Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition
South Carolina is at the forefront of publicly accessible alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Currently, 45 stations in South Carolina offer E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) and 46 stations offer at least B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% diesel), but some also offer B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel).
The Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition (PSCFC) is part of the Clean Cities program and is one of 88 designated coalitions in the United States. The Department of Energy approved the application for PSCFC's designation in 2003, recognizing the commitment of our stakeholders to building an alternative fuels market in South Carolina. Click here to see the South Carolina House of Representatives Resolution commending the PSCFC on all its work to advance alternative fuels.
This partnership must implement all the objectives outlined in the Program Plan. Although this will be hard work, all the stakeholders in the PSCFC have already demonstrated their level of commitment to alternative fuels.
Clean Cities is a locally based, voluntary public/private partnership coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that expands the use of alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuel. Legal alternatives under EPAct92 include CNG, ethanol, methanol, electricity, and liquefied petroleum gas (propane).
The U.S. Department of Energy developed this program in order to promote energy use in the transportation sector that is clean, safe, less dependent upon foreign sources, and sustainable. Clean Cities builds on local initiative and partnerships and nationwide networks to achieve its goals. By combining local decision-making with voluntary action by partners, this grassroots community action is a departure from the usual top-down approach of federal programs. These coalitions create effective programs that will combine for a sustainable nationwide alternative fuels market.
Erika Hartwig
Clean Cities Program Manager
1201 Main Street, Suite 430
Columbia, SC 29201
ehartwig@energy.sc.gov
(803) 737-8030 (office)
(803) 737-9846 (fax)
Tuesday, May 13th, 11:00am - Noon: Clemson Sandhills Research and Education Center, Columbia. Agenda will be posted soon. Following the meeting will be the quarterly South Carolina Biomass Council meeting from 2:00pm - 4:30pm. For details about the SCBC meeting and directions to the meeting, go to the website.
An October survey of fuel prices around the state has been compiled. To download the survey, click here.
On June 19, 2007, the SC House and Senate overruled the governor's veto of the Hydrogen Bill, S.243. Two weeks prior, parts of the Energy Freedom and Rural Development Act (H.3649) were added to the bill. The passage of this monumental energy bill will provide millions of dollars starting in 2008 for tax incentives, sales tax rebates, and incentive payments to encourage the development of renewable fuels and alternative energy in South Carolina. Additionally, H.3749 was passed that included a provision to establish a Renewable Energy Grants and Loans program. The following are a list of incentives:
Beginning July 1, 2007:In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program, the National Biodiesel Foundation (NBF) and the Maryland Energy Administration the PSCFC was selected to be a grant recipient. Grant money will be used to develop workshops to educate petroleum marketers, fleet managers and other officials about biodiesel fuel quality and ideal management practices. Federal and State fuel quality enforcement professionals will also be included in these events.
While always an important issue, fuel quality has become paramount for the rapidly expanding biodiesel industry. Assuring that stringent quality control standards are met throughout the supply chain is essential for the industry to enjoy further growth for this valuable product. The workshop will be held before October 31, 2007. Click here to download the full press release.
The objective of the 2006 federal grant awarded to the Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition and others in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennesee is to increase the availability of ethanol (E85) and biodiesel (B20) to the public and fleets along corridors in the states. Grant funds will be used to reimburse station owners for installing and/or upgrading E85 and B20 infrastructure. The Clean Cities Coalitions have identified 21 stations that have agreed to install E85 infrastructure and 14 stations that have agreed to install B20 infrastructure. In total, 24 more stations along heavily traveled interstates and state highways will have alternative fuels that do not currently sell these fuels. This is significant in a region that has only 42 public E85 sites (32 are in SC) and 46 B20 sites in the four states combined. All of the proposed infrastructure will be publicly accessible and will sell E85 or B20 for at least three years after installation.
The Clean Cities Coordinators will help the station owners with technical assistance in selecting appropriate technology as well as marketing the stations to fleets and the general public. Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG), home to the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, will administer the grant on behalf of the partners.
The specific objectives for the project are:The objectives will be achieved through close coordination with the Clean Cities Coalitions in each state and through their partners including but not limited to state/local agencies, state petroleum marketers associations, state agricultural associations, and fuel providers.
The PSCFC boasts an active group of stakeholders who make our continued success possible. These include the:
The Coalition works to increase the availability of alternative fuels in its region, to increase the use of those fuels, and to increase public awareness of the benefits of using alternative fuels.
The Coalition has held numerous workshops on alternative fuels, including Advancing the Choice events on September 28, 2000, May 2001, April 11, 2002, and, most recently, April 2, 2004 at York Technical College in Rock Hill. Over 150 people have attended these events over the past two years. Topics at these events generally include new product lines from major automakers, fuel availability from fuel suppliers in the region, a policy discussions regarding federal laws pertaining to alternative fuels, and others. Attendees are also treated to ride and drive sessions at the events, which allows them to sample the newest technology in alternative fuels for themselves.
Clearly, increasing the availability of alternative fuels in the state is a major priority for the Coalition and the Energy Office. Some of our most recent efforts include:
DHEC Ethanol Refueling Facility
The SC Energy Office helped DHEC turn its idea for an ethanol dispenser at its 2600 Bull Street offices into a reality by providing half of the funds necessary for the work. Thanks to partnerships through Clean Cities and DHEC's commitment to the environment, work was completed in March 2002, and the station was officially opened for business at a ceremony on April 2, 2002.
The facility is a first for SC state government. Although DHEC had in the past only allowed its vehicles to refuel there, the new station is open to all state, federal, and local government fleets.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel that is blended with gasoline, generally at 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. This blend is typically referred to as E-85, and vehicles equipped to operate on this fuel are called flex-fuel vehicles. Flex-fuel means that they can run on ethanol, gasoline, or any blend of the two. Many automobile manufacturers now make their vehicles flex-fuel standard. Fleet managers like to purchase E-85 vehicles because flex-fuel vehicles generally do not cost any more than a gasoline vehicle and count as an alternative fuel vehicle under the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Until this station opened, all the fleets in the Columbia area were using gasoline to fuel their flex-fuel vehicles.
Catawba Ethanol Initiative
DHEC directed $440,000 of an $11.2 million national fine levied against Willamette Industries by the Environmental Protection Agency into a Supplemental Environmental Project in the Catawba Council of Governments region to help clean up the air in Chester, York, Lancaster and Union counties.
As part of a national settlement against the paper company, Willamette must upgrade its plant in Chester county and pay three agencies in South Carolina around $1 million. Chester County and the state will share $600,000 for general purposes, and DHEC has asked that Catawba COG use its share to work with the Palmetto State PSCFC to develop ethanol refueling stations in their four-county region. These 9 stations, which were installed during 2004-2005, are open to federal, state and local fleets; private fleets; and individual citizens.
E-85 produces less greenhouse gas emissions than regular gasoline, and will also help reduce the amount of smog-forming volatile organic compounds in the air. The latter is particularly important the Rock Hill area because they are currently in non-attainment of federal air quality standards for ground level ozone, which can seriously impede the growth of a region.
Columbia CNG Initiative
In 2000, the PSCFC worked closely with the Central Midlands Board of Directors as they made decisions regarding the fate of Columbia's bus fleet. Thanks in part to their efforts, the Board decided to purchase 7 new compressed natural gas (CNG) transit buses when they replaced SCE&G's aging bus fleet. These buses were delivered in December, 2002 and are running successfully on CNG. They are expected to reduce nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbon emissions by 6,296 pounds per year over a ten-year period, which will result in a cleaner downtown area.
Because of the RTA's commitment alternative fuels, the Energy Office are worked with others to expand the capacity of Columbia's only CNG refueling station. This station is located on the corner of Flora Street and Assembly Street, across from the Capital City Bombers baseball stadium. This station refuels not only the buses, but also federal, state and local government fleets. It is also open to the public, and accepts both Visa and Master Card.