Proposal:
Execute a Contract to Cost-Share the Development and Demonstration of a Propane Medium-Duty Engine
Synopsis:
Medium-duty vehicle applications, such as street sweepers, shuttle buses and pickup and delivery trucks, lend themselves well to the use of alternative fuels. Although there are several natural gas engines available in the marketplace, there are no commercially-available propane-fueled medium-duty engines. Staff recommends cosponsoring, in an amount not to exceed $313,400, The ADEPT Group to develop and demonstrate a propane Cummins 6B engine in a shuttle bus application with the City of Pasadena. The total estimated cost of the project is about $2.5 million.
Committee:
Technology, February 13, 1996, Recommended for Approval
Recommended Action:
Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with The ADEPT Group, Inc., for Development and Demonstration of a Propane Medium-Duty Engine, not to exceed $313,400, subject to adoption and inclusion of the Technology Advancement Plan in the Clean Fuels Program.
James M. Lents, Ph.D.
Executive Officer
ARA:CS
Background
Propane, or liquefied petroleum gas, is the most prevalent and easily obtained alternative fuel in the United States. Many light-duty cars and trucks have been converted to operate on propane. Yet, in spite of the general acceptance of propane as a fuel, and its existing fueling infrastructure, engine manufacturers have been slow to develop low-emission propane medium- and heavy-duty engine technologies. Currently no certified propane engines are manufactured in the medium- and heavy-duty categories. Under AQMD contract number S-C94147, The ADEPT Group (ADEPT), in conjunction with Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC), is currently developing a heavy-duty propane engine suitable for transit applications.
Proposal
ADEPT has a proposed project to develop and demonstrate a Cummins B Series medium-duty propane engine to complement heavy-duty propane engine development under the above-referenced AQMD contract. This engine has applications in street sweepers, shuttles, pickup and delivery vehicles and other medium-duty vehicles. Cummins Engine Company (Cummins) has previously developed the B Series for natural gas operation. That engine was certified by the Air Resources Board as meeting ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) standards for medium-duty engines and vehicles. The proposed project is intended to lead to certification of a Cummins B Series propane engine to ULEV standards.
The proposed development and demonstration project includes host sites in Texas, California and Canada. The City of Pasadena is the proposed California host site. ADEPT intends to install the B Series propane engine in one bus from the existing shuttle bus fleet, and purchase a new bus with the second demonstration engine. Upon completion of the demonstration phase, Cummins intends to make its B Series propane engine commercially available in the Basin.
This proposed project is included in the Technology Advancement Plan for the Clean Fuels Program as Project MS-06, "Development and Demonstration of a Propane Medium-Duty Engine". The expected benefits of this project are direct emission reductions during the demonstration period. The project goal is ULEV medium-duty engine and vehicle certification, which is 2.5g/bhp-hr for NOx and NMHC, 0.05 g/bhp-hr for PM, and 15.5 g/bhp-hr for CO. If successfully demonstrated, the resulting certified ULEV engine will become commercially available for various uses in Southern California with commensurate emission benefits.
Sole Source Justification
Section II, Step 3(C) of the Consultant Selection Policy and Procedure identifies four provisions under which the Executive Officer may award a sole-source bid: (1) cost to prepare documents exceeds cost for consultant, (2) delay would result in the endangerment of public health, (3) services are only available from sole-source, (4) other circumstances exist identifying sole-source as in the best interests of the AQMD. This request for sole-source bid is made under provision #4. It is in the AQMD's best interests to enter into a costshare agreement with The ADEPT Group for demonstration of propane in medium-duty applications, leveraging $313,400 in AQMD funds into an approximately $2.5 million development and demonstration program.
The AQMD will be part of a North American propane engine development and demonstration project, which includes three host sites, two propane suppliers, three chassis manufacturers, and an engine manufacturer. Cummins has been a leader in the commercialization of low-emission natural gas medium- and heavy-duty engines. Their B Series engine is very popular in shuttle buses and smaller delivery vehicles. The ADEPT Group, Inc., was selected by Cummins, the host sites, and the fuel suppliers to manage this program. ADEPT, an engineering consulting firm with experience managing alternative fuel, heavy-duty vehicle demonstrations is a small business located in the Basin. In the recent past, they have worked with DDC on biodiesel and propane engine technologies in transit buses. They have also performed evaluations of diesel engine combustion chamber modifications as an emission reduction strategy and have performed a number of studies related to the use of natural gas in the mobile sector.
Resource Impacts
Total estimated cost of the development and demonstration project is approximately $2.5 million; cost to the District will not exceed $313,400. A funding breakdown is as follows:
Cofunder Direct Funding In-Kind Resources ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Natural Resources, Canada $200,000 A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. $25,520 Cummins Engine Co. 670,000 TX Railroad Commission 282,000 Host Sites 783,000 Propane Provider 205,000 85,125 SCAQMD 313,400 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Project Funding $1,000,400 $1,563,645
Sufficient funds are available in the Fiscal Year 1995-96 budget to fund this project.
BD13:3-96K