding announcement for natural gas breakthroughs build on President Obama’s call for a new era for American energy that benefits from the safe, responsible development of the near 100-year supply of American natural gas, which has the potential to support more than 600,000 U.S. jobs. Today’s natural gas vehicle technologies require tanks that can withstand high pressures, are cumbersome and either too large or too expensive to be suitable for passenger vehicles. ARPA-E’s projects under this new program, titled Methane Opportunities for Vehicular Energy - or “MOVE” - will focus on overcoming these barriers by developing innovative, low-cost natural gas storage technologies and methods to lower pressure in vehicle tanks that will help enable the widespread adoption of natural gas vehicles.

Specifically, ARPA-E seeks to fund projects that will develop lightweight tanks for cars that can run on natural gas and fit into modern passenger vehicles. This approach includes developing affordable natural gas compressors that can efficiently fuel a natural gas vehicle at home. ARPA-E also seeks to fund projects that will develop absorbing materials that are able to hold gas, similar to how a sponge holds water.  These materials could lower pressure in vehicle tanks that hold and release natural gas, making them safer and more affordable for American consumers.

President Obama launched ARPA-E in 2009 to seek out transformational, breakthrough technologies that are too risky for private-sector investment but have the potential to translate science into quantum leaps in energy technology, form the foundation for entirely new industries, and have large commercial impacts. Demonstrating the success ARPA-E has already seen, the program announced last year that eleven of its projects secured more than $200 million in outside private capital investment after initial funding from its programs.  Today’s announcement begins ARPA-E’s fifth round of funding. To date, ARPA-E has hosted four rounds of competitions and attracted over 5,000 applications from research teams, which has resulted in 180 groundbreaking projects worth over $500 million. For more information and application requirements for the Funding Opportunity Announcement, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/.

Funding to Develop Homegrown Transportation Fuels from Algae

The Energy Department’s $14 million funding announcement to develop transportation fuels from algae builds on an Administration-wide commitment to biofuels research, development, and demonstration that includes support for the construction of commercial-scale, next-generation biorefineries. Part of the Department’s sustained investment in biofuels technologies focuses on unlocking the potential for homegrown transportation fuels from algae, which have the potential to replace up to 17 percent of the United States’ imported oil for transportation. In addition, algae feedstocks offer additional benefits, such as an ability to be grown in ponds near industrial facilities where algae can feed off the carbon emissions from power plants or digest nitrogen and phosphorous from municipal waste water.  The Department is currently supporting more than 30 algae-based biofuels projects, representing $85 million in total investments.

Through the new funding announcement, the Department will seek proposals from small businesses, universities, and national laboratories to modify existing facilities for long-term algae research and test new production processes that could lead to commercial biofuels made from algae. Specifically, the new projects will establish and operate research “test beds” for algal biofuels that can facilitate development, test new approaches to algae production, and discover innovative ways to minimize the water and nutrients needed to mass produce algae for commercial biofuels. These advanced research projects will aim to significantly improve the sustainability of algae-based biofuels and accelerate technological breakthroughs.  These awards represent the first phase in a total $30 million investment in algal biofuels in fiscal year 2012.

The competitively selected projects will receive up to $14.3 million in fiscal year 2012 funds, with an additional $6.7 million available in fiscal year 2014 funding, subject to Congressional appropriations, for projects that meet rigorous performance criteria. Applications are due on April 18, 2012. For more information and application requirements for the Funding Opportunity Announcement, please visit the Funding Opportunity Exchange website.

Leaders of the Fuel Cell Pack

From the blog of the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Leaders of the Fuel Cell Pack

February 17, 2012 - 10:32am

Fuel cell forklifts like the one shown here are used by leading companies across the U.S. as part of their daily business operations. | Energy Department file photo.

Sunita Satyapal

Program Manager, Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Technology Program

What does the report show?

• The 34 companies profiled used more than 250 fuel cells totaling 30+ MW of stationary power -- enough to supply electricity for over 21,000 households.

What do WalMart, Coca-Cola, Sysco, and Whole Foods have in common?

They’re leading the pack when it comes to hydrogen and fuel cells.

The Energy Department’s "Business Case for Fuel Cells 2011" report illustrates how top American companies are using fuel cells in their business operations to advance their sustainability goals, save millions of dollars in electricity costs, and reduce carbon emissions by hundreds of thousands of metric tons per year.

The report profiles 34 companies and highlights how they incorporate fuel cell technologies into their business models. According to the report, in the last year, profiled companies used more than 250 fuel cells totaling 30+ MW of stationary power -- enough to supply electricity for over 21,000 households. In addition, companies in the report purchased or deployed more than 240 fuel cells at telecommunication sites and more than 1,030 fuel cell-powered lift trucks.

Walmart, Coca-Cola, Sysco, and Whole Foods are leading the pack:

·      Walmart -- 6.8 MW for CHP (17 stores) and 70+ forklifts
·      Coca-Cola -- 2.1 MW (4 locations) and 70+ forklifts
·      Sysco Corporation -- 600+ forklifts at several locations, one hundred more on order
·      Whole Foods Market -- 1.2 MW (4 stores) and 60+ forklifts

So how do these companies deploy fuel cell technologies in their daily operations? Many use fuel cells as a cost-saving alternative to power lift trucks in their warehouses and distribution centers. The Department’s analysis of fuel cell-powered lift trucks deployed via the Recovery Act concludes that fuel cells provide eight times lower refueling/recharging labor cost and two times lower net present value of total system cost compared to batteries.
In addition, Combined Heat and Power systems are another attractive application of fuel cell technologies. When fuel cells generate electricity they give off waste heat. In a combined heat and power system, the waste heat is captured for a wide variety of applications, including space heating and hot water.  
You can read more about how fuel cells are beneficially impacting these companies’ bottom line while further promoting the use of clean energy technologies by checking out the report.

News release from Cummins Westport:

Navistar Expands Product Line with Cummins Westport Engine

published: February 3, 2012

VANCOUVER, BC – Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI), a leading provider of high-performance, alternative fuel engines for the global market, announced today that Navistar will offer the Cummins Westport ISL G in the International® TranStar and WorkStar trucks.

The ISL G is the #1 natural gas engine in North America, with over 13,000 engines produced since it was first introduced in 2007. While initial success was in the transit and refuse markets, more recently the conventional truck market has shown an interest in natural gas.

Roe East, President of Cummins Westport, commented, "Adding Navistar completes the listing of the ISL G with all major North American truck OEMs and reaffirms Cummins Westport's position of market leadership for natural gas engines."

About the Cummins Westport ISL G

The Cummins Westport ISL G, an 8.9 litre stoichiometric cooled-exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) engine, is certified to 2010 EPA emissions, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and offers top-level performance and efficiency. The ISL G engine is a purpose built natural gas engine manufactured in the Cummins Engine Plant in Rocky Mount, NC that operates on either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), both of which are cost effective, low carbon, and low emissions fuels. With ratings up to 320 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque, the ISL G features maintenance free three way catalyst (TWC) aftertreatment, and does not require the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or a diesel particulate filter (DPF) More information about the ISL G can be found at: www.cumminswestport.com/products/islg.php

About Cummins Westport

Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) manufactures and sells the world's widest range of low-emissions alternative fuel engines for commercial transportation applications such as trucks and buses.  CWI is a joint venture of Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI), 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, and Westport Innovations Inc. (NASDAQ:WPRT / TSX:WPT), a leading developer of technologies that allow engines to operate on clean-burning fuels such as natural gas, hydrogen, and hydrogen-enriched natural gas (HCNG). :: www.cumminswestport.com

GM to Build New CNG Vans for AT&T

News release from AT&T:

GM Wentzville Plant to Build New CNG Vans for AT&T

Order shows AT&T's "continued commitment to alternative fuels and to investing right here in Missouri," says AT&T Missouri President John Sondag

St. Louis, Missouri, February 01, 2012

Fresh on the heels of the announcement that is has deployed its 5,000^th alternative fuel vehicle, AT&T* announced today that it plans to take delivery of 1,200 Chevrolet Express dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) cargo vans to be deployed to AT&T service centers nationwide. It is the largest-ever order of GM CNG vehicles.

“St. Louis is home to AT&T’s Fleet Operations and we have more than 200 alternative fuel vehicles in the state,” said AT&T Missouri President John Sondag.  “This order shows AT&T’s continued commitment to alternative fuels and to investing right here in Missouri.”

AT&T, which has announced its intention to invest up to $565 million to deploy approximately 15,000 alternative fuel vehicles over a 10-year period through 2018, will use the vans to provide and maintain communications, high-speed Internet and television services for AT&T customers. Last week, the company announced the milestone deployment of its 5,000th alternative-fuel vehicle, a Chevrolet Express van, as part of the commitment.

 “CNG technology is important to AT&T because it helps us reduce our fleet-based carbon emissions,” said Jerome Webber, AT&T vice president of Fleet Operations. “It is also cost-effective and readily available in our country right now.” 

According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, CNG-powered vans can produce approximately 25 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than similar gasoline and diesel-powered vans, which supports AT&T’s corporate commitment to minimize its impact on the environment.

In 2010, AT&T and other large U.S. fleet operators joined in the Department of Energy’s Clean Cities’ National Clean Fleets Partnership as part of a national challenge launched by President Obama to cut America’s petroleum imports by one-third by 2025. Through 2013, AT&T anticipates it will have purchased up to 8,000 CNG vehicles at an estimated cost of $350 million. Additionally, over the life of the commitment, AT&T expects to invest $215 million to replace approximately 7,100 fleet passenger cars with alternative-fuel models.

According to a 2009 Center for Automotive Research report, AT&T’s planned alternative-fuel vehicle initiative would:

• Save 49 million gallons of gasoline over the 10-year deployment period
• Reduce carbon emissions by 211,000 metric tons – the greenhouse gas equivalent of removing 38,600 passenger vehicles from the road for one year

More Sustainable Service Garages

Beyond the AFV deployments, AT&T is turning to its service garages to help minimize its environmental footprint and cut operating costs within its overall fleet. These programs include:

• Redirecting an estimated 60,000 old tires annually through a new recycling program that turns old rubber into fuel and consumer products
• Recycling all primary garage products, including 180,000 pounds of oil filters; 200,000 gallons of oil; and 23,000 gallons of antifreeze annually
• Eliminating the purchase of 9,000 pounds of lead annually that were being used to balance new fleet vehicle tires at high speeds

For more information about AT&T’s sustainability efforts and to view a copy of AT&T’s 2010 Sustainability Report, please visit www.att.com/csr.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.


About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

Navistar Commitment to Natural Gas

News release from Navistar:

Navistar Advances Commitment to Natural Gas Through Partnership With Clean Energy

Company Commits to Comprehensive Natural Gas Product Strategy with Broad Range of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Truck Offerings

LISLE, Ill., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Navistar, Inc. today announced its launch of a comprehensive natural gas strategy, including integrated natural gas product offerings and a strategic partnership with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE)  that will provide customers with a sustainable, commercially viable solution for adding natural gas powered trucks to their fleets. 

"Natural gas has clearly emerged as the most realistic alternative fuel option for the trucking industry," said Dan Ustian, Navistar chairman, president and CEO.  "Together, Navistar and Clean Energy have come up with a breakthrough program that offers customers a quicker payback on their investment plus added fuel costs savings from day one of operation. When combined with Navistar's industry-leading dealer network and Clean Energy's unmatched fuel distribution system, customers can be confident that bringing natural gas vehicles into their fleets makes good business sense."

"We believe the deployment of new, innovative, heavy-duty natural gas engines by world-class original equipment truck manufacturers like Navistar is accelerating the transition to natural gas fuel as a game-changer for heavy-duty trucking," said Andrew J. Littlefair, Clean Energy President and CEO. "We welcome the opportunity to work with Navistar to bring the benefits of clean, cost-effective, domestically abundant natural gas fuel to the company's trucking customer base."

By leveraging the company's existing integrated vehicle and powertrain platforms, Navistar will offer the broadest range of Class 6 through Class 8 CNG-/LNG-powered vehicles in the category. Clean Energy will provide a comprehensive CNG/LNG fueling solution to meet customer demands and aid in bringing new customers into the natural gas market.

Navistar and Clean Energy will work closely with the company's commercial truck dealers and fleet customers on the deployment of natural gas powered trucks and a natural gas distribution support system. Together, the companies will demonstrate how a natural gas integrated vehicle offering with the right distribution and fueling solution can be integrated into a fleet's operations to reduce costs and drive efficiencies. The strategic partnership will help accelerate the adoption of natural gas technologies by making it easier for customers to invest in the new technology, including incentives aimed at neutralizing the cost difference for the diesel fuel equivalent for those who purchase at least 1,000 diesel gallon equivalents of natural gas fuel each month.

Clean Energy Distribution Support

Clean Energy, the leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America, recently unveiled a route plan for the first phase of 150 new liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling stations for America's Natural Gas Highway (ANGH). The company has identified 98 locations and anticipates having 70 stations open by the end of 2012 in 33 states.

Many of the fueling stations will be co-located at Pilot-Flying J Travel Centers already serving goods movement trucking through an exclusive agreement with Pilot to build, own and operate natural gas fueling facilities at agreed-upon travel centers. Pilot-Flying J is the nation's largest truck-stop operator with more than 550 retail properties in 47 states.

"The deployment of new, innovative, heavy-duty natural gas engines by world-class original equipment truck manufacturers like Navistar is accelerating the transition to natural gas fuel as a game-changer for heavy-duty trucking. We welcome the opportunity to work with Navistar to bring the benefits of clean, cost-effective, domestically-abundant natural gas fuel to its trucking customers," said James Harger, Chief Marketing Officer, Clean Energy.        

Navistar's Product Offerings

Navistar will leverage its existing commercial truck and engine platforms to offer the broadest portfolio of integrated products for the natural gas market. The company will continue to offer International DuraStar® and WorkStar® vocational trucks with its natural gas powered MaxxForce® DT, developed in conjunction with Emissions Solutions Incorporated (ESI) of McKinney.

To meet the growing demands of the regional haul and class 7/8 vocational market Navistar will offer the Cummins-Westport ISL-G, in the International® TranStar and WorkStar. Additionally, Navistar will enter into a phase II developmental agreement with Clean Air Power Ltd. on the International ProStar, WorkStar and PayStar vocational trucks, powered by a diesel pilot injection LNG MaxxForce 13-liter engine.

"One of the major obstacles in customer transition to natural gas has been the lack of a gas powered range of engines designed to meet the multiple requirements without compromise," said Jim Hebe, Navistar senior vice president, North America Sales Operations. "Navistar—with its extended range of truck engines—is uniquely able to leverage engine platforms into the industry's broadest range of natural gas trucks. When the MaxxForce 13L is introduced in mid-2013, customers will have a capable range of natural engines and trucks, from 7.6 liter to 13 liter with horsepower ranging from 200 to 450."

Summary Facts: What makes Navistar, Clean Energy Alliance Unique?

• Product Portfolio
  • Navistar offers the broadest truck and engine offering Class 6 thru Class 8
• Availability/Distribution
  • Commitment to support on-highway fueling requirements through Pilot/Flying J
  • Capabilities to provide customer specific fueling stations
  • Partnering with Navistar dealers and Idealease to meet on-site fueling needs
• Affordability of Technology
  • Navistar is committed to provide CNG/LNG offerings that provide payback within range of customer expectations
  • Through our partnership, Clean Energy and Navistar are offering an incentive program (Fuel and Truck) that will mitigate or equalize the cost of vehicle with diesel equivalent
• Economic Model makes CNG/LNG a viable fuel without incentives
  • Clean Energy will guarantee fuel prices at a significant reduction from diesel for the term of 5 years
  • Government subsidies and incentives not required to make the economic model work
• Support
  • Navistar offers the broadest coverage in North America, nearly 800 outlets
  • Providing facility training and building requirements
  • Providing sales and service training for dealership technicians and sales staff

About Navistar

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco® RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. The company also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com/newsroom.


About Clean Energy

Clean Energy (Nasdaq: CLNE) is the largest provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America and a global leader in the expanding natural gas vehicle market. It has operations in CNG and LNG vehicle fueling, construction and operation of CNG and LNG fueling stations, biomethane production, vehicle conversion and compressor technology. Today, Clean Energy fuels more than 25,000 vehicles at 273 strategic locations across the United States and Canada with a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, trucking, shuttle, taxi, airport and municipal fleet markets. Clean Energy del Peru, a joint venture, fuels vehicles and provides CNG to commercial customers in Peru. We own (70%) and operate a landfill gas facility in Dallas, Texas, that produces renewable natural gas, or biomethane, for delivery in the nation's gas pipeline network, and we plan to build a second facility in Michigan. We own and operate LNG production plants in Willis, Texas and Boron, Calif. with combined capacity of 260,000 LNG gallons per day and that are designed to expand to 340,000 LNG gallons per day as demand increases. NorthStar, a wholly owned subsidiary, is the recognized leader in LNG/LCNG (liquefied to compressed natural gas) fueling system technologies and station construction and operations. BAF Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of natural gas vehicle systems and conversions for taxis, vans, pick-up trucks and shuttle buses. IMW Industries, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary based in Canada, is a leading supplier of compressed natural gas equipment for vehicle fueling and industrial applications with more than 1,200 installations in 24 countries. For more information, visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com

Companies Face Fines for Not Using Unavailable Biofuel

The following was gleaned from a January 10 New York Times article with the above title.

Companies Face Fines for Not Using Unavailable Biofuel

WASHINGTON — When the companies that supply motor fuel close the books on 2011, they will pay about $6.8 million in penalties to the Treasury because they failed to mix a special type of biofuel into their gasoline and diesel as required by law.

But there was none to be had. Outside a handful of laboratories and workshops, the ingredient, cellulosic biofuel, does not exist.

In 2012, the oil companies expect to pay even higher penalties for failing to blend in the fuel, which is made from wood chips or the inedible parts of plants like corncobs. Refiners were required to blend 6.6 million gallons into gasoline and diesel in 2011 and face a quota of 8.65 million gallons this year.

The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, aimed at reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, its reliance on oil imported from hostile places and the export of dollars to pay for it, includes provisions to increase the efficiency of vehicles as well as incorporate renewable energy sources into gasoline and diesel.

It requires the use of three alternative fuels: car and truck fuel made from cellulose, diesel fuel made from biomass and fuel made from biological materials but with a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gases. Only the cellulosic fuel is commercially unavailable. As for meeting the quotas in the other categories, the refiners will not close their books until February and are not sure what will happen.

The goal set by the law for vehicle fuel from cellulose was 250 million gallons for 2011 and 500 million gallons for 2012.  Even advocates of renewable fuel acknowledge that the refiners are at least partly correct in complaining about the penalties.

The standards for cellulosic fuel are part of an overall goal of having 36 billion gallons of biofuels incorporated annually by 2022. But substantial technical progress would be needed to meet that — and lately it has been hard to come by.

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