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PROPOSAL:

Execute Contract to Demonstrate an Increased-Horsepower Natural-Gas Engine in On-Road Delivery Trucks

SYNOPSIS:

Cummins Engine Company has initially introduced its 8.3-liter natural gas engine into the transit sector. Cummins has now developed a higher horsepower (280 hp), higher torque version of this engine to meet medium, heavy-duty trucking applications. Cummins, in conjunction with The Gas Company, has proposed testing the engine in an on-road application before commercial release. The Gas Company will have overall project management responsibilities and coordinate and fund vehicle emission testing. Total project cost is approximately $292,200 with AQMD funding not to exceed $105,800.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, October 22, 1999, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with Southern California Gas Company to cost-share the demonstration of an increased-horsepower natural-gas engine in freight delivery trucks, in an amount not to exceed $105,800 from the Clean Fuels Fund.

Barry Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Alternative fuel engines can provide significant emissions reductions over diesel engines. Natural gas engines for urban transit applications are commercially available products, and natural gas engines for trucking applications with limited power options are also available. Cummins Engine Company (Cummins) has taken the lead in the development of spark-ignited natural gas heavy-duty engines. The Cummins 8.3-liter C8.3G natural gas engine at 250 horsepower (hp) is certified for both transit and truck applications at the ARB optional low-NO_X standard of 2.5 g/bhp-hr.

Cummins has now developed a higher-horsepower (280 hp), higher-torque version of the C8.3G engine to meet medium, heavy-duty trucking applications. This engine is Cummins’ so-called "world" natural gas engine. It is designed to operate on varying compositions of natural gas found throughout the world where the methane content of natural gas can vary from 78 percent to 98 percent and include other contaminants. Cummins needs to test this engine in an on-road application before full commercial release and assess its operation with real-world natural gases fuels. Cummins has selected Southern California Gas Company (SCG) to provide management responsibilities for this project.

Proposal

SCG proposes to demonstrate the higher-horsepower Cummins C8.3G engine in trucks operated by Viking Freight Incorporated in Whittier. Cummins will provide the two pre-production engines. These engines along with CNG fuel systems will be installed into two Viking trucks by Ecotrans in Los Angeles. These will replace the existing diesel engines. The CNG trucks will then be demonstrated in normal freight pick-up and delivery in Southern California. Refueling will be performed at the Puente Hills landfill with natural gas produced from landfill gas and at public CNG fueling sites in the basin. Following the demonstration period, SCG will have the trucks emission tested at an ARB-certified emission laboratory. Emissions performance will be assessed with natural gas from at least two different sources in California. This project will require an estimated 2 years to complete.

Benefits to AQMD

The proposed project is included in the November 1998 update of the Technology Advancement Plan under Project 98M1-3, "Development and Demonstration of Low-Emission, Alternative Fuel Engine Technologies for On-Road Applications." The AQMP relies on the expedited implementation of advanced technologies and clean-burning fuels in Southern California to achieve air quality standards. Spark-ignited natural gas engines have very low emissions but have less torque and fuel efficiency than their compression-ignition diesel counterparts. Their widespread acceptance and area-wide emission benefit depends upon improved engine performance like that being demonstrated with this project.

The C8.3G is currently certified by the ARB to 1.7 g/bhp-hr NO_X, below the ARB low-NO_X certification standard of 2.5 g/bhp-hr. The field test of the increased-horsepower C8.3G will utilize two trucks. Emissions reductions for the demonstration trucks compared to diesel trucks certified to the 4.0 g/bhp-hr NO_X standard and operated 20,000 miles for one year will be 482 pounds. Over the long term, this project is expected to result in the greater availability of low-emission, heavy-duty engines that are up to 58 percent cleaner than diesel engines.

Sole Source Justification

Section VIII.B.2. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole source award may be justified. This request for a sole source award is made under provision B.2.d.(1): "Other circumstances exist which in the determination of the Executive Officer require such waiver in the best interests of the AQMD," including "projects involving cost sharing by multiple sponsors." SCG, Cummins Engine Company, and Viking Freight have partnered together to sponsor the demonstration of the Cummins increased-horsepower C8.3G engine. SCG is also sponsoring the emissions testing of the trucks with various compositions of natural gas.

Resource Impacts

The total amount of AQMD funding for the proposed project will not exceed $105,800. Total project cost is estimated to be $292,200 as follows:

 

Organization	Direct  Funding	Indirect Funding
Cummins	$80,000	$2,000
Viking Freight		90,000
SCG	-	14,400
AQMD	105,800	-
Total	$185,800	$106,400	$292,200

Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund, established as a special revenue fund resulting from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program. The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code Sections 40448.5 and 40512 and Vehicle Code Section 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect revenues from mobile sources to support projects to increase the utilization of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to mobile sources that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.

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