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Driving the Future: Captivating Moments from the 2023 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference and Expo

Last month, more than 400 attendees joined the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) in Raleigh, NC for the 2023 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo (SFT). Conference guests were able to discover the latest and greatest in sustainable fleet technology, operations and implementation over the course of three days while networking with other fleet professionals and technology providers. 

“The SFT Conference this year gave fleet and transportation experts a valuable platform to explore cutting-edge vehicle technologies, as well as tools and resources tailored to enhance efficiency and emissions reduction,” said Heather Brutz, Director of the Clean Transportation program at NCCETC.

In its seventh year, the annual SFT Conference returned to the Raleigh Convention Center where the inaugural conference was held in 2017. The Raleigh Convention Center’s large exhibit halls were the perfect space to display all of the heavy, medium, and light-duty vehicles in addition to transportation and charging technologies for attendees to explore during expo hall hours. 

The exhibit hall was brimming with exhibitors for the 2023 conference including AssetWorks; Alliance Autogas; Kempower; Southeast Propane Alliance; Propane Education & Research Council; Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition; Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition; Triangle Clean Cities Coalition; Lightning eMotors; Advanced Energy; DC-America; Daimler Truck NA/Thomas Built Buses/Freightliner Custom Chassis; North Carolina Department of Transportation; Piedmont Natural Gas; Verizon Connect; Pakistan Smart Energy; ZEVX Inc.; Guardian Fueling Technologies; bp pulse; Revels Turf & Tractor Co.; Forward Thinking Systems, LLC; Atom Power; Sourcewell; NAFA Fleet Management Association; Pioneer Power e-Mobility Solutions; Viatec; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; ROUSH CleanTech; Faster Asset Solutions; Webasto Charging Systems, Inc.; and PortFi.

Pictured: Attendees gathered around a display of Viatec’s flagship electric power take-off (ePTO) product, SmartPTO, which can be retrofitted to fleet vehicles and provides the benefits of enhanced safety, reduced maintenance, lower cost of ownership, and social responsibility for electric utility providers.

Pictured: The industry’s first and only production all-electric bucket truck which debuted last year thanks to a unique collaboration between Viatec, Terex and Navistar/International Trucks.

Pictured: Pioneer Power Mobility’s e-Boost mobile electric vehicle (EV) fast charging solution plugged into a Volvo’s first all electric crossover C40 Recharge.

Pictured: The City of Durham’s Mach-E and City of Charlotte’s Ford F150 and Mach-E fleet vehicles. 

On August 14, 2023 the winners of the 16th annual Green Fleet Awards were announced by NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA) during the pre-conference day at the 2023 SFT Conference.

Pictured: Ryan Krogh, Manager of Production System Solutions at John Deere, delivered the opening keynote, From Products to Solutions: The Next Phase of Technology.

Pictured: The keynote plenary, From Good Ideas to Success Stories, featured a panel moderated by Leigh Shamblin, Director of Leadership and Professor of Practice for NC State University Poole College of Management and also included Jamie Cooke, Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Generals Services in Montgomery County, Maryland; Al Curtis, Fleet Services Director for Cobb County, Georgia; and Rick Longobart, Fleet Operations Manager for the City of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Pictured: Ameya Joshi from Corning, Inc. was on the panel for the Advancements in Medium/Heavy Duty Vehicles and Infrastructure keynote plenary along with Rick Sapienza from NCCETC, Mark Childers from Thomas Built Buses, Stuart Weidie from Alliance AutoGas, Jennifer Weaver from Clean Fuels Alliance America, and Marcus Suvanto from Kempower.

Pictured: The final keynote plenary, Advancements in Light Duty Vehicles and Infrastructure, was moderated by Heather Brutz of NCCETC. She was joined by Brian Bradford, Chief Commercial Officer of Jule Power; Bob Glaser, President of the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association; Ryan Kennedy, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Atom Power; and Chris Thomas, Government Sales Manager at Stellantis.

The 2023 SFT Conference offered 12 breakout sessions across three tracks related to Funding and Planning, Vehicle Technologies, and Fueling and Charging Infrastructure. Pictures from several breakout sessions can be seen below.

The NCCETC hosts the annual Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference as part of its mission to advance a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices and policies.

PowerPoint presentations will be available in the coming weeks at www.SustainableFleetExpo.com. Stay tuned for next year’s conference dates. Don’t miss out on future updates for the 2024 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference – sign up for the clean transportation newsletter now! 

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2022 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference a Success for the Clean Transportation Community

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The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) welcomed more than 350 registered attendees in Durham, NC for the 2022 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo. The conference showcased the latest and greatest technologies in the biofuels, electric, natural gas and propane arenas – including everything from Progress Solar’s latest mobile solar electric vehicle (EV) charging model to the diverse display of alternative fuel vehicles and other clean transportation technologies.

Over 80 speakers from a variety of backgrounds presented their ideas and best practices during the conference – highlighting the leading edge of sustainable fleet practices and clean transportation opportunities – including fleet managers, technicians, company presidents and CEOs, university professors, researchers, analysts, nonprofit managers, motivational speakers and more. “It was inspiring to see professionals from different industries and backgrounds coming together to exchange ideas for improving the sustainability of transportation in our state and beyond,” said Heather Brutz, Director of the NCCETC Clean Transportation Program.

The sixth annual Sustainable Fleet Technology (SFT) Conference was able to return in-person in 2022 for the first time since 2019, bringing together fleet professionals and decision-makers to share and discuss evolving clean transportation strategies and technologies. Brutz marked SFT 2022 as a success in meeting this objective. “We’re fostering a community where members support each other during this transition to integrate sustainable operations and technologies into their fleets,” said Brutz.

During expo hall hours, attendees were able to network with more than 60 exhibitors while exploring over a dozen vehicles inside and outside of the convention center, with displays including a Chevy Bolt, Ford E-Transit, the City of Charlotte’s Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford Mustang Mach-E, the City of Durham’s bucket truck with a plug-in electric power take-off (PTO) solution by Viatec, Lightning eMotors, Thomas Built Buses Jouley Saf-T-Liner C2 electric school bus, Zero Motorcycles, an Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Charger from Siemens, Progress Solar’s Mobile Solar Light Tower solution, XL Flee’s Hybrid Electric Upfit, Cenntro’s all-electric Logistar 400 and off-road utility task vehicle ORV, a long-range electric low-speed vehicle from Carolina Industrial Equipment, and more.

“This year the expo hall was full of a lot of electrifying conversations,” said John Bonitz, Clean Transportation Specialist at NCCETC. “There’s a lot of opportunities coming from recent federal and state actions encouraging creativity from both the manufacturers and the end-users.”

During the pre-conference day, NAFA Fleet Management Association hosted a Sustainable Fleet Management Program Boot Camp before announcing the 2022 winners of the 100 Best Fleets and Green Fleet Awards. Triangle Clean Cities also hosted the Triangle Electric Vehicle Summit, and Cenntro vehicles were available for the ride & drive outside of the convention center.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Keynote speakers John Konkel, Director of GM Fleet in the Southeast Region, and Robert Gordon, Fleet Management Deputy Director in Dekalb County kicked off day one of SFT 2022.

SFT Conference tracks included Vehicle Applications, Fueling Infrastructure, and Planning & Technology. Attendees were able to choose from 12 breakout sessions across the tracks:

  • Alternative Fuel Vehicle Emissions Reductions & Case Studies
  • Best Practices for Managing Fleet Charging Equipment
  • Telematics: Realtime Information for Optimizing Fleet Performance & Safety
  • Hydrogen as a Transportation Solution
  • Charging Equipment Service & Maintenance for Reliability
  • Considerations & Opportunities for Rural Communities
  • Alternative Fuel Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Case Studies
  • Alternative Fuel Resilience Considerations
  • Funding & Financing Your Sustainable Fleet
  • Understanding Batteries
  • Considerations in EVSE Networking, Communications & Specifications
  • Idle Reduction an Easy Win

The plenary panel Industry Roundtable: Getting the Win in Sustainable Fleet was moderated by John Davis, Emmy® Award-winning producer, host and creator of MotorWeek. The panel featured Ted Koupparis of General Motors Fleet, Patrick Campbell of Cummins, Dawn Fenton of Volvo Group North America, Stuart Weidie of Alliance AutoGas, and Patrick Scully of Ballard Fuel Systems.

Stuart Weidie spoke of the long future of the internal combustion engine and the viable role for propane and other alternative fuels, a view shared by others on the panel. They examined the current state of sustainable transportation and identified opportunities for overcoming barriers to meeting goals for today and the future.

Dawn Fenton outlined two of the barriers many heavy-duty fleets face when building toward a sustainable fleet: the lack of established infrastructure for refueling alternative fuel vehicles and the need for incentives on local and nationwide scales.

Fenton said recent federal programs like those outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act have the potential to help public fleets overcome these obstacles. The Act includes expansions and extensions of utility-scale tax credits and rebates to incentivize the purchase of electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks as well as its associated refueling infrastructure.

“Many utilities have also established make-ready programs to help lower the cost of infrastructure for heavy-duty fleet vehicles and equipment,” Fenton added.

Day two began with plenary panel Leadership Triple Play featuring Motivational Speaker & Scottsdale-based Leadership Development Coach Ramsey Bergeron of Bergeron Wellbeing, Lonnie Mayne of Red Shoes Living, Inc. and City of Orlando’s Facilities Management Division Manager David Dunn. The panel highlighted principles for fleet managers to employ to help their organizations successfully embrace change and improve results.

Later that day, Robbie Astrop, Sr. Business Development Manager at ABM moderated the plenary panel Industry Roundtable: Delivering Electrons for Transportation Electrification. Speakers on the panel were Todd Ritter, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of EvStructure; James Tillman, Sr. Vice President Business Development, Brytemove Energy; Sean Ackley, EV & Mobility Segment Lead of Hitachi Energy; and Anne Blair, Electrification Coalition’s Director of Policy.

Sean Ackley, an engineering graduate of NC State University, has had a career focus on electrical infrastructure technologies and execution projects. As Hitachi America’s resident expert on EV technologies, Ackley leverages his background in cloud managed services, product development, testing interoperability, and construction project management in facilitating critical thinking around the transition of large fleets to electric powertrain.

Ackley knows the transition to alternative fuel of large fleets is no small feat and he expressed that during the panel. “It’s a whole ecosystem,” said Ackley. “We’re changing the world.”

Ackley stressed the importance of future-proofing technology to support the expansion of infrastructure and equipment as it evolves. “Start early, think ahead, and get creative,” Ackley advised when asked about specific strategies for load management and deployment.

Overall, the panelists agreed that transitioning fleets to electric vehicles is a multi-aspect process that involves planning, coordination, maintenance, strategies for managing electrical load, and more. The roundtable discussion focused on charging options, use cases, policies and strategies to meet today’s needs, as well as what is needed to further transportation electrification.

Industry Roundtable: Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Electric Vehicle Portfolio Planning was the conference’s final plenary panel and joined together several major OEMs to share their plans and investments related to bringing a light-duty EV line-up to market from what is available to what is coming.

”A lot of OEMs have been announcing major developments in regards to electric vehicle offerings within their portfolio,” said Brutz, who moderated the panel’s speakers: Bryan Chapman, Southeast Government Sales Account Manager, Stellantis NA; Ted Koupparis, Sales Enablement Manager, General Motors Fleet; James Morgan, Government Sales Manager, Ford Motor Company; Mark Namuth, Manager, Fleet Commercial Sales, Nissan; and Scott Bargatze, Southeast Commercial Sales Manager, Nissan.

The NCCETC hosts the annual Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference as part of its mission to advance a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices and policies.

PowerPoint presentations will be available in the coming weeks at www.SustainableFleetExpo.com. Stay tuned for next year’s conference dates. Don’t miss out on future updates for the 2023 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference – sign up for the clean transportation newsletter now!

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Strategies & Success Stories for Sustainable Fleet Management On-Demand Now

Eleven FREE Sessions from the 2021 Sustainable Fleet Technology Virtual Conference Available to Stream Online

The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center recently concluded the 2021 Sustainable Fleet Technology Virtual Conference featuring the latest and greatest in sustainable fleet technology, operations and implementation. The conference consisted of 11 free webinars on best practices to make fleets run more efficiently, with valuable presentations and conversations from award-winning speakers from the industry.

All webinar recordings and resources are available to stream online now so you can access on-demand knowledge and expertise from fleet managers across the country. In total, there were 900 registered attendees for the 2021 Sustainable Fleet Technology (SFT 2021) Virtual Conference webinar sessions.

The SFT Conference is an annual event hosted by the Clean Transportation program at the NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) to share strategies for achieving fleet sustainability from experts in the private and public sector. Fleet managers and clean technology innovators gather to discuss lessons learned across the industry for implementing and integrating innovative clean transportation technologies and alternative fuel operations, including the implementation in the biofuels, electric, natural gas, hydrogen and propane arenas.

Director of NCCETC’s Clean Transportation program, Richard Sapienza, surveyed fleet managers to find relevant session topics to highlight the current technologies, topics and issues impacting today’s fleet industry. “We want to build a community where ideas can be exchanged and we can provide support and strategies for dealing with new technologies to drive efficiency in fleets,” Sapienza said in the first session of SFT 2021.

The Future of Fleet Electrification

SFT 2021 kicked off on September 9 with “Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Planning Best Practices and Considerations for Today and the Future” showcasing effective planning and modeling along with real-world use cases to support an electrified future for different use cases .  Currently, public and private fleets across the country are preparing for the electric vehicle (EV) revolution and, while significant consumer adoption is forecasted, transitioning entire fleets away from conventional fuel vehicles is a much more complex process than individuals going electric.

Attendees of the webinar heard from a panel of experts including David Dunn, Division Manager of the Fleet & Facilities management Division for the City of Orlando, Florida. Dunn emphasized the critical roles public fleets have in leading the EV revolution and being the agent of change, from installation and maintenance of infrastructure to creating solutions for grid vulnerability.

Part of being a leader means embracing change, and Dunn was proud to share his fleet’s latest change- the addition of a DANNAR Mobile Power Station® (MPS). The MPS is a heavy-duty EV designed for infrastructure maintenance and disaster response, equipped with a two-way charger and inverter to provide clean energy for single-day or multiple-day work requirements.

“This [MPS] is a charger, this is a generator, this is a work platform, this is a power station,” Dunn explained. “This is one way to attack the grid vulnerability issue, because you can charge several vehicles off of this one if you need to.”

Electrification was the focus of several SFT 2021 sessions, and those interested in learning more about charging solutions can benefit from the in-depth “Innovative Charging Solutions” webinar which covered power requirements, associated costs and time hurdles involved in meeting the charging needs of diverse use cases.

The last session of SFT 2021, “Future Proofing Electric Charging Infrastructure”, discussed steps to fleet electrification and considerations for fleets to be ready for the future, as infrastructure deployment continues to be a moving target with needs and technology rapidly changing.

Hot Topic – Alternative Fuel Sessions Popular Amongst Attendees

Alternative fuels such as hydrogen and natural gas have proven to be viable ways for fleets to reduce emissions, and two of the most widely attended SFT 2021 sessions included topics in this arena. Attendees learned from the top fleets in the United States, including recent winners of both The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas and The Green Fleet Awards.

“Quite often, when deploying alternative fuel vehicles and sustainable technologies, there’s an increased cost in acquisition, but there are a number of different ways for fleets to mitigate these costs,” said Sapienza.

Typically, alternative fuel vehicles have greater up-front costs than conventional fuel vehicles. However, there can be cost benefits with regard to maintenance and operations costs, as well as vehicle useful life. The webinar “Total Cost of Ownership Comparisons of Alternative Fuel Vehicles versus Conventional Fuel Vehicles” addresses these concerns with a life cycle cost analysis and features examples from top fleets across the country using alternative fuels in their operations.

One of the speakers from this webinar was Andrew Burnham from the Argonne National Laboratory which supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program. Argonne has developed the Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) tool. The AFLEET spreadsheet was designed to examine light and heavy duty vehicles for metrics like petroleum use, greenhouse gas emissions and more to find the total cost of ownership.

There are many opportunities for fleet’s to mitigate the higher acquisition costs associated with alternative fuel vehicles, including state and federal level funding and incentives. The “Funding Sources and Creative Financing for Alternative Fuel Vehicles” session shared resources and tips on how to take advantage of creative financing options for fleets to achieve their sustainability goals.

Other session topics included “Working with your Utility and Understanding Fleet Charging Costs”, “Idle Reduction: Simple & Impactful” and success stories for specific transportation applications of natural gas, hydrogen and propane.

To view all of the past webinars and sessions from NCCETC Clean Transportation, Sustainable Fleet Webinar Series from NCCETC and The 100 Best Fleets, as well as the Sustainable Fleet Technology Virtual Conference series and others, click here.

Currently, the clean transportation team is hosting weekly webinars through the Sustainable Fleet Technology Webinar Series, a collaborative partnership with NAFA Fleet Management Association and The 100 Best Fleets, to share the best practices and information on the latest fleet technologies.  Register for an upcoming SFT Webinar online now.

Stay tuned for future updates about the 6th annual 2022 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference online at sustainablefleetexpo.com.

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Posted by Nicole Deck

2019 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference Expo A Success

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The 2019 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo showcased the latest and greatest technologies in the biofuels, electric, natural gas and propane arenas – including everything from a 2-seater 6-foot tall electric GEM to a 15-ton Ford F-750 Danville Public Works propane truck with an attached Petersen Lightning Loader.

More than 50 speakers in a variety of backgrounds presented their ideas and practices last week in Durham, NC – highlighting the leading edge of sustainable fleet practices and alternative fuel opportunities – including fleet managers, technicians, company presidents and CEOs, university professors, researchers, analysts, nonprofit managers and more. 

Rick Sapienza, Clean Transportation Program Manager at the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, said the event met the main objective well – which was to guide and exchange ideas.

“The conference was strong on all levels – speakers, attendees, and technologies presented,” Sapienza said. 

“It was great to see professionals from different industries and backgrounds coming together to discuss strategies for improving the sustainability of transportation in our state,” said Heather Brutz, Clean Transportation Finance and Operations Manager.

Conference tracks included Trends in Advanced Fuels and Fueling, Integrated Fleet Technology Solutions, and Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability. Within those, the sessions were Electric Vehicles; Propane; Natural Gas; Biofuel Solutions; Telematics; Recruiting, Retention and Career Development; Infrastructure and Intelligent Solutions; Heavy Duty Vehicle Efficiency; Electrification and the Grid; Rural and Small Town Fleet Operations; Fleet Efficiency and Idle Reduction; and Procurement Solutions.

The expo hall was full of more than 40 diverse exhibitors and over a dozen vehicles inside and outside the convention center, including an ECO Vehicle systems propane bus, GoSolar Tesla, EV ARC (a solar-powered vehicle charging by Envision Solar), a plug-in hybrid Durham Police car, Altec JEMS electric bucket truck, a SMARTPTO Viatec bucket truck, Ingevity adsorbed natural gas truck, Dannar Mobile Power Station (MPS) electric work vehicle, Thomas Built Buses Jouley Saf-T-Liner C2 electric school bus, Zero Motorcycles and more.

“This year, the excitement and open two-way conversation stood out. People were engaged,” Sapienza said. 

Fleet managers are looking for ways to improve the performance, efficiency and sustainability of their fleets, and more technology and equipment is coming out to aid in that endeavor, said Allison Carr, Clean Transportation Specialist at NCCETC.

“There is a genuine interest in development and integration of sustainable strategies into fleets,” Sapienza said. “The appetite is there, and there is creativity on the part of the technology providers, as well as the end-users.”

New this year, the pre-conference day included a workshop: Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability in a Campus Setting, where experienced fleet managers discussed the metrics needed to make smart decisions for alternative fuels and technologies in various campus settings. Speakers included William Evans, Princeton University; Chris Facente, UNC Charlotte; Kathy Wellik, Iowa State University; Charles Bey, UNC Asheville; Ronald Gitelman, Yale University; Michael Duffy, University of Virginia (Both Yale University and the University of Virginia are NAFA Sustainable Fleet Accredited, and Iowa State University is in process for accreditation). 

To close-out pre-conference day, the Mobile CARE and NC Smart Fleet Awards were awarded. 

The Fleets & Advanced Mobility Solutions plenary panel with Greg Treinen of Daimler/Freightliner; Bill Combs of Penske; Stuart Weidie of Alliance AutoGas/Blossman Gas; Michael McDonald of UPS; and moderator Mark Smith of the U.S. Department of Energy – Vehicle Technologies Office; covered what each speaker is doing in their fleet to continue to improve on efficiency, performance and sustainability.

McDonald with UPS said that as a fleet manager, he looks at vehicles and uses what works best in every application – whether is electric, propane, natural gas or biofuel. 

“Every technology that’s been mentioned or not been mentioned has a drawback. There’s no one fuel that solves the problem,” McDonald said. “Ask questions, get as much as you can from the questions you ask, and formulate your own opinion.”

The Planning for an Advanced Transportation Future plenary panel with Geoff Morrison of Cadmus; Diane Turchetta of Federal Highway Administration; Phil Bisesi of ElectriCities; Jibonananda Sanyal of Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Chris Werner of North Carolina Department of Transportation; and moderator Cassie Powers of National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO); covered what each speaker is doing to get ready for the inevitable changes and new advanced technologies coming to the world of transportation. Overall, they agreed that integration, communication, collaboration and partnership were the keywords to make it happen.

Keynote speakers included David Dunn, Fleet and Facilities Management Division Manager of the City of Orlando; and Mark Smith, Technology Integration Program Manager at US Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office.

Smith talked about the state of transportation and where it’s heading; integrating more technology within light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, alternative fuel infrastructure and energy efficient mobility systems and technologies; and the importance of Clean Cities coalitions. Smith said the Department of Energy ‘envisions more choices and more efficient and affordable technology, when and wherever it’s needed.’

Dunn pointed to the ways the City of Orlando continues to work to make its fleet more sustainable. He said that change doesn’t have to happen overnight – successful results can be slow and steady.

“Sustainability is not a destination; it is a never-ending journey,” Dunn said.

Presenter PowerPoint presentations will soon be available at www.SustainableFleetExpo.com. Stay tuned for next year’s conference dates!

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Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability in a Campus Setting

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Neighborhood electric vehicle fleet at UNC Charlotte. Photo provided by Chris Facente at UNC Charlotte.

 

Pre-Conference Day Workshop: Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability in a Campus Setting

Tuesday, August 6 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

This session, on pre-conference day before the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo 2019 in Durham, NC, will focus on the metrics needed to make smart decisions for alternative fuels and technologies in various campus settings. Maintenance will be discussed as part of the conversation along with how to equip fleets for these changes. Learn from real-world case studies and experienced fleet managers working in campus settings. Specific topics will include a look at total cost of ownership, applications, examples of vehicles, and what the future holds for fleets.

Speakers:
William Evans – Princeton University
Chris Facente – UNC Charlotte
Kathy Wellik – Iowa State University
Charles Bey – UNC Asheville
Ronald Gitelman – Yale University
Michael Duffy – University of Virginia

Both Yale University and the University of Virginia are NAFA Sustainable Fleet Accredited, and Iowa State University is in process for accreditation.

Learn more about the workshop and conference, and register now at www.sustainablefleetexpo.com!

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Sessions Announced for 2019 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference

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Electric Vehicles breakout session in 2018

 

Track A: Trends in Advanced Fuels and Fueling

Electric Vehicles

Propane

Biofuel Solutions

Natural Gas

 

Track B: Integrated Fleet Technology Solutions

Infrastructure & Intelligent Solutions

Telematics

Electrification & the Grid

Fleet Operations: Idle Reduction & more

 

Track C: Fleet Efficiency & Sustainability

Heavy Duty Vehicle Efficiency

Procurement Solutions

Rural Fleet Operations

Recruiting, Retention & Career Development

 

Plenary Panels

Fleets & Advanced Mobility Solutions

Planning for an Advanced Transportation Future

 

Keynote Speakers

David Dunn; CFM; Fleet & Facilities Management Division Manager, City of Orlando

Mark Smith; Technology Integration Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office

 

Stay tuned for more speakers to be announced soon!

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Posted by Nicole Deck

Save the date: 2019 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference

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Save the date for the 3rd annual Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference, August 7 & 8, 2019 in Durham, NC! The conference provides an opportunity for fleets and transportation professionals to experience the latest vehicle technology, tools, and resources designed to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. The event will include keynote presentations, 50+ panelists, breakout sessions, indoor vehicle/equipment display, and plenty of networking opportunities. Pre-conference events will take place August 6, which will include the Green Fleet Awards Forum along with the NC Smart Fleet and Mobile Care Awards!

Register online now

Check out the Sponsor & Exhibitor Information Guide to learn more about options for exhibiting or sponsoring

Share your ideas for breakout session topics by responding to the Call for Presentations

Who should attend?
Public & Private Fleet Managers
Purchasing Officials
State Government Leaders
Municipal Government Officials
Non-Profit Stakeholders
Clean Cities Coalitions & Stakeholders
Alternative Fuel Trade Organizations
Sustainability Managers
Academic Leaders & Researchers

Attendees can learn & share about:
Alternative Fuels (including biofuels, CNG, electric, propane, renewable diesel)
Advanced Vehicle Technologies
Motor Fleet Management
Vehicle Sharing Technologies
Idle Reduction
Vehicle Right Sizing
Eco-Driving
Autonomous Vehicles & Future Technologies

Stay tuned for more updates! For more information, visit the website, and contact Allison Carr at akcarr@ncsu.edu or 919-515-9781 for any questions.

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Posted by Nicole Deck

Durham Bulls baseball game

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The evening before the 2018 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo, the Clean Transportation team at NC Clean Energy Technology Center displayed several plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles outside of the Durham Bulls baseball game on Aug. 21.

Learn more about electric vehicles by checking out our Electric Vehicles FAQ flyer here.

Attendees of the pre-conference events came to watch the game, enjoy networking and eat a barbeque dinner.

Rick Sapienza, Clean Transportation Director, accepted the game ball on the field and spoke with game announcers in a live radio interview (listen to below)!

 

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2018 Mobile CARE and NC Smart Fleet Awards

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The 12th annual North Carolina Mobile Clean Air Renewable Energy (CARE) awards and the NC Smart Fleet awards were announced as part of the 2018 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo held at the Durham Convention Center in Durham, N.C. !

The Mobile CARE awards recognize transportation emission reduction efforts that are advancing alternative fuel and transportation technology activities in North Carolina. For Mobile CARE, candidates were sought in three main categories: Individual, Policy/Organization, and Fuel/Technology Providers.

This year, the judges selected Jason Wager, coordinator of the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC) for 18 years, for the Individual award; Town of Cary for the Policy/Organization award, and Novozymes for the Fuel/Technology Providers award.

Individual

Jason Wager, coordinator of the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC)

This award goes to an individual in North Carolina who-in both their professional and personal life- has worked to advance the adoption of sustainable transportation technologies and practices.

Jason Wager has been the coordinator of the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC) for 18 years. He provides leadership in the alternative fuels industry not only in the Charlotte region, but throughout the state and country. In North Carolina, Wager has been a long time education and outreach provider for the Clean Fuels Advanced Technology Program, a steering committee member for Plug-in NC and a member of NCSEA’s Electric Vehicle Working Group. He has organized countless educational activities related to clean transportation technologies in the Charlotte region. Nationally, Wager has served as a mentor to other Clean Cities coordinators and is a member of the Clean Cities Coordinator Council; these activities enable him to educate and assist new Clean Cities Coordinators.

Policy/Organization

Town of Cary

This award goes to a public or private organization that has created a policy that deserves to be held up as an example of a Best Practice that should be more widely adopted.

The Town of Cary first adopted a Strategic Energy Action Plan in 2012 and modified it in 2015. As one of the three focus areas for reducing energy use was fleet. The overall plan calls for reducing energy use by 13% by 2020. As part of their Strategic Energy Action Plan the town has created a Fleet Efficiency Standard Procedure, which puts in place standard procedures around purchasing more efficient vehicles, utilization of vehicles, driver training on how to drive more efficiently, route selection to reduce vehicle miles traveled, and mandated annual reporting. The Town of Cary has seen a 11% improvement in MPG across their fleet and a 17% reduction in vehicle miles traveled since implementing the standard procedures.

Fuel or Technology Provider

Novozymes

This award goes to a fuel or technology provider in the state of North Carolina that has worked to advance the adoption or availability of clean transportation technologies in the state.

With a headquarters in Franklinton, TN, Novozymes is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of enzymes that help break down organic matter into biofuels. Novozymes has committed to following the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Globally, Novozymes has committed to reducing their carbon footprint by 100 million tons by 2020; as of 2016 they were 69% of the way toward their target. Here in North Carolina, Novozymes has been consistently committed to supporting educational efforts that promote clean transportation technologies. They have helped support the Particle Falls exhibit, the alternative fuel tailgates, and have a long-standing relationship with NASCAR regarding education on ethanol.

N.C. Smart Fleet

N.C. Smart Fleet focuses on fleet commitment and accomplishments in reducing petroleum use, thus reducing CO2 emissions and other harmful emissions. North Carolina based fleets (both public and private sector) are recognized by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center as supporters, leaders or champions based on their sustainability practices.

The following organizations were recognized at the NC Smart Fleet awards event:

BuildSense
UNC Charlotte
Town of Cary
Orange County
NCDOT Rail Division
Epes Transport
City of Durham
City of Winston-Salem
Go Durham
City of Charlotte
Gaston County

Champions

NC Smart Fleet Champions: BuildSense; City of Charlotte; City of Durham; Epes Transport System LLC; NCDOT Rail Division; Orange County; Town of Cary; City of Raleigh; UNC Charlotte

NC Smart Fleet Champions have achieved the highest level of recognition that we offer. Through demonstrated emissions reductions, improvements in fuel economy, use of alternative fuel vehicles, and use of best practices, these fleets serve as examples for the rest of us.

  • BuildSense: BuildSense is a design-build general contractor with an emphasis on green-building in commercial and residential. Even among Champions, BuildSense stands out from the crowd with nearly 90% of their fleet being alt fueled, consuming almost 70% alternative fuel, including CNG, B100 biodiesel, and electricity. In 2018, they reduced their fuel use over 2017 consumption, and they burned only B100 in their biodiesel vehicles.
  • City of Charlotte: The City of Charlotte continues remarkable progress in interdepartmental collaboration and management of fleet data, which gives them extra leverage to reduce air pollution and improve fuel economy across City functions.  For the second year, their application includes Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department; City Fire Department; Solid Waste Services; Water; Department of Transportation; Engineering and Property Management; Housing and Neighborhood Services. Nearly 22% of their total fleet is alt-fueled, including 30% of their light-duty fleet.
  • City of Durham: In 2017 City of Durham engaged an array of efforts and policies to cut pollution and plan for fuel efficiency: They used GIS and telemetry data to scrutinize efficiencies, routes, and idling in Solid Waste. The City replaced a number of police cruisers with fuel efficiency as a criterion. The City made substantial facility improvements and started a new stringent right typing / rightsizing replacement program.
  • EPES Transport System, Inc.: This freight hauler continues to run both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks; and they continue to improve fuel economy through techniques such as monitoring tire pressure, mandating speed limits, purchasing trucks that are more aerodynamic, and using telematics. EPES continues testing several brands of trailer tails, and an electric APU device to further reduce fleet idling.
  • Town of Cary: Despite continued growth of population and demands for public services, Town of Cary continues to lead in purchasing high MPG vehicles, robust use of smart-fleet technologies, and exemplary policies to push their Championship status. In 2018 they significantly increased their alt-fueled share of total fleet to almost 5 and a half percent. The Town’s formal rules and guidance on clean transportation includes fuel efficiency, purchasing, right-sizing, and route-planning policies.
  • UNC Charlotte: UNC Charlotte’s steady Championship for clean transportation policies and practices shows in their 2018 application.  After last year’s surge in use of electric vehicles from 48 new charging stations, light rail entering campus, and a new bike-share system, this year UNC-C tracked reductions in both vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and fuel consumption.
  • NCDOT Rail Division: NCDOT Rail Division is a new member of NC Smart Fleet for 2018. They run 8 locomotives for passenger service between Raleigh and Charlotte, and they have a strong history of innovation in pollution reduction. Despite new routes and increased vehicle miles traveled due to growth of demand for their services, the Rail Division continues to lead in deploying emissions reduction technologies.
  • Orange County: Orange County has been diligently working to improve fuel economy and reduce transportation pollution for years. This year’s Championship application highlighted the more than 11% of their fleet being alt-fueled, including 23 hybrids and 15 bi-fuel propane vehicles. The County reports 100% of its diesel vehicles being equipped with particulate filters or other emission reduction equipment. The County also have an Annual Sustainability Report on fleet MPGs, their GHG emissions inventory is being updated to include fleet activities, and they are directly coordinating with departments to implement telematics systems and a CarShare program.

Leaders

NC Smart Fleet Leaders have demonstrated a commitment to improving the sustainability of their fleet and have implemented some clean transportation technologies and best practices in their fleets.

NC Smart Fleet Leaders: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools; City of Winston-Salem; Durham City Transit Company (GoDurham); Gaston County; GoTriangle

  • City of Winston-Salem: City of Winston-Salem is a new addition to the NC Smart Fleet program, and they join by reporting almost 2% of their fleet is alt-fueled, including 1.8% of whole fleet, 2.6% of light-duty fleet, using electric, hybrid, & CNG technologies. W-S reports an impressive 1% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from 2017 to 2018. This is a 141,000-mile reduction.
  • Charlotte-Mecklenberg School District Building Services Department: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools showed continued leadership in clean transportation in a number of ways. They significantly added to their alt-fueled fleet, increasing their percentage from less than 1% to more than 3.5% of fleet, using both dedicated and bi-fuel Propane, and gas-electric hybrids. They continue to use technologies such as anti-idling, GPS, route planning, and driver prompts to remember MPGs and Eco Driving techniques.
  • Durham City Transit Company: Durham City Transit Company is a new addition to the NC Smart Fleet program, shining with more than 40% of their fleet being alt-fueled – 25 hybrid buses out of total fleet of 61.
  • Gaston County: Gaston County is also a new addition to the NC Smart Fleet program, joining with more than 13% of their total fleet being alt-fueled. Almost 32% of their medium duty fleet runs on propane with the option to run gasoline.
  • GoTriangle: GoTriangle is another new addition to the NC Smart Fleet program for 2018. This regional transit agency serves more than 1.7 million people per year and has noteworthy policies in regards to clean transportation. GoTriangle reports 100% of their fleet using particulate filters.

The Mobile CARE and NC Smart Fleet awards are given by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center with support by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

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Posted by Nicole Deck

Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo 2018

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Industry experts discuss the present and future of alternative fuel vehicles

Allison Carr, Clean Transportation Specialist at NCCETC, talks about the 50 States of EVs reports.

Fleet industry professionals, alternative vehicle experts, and sustainability advocates from around the country gathered recently for the 2018 Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference & Expo in Durham, NC.

More than 50 speakers presented their practices and ideas at the two-day conference, including fleet managers, technicians, company presidents and CEOs, university professors, researchers, analysts, nonprofit managers and more. With all of the varying backgrounds in transportation, there seemed to be a definitive consensus on alternative fuels – whether electric, propane, biofuel or natural gas – the industry is moving forward, and the future looks bright.

“The electrification movement and the movement to diversify our source of fuels – it’s happening. There’s no point of return now,” said Tony Posawatz,  industry leader and keynote speaker on day one of the conference. “The costs are coming down; the ecosystem is being built. But it will take some time.”

Tony Posawatz, the keynote speaker on day one of the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference.

Keynote speaker Posawatz; who is recognized as an industry leader in product innovation and electrified vehicles as Vehicle Line Executive/Director for the Chevrolet Volt (and founding member), Avalanche, and Cadillac Escalade; kicked off the conference on Wednesday morning.

Posowatz noted the alternative fuel market has steadily risen each year, and more and more choices have become available to consumers.

“It’s important for the industry to grow and for customers to be satisfied,” Posawatz said.

“The Triangle Research area is an important area for taking transportation where it needs to go,” Posowatz said. “It’s an area for emerging technology, automobile, mobility as well as energy and environment altogether.”

Posawatz noted that while the industry is obviously improving, it’s still impossible to predict.

“The future of mobility is before us,” Posawatz said. “It will surprise us all, even myself. Anyone who tells you they know what it will look like… they’re wrong.”

Panelists speak at the Electric Vehicles breakout session, including Christopher Facente, Fleet Manager at UNC-Charlotte; Ben Prochazka, Vice President of Electrification Coalition; Jesse Way, Climate Policy Analyst, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM); Mark Goody, Manager of Electric Vehicle Programs at FleetCarma; and Whitney Schmidt, EV Charging Sales Director, Carolinas and Tennessee, ChargePoint.

The three conference tracks included Connected Fleets, Alternative Fuel Solutions, Deployment and Lessons Learned, while 12 breakout sessions covered Predictive Analytics; Electric Vehicles; Solutions for Port & Freight; Smart Mobility; Propane; Local, State, Federal Policies & Resources; Managing for Fleet Efficiency; Biofuels; Sustainable Garage & Facility Operations; Smart Cities & Smart Grid; Natural Gas; and Idle Reduction.

Future of Sustainability panel, left to right: Tony Posawatz, Stuart Weidie, CEO of Alliance AutoGas; Scott Phillippi, Automotive Maintenance and Engineering Manager at UPS; Loreana Marciante, Low Carbon Mobility Strategy Manager at Paul Allen Philanthropies; and Scott Curran, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The first plenary panel, Future of Sustainability, featured Stuart Weidie, CEO of Alliance AutoGas; Loreana Marciante, Low Carbon Mobility Strategy Manager at Paul Allen Philanthropies; Scott Phillippi, Automotive Maintenance and Engineering Manager at UPS; and Scott Curran, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Phillipi compared the current state of the industry as a ‘big sandbox with a lot of different technologies.’

“We’re in a time in technology where perfect is a moving target,” said Phillippi. “As technology evolves, we may find that different things come to the forefront.”

While the plenary panel all came from different backgrounds, they agreed each alternative fuel and technology has its place and application.

“We’re seeing change happen more rapidly,” said Rick Sapienza of NCCETC. “There’s not one set solution. Use all the tools available to you.”

VW Settlement Plenary Panel, left to right: Michael Abraczinskas, Director, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDEQ); Alexa Voytek, Senior Program Manager of Office of Energy Programs at Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEQ); Joe Annotti, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA); Debra Swartz, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; and and Michael Buff, infrastructure team, Electrify America.

At the VW Settlement Plenary Panel, Michael Buff of Electrify America; Michael Abraczinskas of NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDEQ); Alexa Voytek of Office of Energy Programs at Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEQ); and Debra Swartz, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; discussed settlement funds coming from Volkswagen.

Over 40 exhibitors showcased their products, services, and vehicles in the Expo Hall. Plug-in and hybrid electric vehicles from Toyota, Mitsubishi, Chevy, and Chrysler were on display, as well as other vehicles fueled by natural gas and propane, including a heavy-duty Freightliner CNG trash roll-off hoist truck.

 

“The conference was a great success,” said Rick Sapienza, Clean Transportation Director at NCCETC. ” It brought together transportation professionals to exchange ideas on clean transportation technologies with a good mix of what is working today, and strategic thought-provoking discussion to consider and prepare for what might be coming tomorrow.”

“As we deploy new technologies and new companies come on board, the one thing that is certain is there are going to be bumps along the way,” Phillippi said. “This is not going to be easy, but it will be worth the effort.”

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