Home Incentives Programs Self-Generation Incentive Program Energy Connection Newsletter - Inaugural Issue

Energy Connection Newsletter - Inaugural Issue


California Center for Sustainable Energy Newsletter - Energy Connection - July 2007

Inaugural Issue - July 2007

Home · Events Calendar · Visit Us · This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

California Center for Sustainable Energy


Events Calendar

Did you know CCSE offers free, ongoing workshops to anyone interested in learning how to cut energy costs and make their buildings and homes more energy efficient? We have workshops on energy efficiency, solar energy, green building, transportation and climate change.

Unless otherwise noted, all events and workshops are located in CCSE's offices at 8690 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123. To register, click on the links below, or call 858.244.1177.


Solar Water Heating Contractors Meeting

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Date: Monday, July 30, 2007

Understanding Thermal Energy Storage

Time: 9 a.m. to noon
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2007


News Bits


CCSE Accepts $1.8 Million Award from the California Air Resources Board for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

As part of its new overall strategy, the California Center for Sustainable Energy is developing transportation programs that emphasize the importance of fuel efficiency and the adverse impact of emissions on climate change. In light of this goal, CCSE submitted a $1.5 million grant proposal to the California Air Resources Board ( CARB) to administer the statewide Alternative Fuel Vehicle Incentive Program (AFVIP) whose objective is to reduce of vehicle emissions and dependence on petroleum in California.

The grant amount was increased to $1.8 million and awarded to CCSE late in May. The AFVIP provides grants up to $10,000 for the purchase or lease of new eligible vehicles including electric, fuel cell, plug-in hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles. Individuals, businesses, public agencies and private organizations are all eligible. Administration of the grant will begin
in June 2007 and continue through
June 2009.

In support of the CARB grant solicitation, CCSE requested in-kind support funds in the amount of $20,000 from NRG Energy, Inc. to conduct an alternative fuel vehicle research program. The focus of the research will be to measure changes to the carbon footprint and emission reduction attributed to the vehicles participating in the AFVIP.



Dial 511 for Traffic Updates

Need an efficient resource for traffic information or roadside assistance? Dial 511. This is a free public resource and puts a wealth of travel-related information at citizens' fingertips—24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The service also connects to RideLink and transit customer service centers. 511 provides information on freeway driving, driving times, ridesharing, bus route information, roadside assistance and more. Click here to visit SANDAG’s 511 Web site.

 

Employee Spotlight

Abigail Reyes, Human Resources Director

The unprecedented growth that spurred CCSE’s move to new facilities—coupled with CCSE’s expanded scope of public service in the areas of transportation and climate change—have prompted a full court press in the area of recruitment.

The professional behind CCSE’s recruiting activities is Abigail Reyes.

Recently promoted to the role of Human Resources Director, the four-year CCSE employee orchestrated CCSE’s move to larger offices. But with Reyes, a change in title doesn't mean a change in attitude—or service.

In addition to her facilities management and recruiting responsibilities, Ms. Reyes is responsible for conducting internal and external audits to 1) ensure compliance with policy and procedures; 2) inform, educate and train staff to ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly, and 3) help employees stay on task with their respective responsibilities.

She also helped organize the IT, A/V and telecom infrastructure to ensure CCSE’s growing team has the tools it needs to optimally serve the public’s interest.

“Our priorities are employees, consumers and renewable energy. We select qualified professionals, afford them the tools they need, offer meeting space that provide easy access and professional renewable and energy efficiency workshops so we can better serve our customers.”

 

Notable & Quotable

“As recognition of climate change’s adverse impacts on our quality of life increases…and the national security issues associated with our dependence on foreign oil exist, so does the need to empower citizens and businesses with the right arsenal to: 1) assert their energy independence; 2) save money, and; 3) prove that energy efficiency is not only a philosophy to guide our lives, it makes good business sense. It should be a guiding principle to employ at home and at the office as we work toward a sustainable energy future.”

 

— State Senator Christine Kehoe,
Chair, California Energy, Utilities and Communication Committee

 

"All the stuff I've done for the environment has been good for my pocketbook."

 

— Actor and Environmentalist
Ed Begley Jr., as quoted
in Time Magazine, April 2007

 

"There is simply no two ways about this fuel question. Gasoline is going, alcohol is coming. And we might as well get ready for it now. All the world is waiting for a substitute for gasoline.

 

— Henry Ford, in an interview with the Detroit News, December 1916



ClimateSmart - 10 Simple Steps to Help Slow Global Warming

10 Simple Steps to Help Slow Global Warming


Greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change are worldwide problems that cannot be solved by government alone. We must all work together on this issue.

While government, business, and technology can help forge the path to a clean energy future, individuals must also act. Personal choices can make a significant difference. If all San Diegans took the steps below, we could reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by nearly nine million tons!

  1. Turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unused electronic devices. You can save hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
  2. Buy energy efficient light bulbs. Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and save 300 lbs. of CO2 per year.
  3. Drive less. Cars account for over 40 percent of our region’s greenhouse gas emissions. Leaving your car at home just two days a week will reduce your CO2 emissions by 1,590 lbs. per year. If you must drive, check your car’s tire pressure and air filter monthly. Properly inflated tires save gas and 250 lbs. of CO2 per year, and a clean air filter can reduce your CO2 output by 800 lbs. per year.
  4. Conserve water. Because transporting and treating water comprises about 10 percent of California’s energy annually, using water more efficiently also means using less energy. You can save hundreds of pounds of CO2 just by using water wisely.
  5. Plant more shade trees. Over its lifetime, a typical tree in our region absorbs 780 lbs. of CO2.
  6. Recycle paper, glass and metal. By recycling half the waste you generate at home and using recycled products, you can keep 2,400 lbs. of CO2 out of the atmosphere each year.
  7. Use energy from renewable sources. The California Solar Initiative ( CSI) rebate program's tens of millions of dollars are available annually to consumers who install solar-power or wind-power sources.
  8. Wash your clothes in cold water. About 90 percent of the energy used to wash your clothes is used to heat the water! There are new detergents specially designed for cold water washing. So, revisit your laundry aisle and switch to Cold Wash/Cold Rinse. You will keep 500 lbs. of CO2 out of the atmosphere each year.
  9. Line-dry your clothes. There is no shortage of sunshine in San Diego, and you won’t generate any CO2!
  10. Encourage your friends and local, state and federal government representatives to take the steps necessary to curb global warming.
    Sources: California Center for Sustainable Energy www.energycenter.org; City of San Diego Climate Protection Action Plan, July 2005; Flex Your Power www.fypower.org; www.climatecrisis.net; www.fightglobalwarming.com.

- TOP -

Fast Energy Facts


  1. Drive Sensibly. Aggressive driving, speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes gas and lowers fuel economy of your vehicle.
  2. Maintain Your Vehicle. Regular maintenance and tune-ups, proper inflation of tires, replacing air filters regularly will improve the efficiency of your vehicle.
  3. Purchase Fuel Wisely. Use the right grade of gasoline as recommended in your owner’s manual. Premium may be an unnecessary expense.
  4. Combine Errands Into One Trip. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip.
  5. Eliminate Wind Resistance and Extra Weight. Using a loaded roof rack and keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle increases fuel consumption.
  6. Minimize Vehicle Idling. Today’s vehicles are designed to warm up fast. Avoid wasting fuel at 0 miles per gallon!
  7. Carpool. Take turns driving to work or school by carpooling or joining a ride-share program. This doubles your fuel economy and allows access to the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.
  8. Take Public Transportation. You’ll reduce traffic congestion and air pollution while saving wear on your vehicle.
  9. Consider telecommuting. Many employers permit telecommuting as an option. Working at home cuts down on vehicle trips and mileage.
  10. Drive a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle. Consider driving an alternative fuel vehicle such as a hybrid-electric, ethanol, natural gas, electric, or hydrogen fuel cell to reduce emissions. Source: www.sdfoundation.org.

Contact Us

Energy Connection is a monthly e-newsletter of the California Center for Sustainable Energy.

We value your feedback. To submit comments, questions or suggestions please click here.

California Center for Sustainable Energy

 

- TOP -

 

Irene Stillings, Executive Director, California Center for Sustainable Energy
.
Irene M. Stillings
Executive Director

SDREO is Now the California Center for Sustainable Energy

For over ten years, the San Diego Regional Energy Office ( SDREO) has focused on energy efficiency education, policy, green building, distributed generation and renewable energy — in an unbiased, consumer-oriented approach.

We've answered the call to expand our services and efforts beyond San Diego. We will now provide education and services to a broader constituency.

It is with a great deal of enthusiasm I announce that the non-profit San Diego Regional Energy Office ( SDREO) has changed its name to the California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) and is expanding its scope of service to California businesses, public agencies and residents.

read more>>

 

CCSE Grand Opening Attracts 300

CA State Senator Christine Kehoe
CA State Senator Christine Kehoe

Nearly 300 energy-efficiency advocates — including environmentalists, contractors, arborists, scientists, executives and elected officials — joined the California Center for Sustainable Energy team and its Board of Directors last month to celebrate the organization’s name change, its expanded public service vision and the grand opening of its new public facilities.

The San Diego Regional Energy Office is now the California Center for Sustainable Energy.

CCSE's Grand Opening

More than 300 attendees enjoyed a presentation on CCSE's name change, expanded public service vision and grand opening of its new offices.

Located in Kearny Mesa’s Cabrillo Technology Center, the new California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) features expanded state-of-the-art facilities that allow it to better serve the public’s growing hunger for information on energy efficiency practices and technologies, green building, climate change, renewables and transportation.

CCSE’s move into this larger facility accommodates expansion of one of its most important programs, the Energy Resource Center, which provides San Diegans access to interactive technology displays, valuable calibration tools and energy resource libraries that feature the latest in energy efficiency practices, products and services–even business opportunities,” said California State Senator Christine Kehoe, who gave the night’s keynote address. Ms. Kehoe chairs the State Senate’s Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.

 

read more>>

 

Street Smart San Diego event description
Street Smart San Diego Offers Info on Energy Efficient Vehicles

Environmental activist and actor Ed Begley, Jr. (www.livingwithed.net) joined San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, State Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee Chair Senator Christine Kehoe, executives from Toyota Motor Sales, Mossy Automotive Group, and industry leaders from throughout San Diego last month for CCSE's inaugural transportation event: "Street Smart San Diego. The topic at hand? Street Smart Transportation: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Their Promise for A Sustainable Energy Future.

Actor and Environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. and California Center for Sustainable Energy Executive Director Irene Stillings
Actor and Environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. was awarded CCSE's inaugural Energy All-Star Award at the Prado Ballroom in Balboa Park.

Street Smart San Diego is a series of three events designed to showcase a full complement of electric, hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell, Compressed Natural Gas ( CNG), biodiesel, ethanol and otherwise clean-burning vehicles and spec cars — and the local, state and federal incentives for driving said vehicles — to the greater San Diego community. The event was designed to educate citizens about alternative fuel vehicles, why they are important — and the incentives they can realize by purchasing these vehicles for personal or business use.

Another important element of Street Smart is to educate the public on how they can equip themselves, their families and their vehicles to be more fuel-efficient and road-safe during this summer's peak drive times.

read more>>

 

Inside the San Diego Energy Resource Center Lending Library

The Energy Resource Center ( ERC) has a vast array of books, periodicals, DVDs and tools to assist businesses and home owners with energy efficiency products, services and practices. Books, periodicals and DVDs can be checked out free of charge. Please call toll-free: 1-866-SDENERGY for more information. For a peek at tools and resources available in the lending library, click here.

 

Featured Display

Name: Variable Speed Package AC Unit
Description: A 4-ton high efficiency packaged gas/electric air conditioning unit. This unit features a variable speed indoor blower, two-stage compressor, a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio ( SEER) of 16, and an insulated cabinet.
Systems Addressed: HVAC
Illustrates: Air conditioning and ventilation accounts for up to 40 percent of Southern California large office electrical energy use and heating accounts for 65 percent of natural gas use. High efficiency air conditioners can cut that energy use by a significant amount. A 16 SEER air conditioner uses only 63 percent of the energy that a 10 SEER air conditioner uses to provide the same amount of cooling. Higher efficiency can be achieved by using a proper economizer control strategy; using heat transfer surfaces with high surface areas; high efficiency compressors; and variable speed motors to vary fan and compressor speed to meet demand. This unit utilizes natural gas for heating, rather than using the compressor and reversing valve that is found in typical heat pump units. The display incorporates cutaway sections to allow visitors to peer inside the workings of the unit.

 

Featured Instrument

Name: HOBO U10-003 Temp/RH Data Logger
Description: Record temperature or temperature and relative humidity (RH) in indoor environments.
Required Equipment: HOBO U10-003 Temp/RH Data Logger, USB Interface Cable, HOBOware Software.
Benefits: Easily monitor indoor temperature and RH over time, and view overlay plot of both.
Examples of Use: Can be used to log indoor office conditions. Use logs to verify EMS setpoints and “night setbacks.”
Availability: Loaned free of charge for up to 10 business days.
Remember: Safety first!

 

 

Featured Book

Handbook of Financing Energy Projects, written by Albert Thumann, P.E., C.E.M. and Eric Woodroof, Ph.D., is a practical reference that provides a resource for those seeking to use the innovative methods now available to finance energy projects. The full scope of current project financing practices is fully examined and assessed, including coverage of energy service performance contracting, rate of return analysis, measurement and verification of energy savings, and more.

Featured Periodical

Today’s Facility Manager, a monthly publication by Group C Communication, is a news tabloid for facility product and service buyers and features a broad range of articles, services and products for anyone in facilities.


Featured DVD

 

Name: Building with Awareness: The Construction of a Hybrid Home
Description: The award-winning DVD is a detailed and comprehensive video on the design and construction of a straw bale home. It is packed with green design and construction techniques from professionals working on the cutting edge of sustainable home buildings. Enjoy a front row seat on the work site as you watch designer Ted Owens and his crew construct one house from start to finish.
Length: 2 hours and 42 minutes


To find prior editions of "Inside the San Diego Energy Resource Center Lending Library" information, including DVD reviews, click here.

- TOP -

 

Energy Policies, Regulations & Legislative Updates

CPUC regulatory activity includes:

California Solar Initiative (CSI) and Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) R.06-03-004)
On June 7, the California Public Utilities Commission ( CPUC) granted the Petition for Modification filed by PV Now, the California Solar Energy Industries Association and the Vote Solar Initiative, suspending the requirement for customers to take service on a time-of-use ( TOU) tariff to receive incentives under the CSI. This requirement is suspended until the CPUC develops TOU tariffs that meet the criteria in Public Utilities Code §2851(a)(4). Customers who were forced to take service on a TOU tariff will have the option to return to their former electricity tariff or the applicable flat rate tariff for which they qualify. Affected customers were to be notified of this option by June 27 and have 60 days from the date of notice to inform their utility they wish to return to their former rate schedule or move to another qualifying flat rate tariff. In addition, any customer who chooses to return to their former tariff or an applicable flat rate tariff will receive a credit within 60 days of the utility’s receipt of notice from the customer for the difference, if any, between their bill on a TOU rate and their bill on their former rate schedule or other qualifying flat rate tariff.

On June 13, the CSI Program Administrators (PAs) submitted their proposed Interim Marketing and Outreach Plans to the Director of the CPUC Energy Division with a copy to the service list of the proceeding. Parties on the service list may comment on the proposed Interim Marketing and Outreach Plans via a letter to the Director of the Energy Division by July 3, and the CSI PAs may respond to these comments by July 9.

On June 29, the second CSI Program Forum was hosted by Southern California Edison ( SCE). This Forum provided a public venue for interested parties to identify and discuss the highest priority issues related to the California Public Utilities Commission ( CPUC) portion of the CSI program administration and implementation. An update from the first forum held in April was provided, as well as a demonstration of the online system and an update on its status. The intent is to hold these CSI Program Forums on a quarterly basis.

Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project (A.06-08-010)
A second Public Scoping Report, documenting all comments received regarding alternatives to the Sunrise Powerlink Project, is now available on the project website.

On June 26, a prehearing conference was held to determine the parties, positions of the parties, issues, and other procedural matters. Next up are evidentiary hearings, which will be held during the month of July at the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and July 16-20 and July 27 at the California Center for Sustainable Energy (formerly the San Diego Regional Energy Office). All hearings will begin at 10:00 a.m. For dates and locations, please view the Notice of Evidentiary Hearing

In related events, on May 14, the California Energy Commission’s Integrated Energy Policy Report ( IEPR) Committee and the Electricity Committee conducted a joint workshop to solicit comments on potential critical in-state and interstate transmission projects and potential in-state corridors for consideration in the 2007 Strategic Transmission Investment Plan, the barriers to their development, and critical actions needed to remove those barriers. The transcript, presentations, and public comments from this workshop can be viewed by clicking here.

 

Long-Term Procurement Plan (LTPP) (R.06-02-013)
During the week of May 21-25, workshops were held, focusing on Investor-Owned Utility ( IOU) procurement practices and Assembly Bill 1576, repowering and generation retirements. Evidentiary hearings were then held June 4-14 to discuss planning criteria and need. Any issue within the scope of the proceeding not explicitly addressed through these workshops or evidentiary hearings will be addressed through briefs, with concurrent opening briefs due July 30 and concurrent reply briefs due August 27.

On May 23, the ALJ assigned to consider non-bypassable charge (NBC) related issues within this proceeding issued a Ruling setting a prehearing conference for July 12 to discuss the need for workshops and evidentiary hearings and establish a procedural schedule. PG&E, SDG&E and SCE are to coordinate with the other parties to prepare a witness list for all testimony to be addressed in the NBC phase of the proceeding. That list is to be distributed to all parties by July 9.

Direct Access (P.06-12-002)
On May 24, the CPUC granted the Petition of Alliance for Retail Energy Markets, et al. (AREM) and accordingly instituted a rulemaking to examine whether, or subject to what conditions, the current suspension on direct access may be lifted pursuant to Assembly Bill 1X.

Legislative activity includes:

The California Center for Sustainable Energy Testified Before the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee

California’s energy future emphasizes the need for an increase in renewable power. With the implementation in the California Solar Initiative ( CSI), for which CCSE is the Program Administrator in the San Diego region, solar is the leading renewable power source. As a result, more and more residents are installing solar power.

While existing law allows for the installation and distribution of renewable power to serve the needs of local governments, it does not allow for distribution to be shared from one city structure to another. As a result, excess power generated at one location cannot be credited to another location.

Cities such as Davis and San Francisco have been granted exemptions, allowing them to generate excess electrical power (power that cannot be consumed wholly on the generation site) and credit the excess power they generate to other city-controlled locations. In essence, Davis and San Francisco are allowed to aggregate their power production and consumption throughout all their buildings for one total net bill.

CCSE traveled to Sacramento to testify before the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee on behalf of SB 451 (Kehoe – San Diego). SB 451 will take the model set by Davis and San Francisco and apply it to municipalities throughout the State. This bill will allow cities, counties, and joint power authorities who have invested in renewable power to meet their governmental power needs to include the added flexibility of sharing or receiving a renewable energy credit to go toward the power needs of other city-controlled buildings.

CCSE supports this bill and asks you to call your local state representative and voice your support. To find your local state representative, please click here.

For a complete list of energy-related State and Federal legislation, please visit our website at www.energycenter.org.

 

- TOP -


SDREO is now the California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE)

The changes respond to the growing concern about climate change among Californians, and the escalating need for state-wide leadership to help address transportation emissions and consumers' dissatisfaction with rising fuel prices.

A recent NBC field poll reported that 80 percent of Californians are concerned about global warming. A full third of the carbon emissions in California are transportation related. In San Diego, that number is as high as 52 percent.

Citizens who are genuinely interested in learning what they can do to cut energy consumption, lower energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions can rely on the new California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) to provide energy efficiency expertise, education and rebate program administration in five critical areas: Green Building, Education, Renewables, Transportation and Climate Change.

 

  • Green Building: CCSE helps businesses and public agencies evaluate their facility design and consumption practices and identify cost-saving opportunities through adoption of sustainable technologies and practices
  • Energy Efficiency Education: CCSE provides San Diegans with a robust complement of free, expert-facilitated workshops (and tool and resource libraries) on topics from efficient lighting to solar power and to help contractors, consultants, businesses and homeowners become more efficient at work and at home.
  • Renewable Energy: CCSE offers assistance to help consumers identify, navigate and evaluate their options in deploying renewable solutions. We provide financial incentives to reduce up front capital costs.
  • Transportation: California is the ninth largest emitter of carbon in the world -- and a full third of that carbon comes from fossil-fuel burning vehicles. CCSE provides information on the benefits of alternative fuels and vehicles, while affording financial incentives for reducing harmful emissions.
  • Climate Change: CCSE collaborates with key government agencies, non-profits, businesses and elected officials to support the community with ideas and resources to do their respective parts to reduce consumption and deploy technologies and practices to counteract the alarming effects of climate change.


Stay tuned for more information on how the new California Center for Sustainable Energy is working to provide businesses, public agencies and citizens-at-large with ways they can cut energy costs, reduce carbon emissions and do their parts to create a sustainable energy future. Make a difference and tell a friend!

 


- TOP -

CCSE Grand Opening

The Energy Resource Center ( ERC) is an energy efficiency program conducted in partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric and funded through the California Public Utility Commission ( PUC).

“The ERC is an encouraging example of how utilities and non-profits can work together to make sure the customer is well served in the realm of energy efficiency,” Ms. Kehoe added.

Following Senator Kehoe’s remarks, California Center for Sustainable Energy Executive Director Irene M. Stillings introduced the organization’s new logo and scope of service, which, in addition to Renewables, Energy Efficiency Education and Green Building, has been expanded to include the increasingly-hot topics of Climate Change and Transportation.

Grand Opening guests toured the ERC's multiple learning centers, used for public workshops and gatherings among regional policy and business partners such as SANDAG’s Energy Working Group, the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership.

The ERC provides free, ongoing workshops where San Diegans can learn how to incorporate sound energy-saving techniques and products into their homes and businesses. The ERC also trains consultants and installers on valuable energy efficiency products and services to help ensure vendors' service levels to the community are optimized — and that San Diegans’ experiences with solar and other innovative energy solutions providers are positive ones.

Among the dozens of workshops the ERC hosts here each year — all free of charge — the solar and green building workshops in particular are drawing record attendance on the part of homeowners, contractors, engineers, architects, lighting designers, facility managers, energy consultants, public agencies and energy managers.

Following May’s Grand Opening celebration and a family-oriented Open House, energy-efficiency prizes reinforcing CCSE’s five ‘public service planks’ were awarded. They included Global Warming Survival Guides and solar-powered radios, landscape lighting (Renewables), state-of-the-art Energy Star appliances (Energy Efficiency Education), Solatubes and free Energy Audits and solar lighting fixtures (Green Building), 15-gallon shade trees and Global Warming Survival Guides (Climate Change), a Trek Superstore bicycle, MTS Trolley Day Passes, and ‘Here & Now’ Monopoly games, featuring the Toyota Prius instead of the racecar game piece (Transportation).

 


- TOP -

Street Smart

The event was comprised of 1) A VIP Cocktail Reception and fund-raiser; 2) A regional news conference announcing an array of vehicles available on the market today and their impressive mileage/performance metrics, as well as the incentives folks can realize for buying these economically-friendly vehicles and 3) A 10-day display at the San Diego Automotive Museum to showcase these vehicles to thousands of San Diegans.

San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Transportation Committee Chair and San Diego City Councilmember Jim Madaffer drove up to news conference in a 1916 Ford Model T, which nearly a century ago achieved 25 MPG in fuel efficiency. San Diego City Councilmember Donna Frye, Chair of San Diego's Natural Resources and Cultural Committee, discussed the "Here and Now" technology of today's hybrid vehicles. And Toyota executives showcased the company's futuristic hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) technology while City of Chula Vista Councilmember Steve Castaneda demonstrated the clean emissions of such vehicles by drinking from a cup of collected emissions (water).

Ed Begley, Jr., who drove his Toyota Prius from Los Angeles for the event, spoke of his experience with alternative fuel vehicles. The event was emceed by CCSE Executive Director Irene M. Stillings. Following a Q&A with reporters, San Diego Automotive Museum Executive Director Bob Swanson introduced the Street Smart Alternative Fuel Vehicle Exhibit, which was on display at the museum through Memorial Day. The event was slated for just before the Memorial Day weekend, designed to dovetail with folks' planning of holiday and summer road trips.

To view remarks from the news conference participants, click on the highlighted links above.

- TOP -

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2007 • California Center for Sustainable Energy

 

2011 SGIP Handbook

Fuel Cells

Learn About Fuel Cells
Technical Information about Fuel Cells
more about fuel cells


CCSE Calendar

Green Workshops & Events
calendar view | list view

Notable & Quotable

“You may be on the right track, but if you’re sitting still you will get run over.”

-- Will Rogers