South Coast Air Quality Management District

Technology Committee

SYNOPSIS: 

The Technology Committee met on July 27, 2001. Major items included Technology Advancement items reflected in the regular Board Agenda for the July and August Board meetings. A summary of these topics with the Committee's comments is provided. The next Technology Committee meeting will be on August 24, 2001 at 12:00 p.m. in CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Leonard Paulitz, Vice Chair
Technology Committee

Attendance: Committee Vice-Chair Leonard Paulitz and Committee member Norma Glover were in attendance at AQMD headquarters. Committee Member William Burke participated by video-teleconference for a limited period of time. Due to the late adjournment of the previous committee meeting, and the consequent late beginning of the Technology Committee, Chair Hal Bernson had to leave prior to the commencement of this meeting. In the absence of Committee members Hal Bernson, Roy Wilson and Jon Mikels, and pursuant to the Procedures for Standing Committees of the Governing Board, adopted March 8, 1996, Committee Vice-Chair Leonard Paulitz appointed Board members Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta and Jane Carney ad hoc members of the Technology Committee for the meeting of July 27, 2001 only.

August Board Agenda Items

1. Status Report on Staff Evaluation of Hydrogen-Compatibility of Natural Gas Fueling Stations and Increase of Funding for Upgrade of Existing Natural Gas Fueling Stations - Dr. Liu provided the Committee with background information on staff's evaluation of hydrogen compatibility of natural gas fueling stations, and introduced members of the Natural Gas – Hydrogen Compatibility Study Team. Technology Implementation Manager, Dr. Anupom Ganguli, presented an overview of the principles of a fuel cell, multiple paths to hydrogen, properties of natural gas and hydrogen, definition of compatibility, and uncertainties and concerns regarding this issue.

Larry Watkins, Program Supervisor, showed slides of the fueling facilities visited by the Study Team and outlined how these sites could made more hydrogen compatible. Task force findings were reviewed and addressed issues of compressor compatibility, storage capabilities, dispenser and piping requirements, and set-aside plot recommendations. Site specific findings were also reviewed.

Dr. Liu provided information on the costs to upgrade the existing natural gas stations proposed under the AES fueling infrastructure solicitation. He also indicated that prior to the August 17, 2001 Governing Board meeting, staff will further evaluate the hydrogen compatibility and station upgrade issues and draft a recommendation for Board consideration.

Committee members inquired about the availability of additional funding for upgrade of these facilities, the need for specific information regarding exactly what the upgrades would include, and an estimate of what the total cost of the upgrades would be. Also noted was the opinion that the Technology Advancement Plan for the Clean Fuels Program should be followed, and funding should be focused on a demonstration hydrogen station rather than spread among a variety of natural gas fueling sites. Dr. Barry Wallerstein indicated that Board Members wanting to identify additional technical resources should make these known to either his office or to Dr. Chung Liu for further investigation.

Vice-Chair Leonard Paulitz thanked staff for their efforts in providing a report that clearly defined the issues inherent in issue of natural gas-hydrogen compatibility. Staff was directed to bring two separate Board Letters to the August Governing Board, one to address the hydrogen compatibility issue, and the other for the upgrade of existing stations.

Public Comment Period - Phil Hodgetts of Clean Air Now suggested staff explore hythane as an alternative fuel. Dr. Robert Zweig and Sam Huang, also of Clean Air Now showed a video demonstrating the safety of hydrogen. George Wood of RIX Industries indicated the feasibility of using the same compressor for both natural gas and hydrogen, and concurrence was voiced by Paul Staples of Hygen Industries. Robert Pendegrass and Aaron Radlin of DCH Technology presented slides outlining the codes and standards relating to the safety of natural gas and hydrogen. Drew Diggins of Pinnacle CNG requested clarification on how grant funding would be disbursed, and James Provenzano of Clean Air Now indicated the need to carefully review the cost calculations for these upgrades.

Board member Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta expressed her desire to move fuel cell technology forward as well as infrastructure for hydrogen and hythane.

Due to the length of Committee review and public comment on Item No. 1, Items 2 through 8 came up for review after a quorum no longer existed, as Board Committee Members William Burke, Jane Carney and Norma Glover had left. Therefore, Vice-Chair Leonard Paulitz communicated his concurrence and recommendation that these items be forwarded for Board consideration with no approval or disapproval recommendation from the Committee.

2. California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team Meeting - The California Fuel Cell Partnership met July 17-18, 2001. Minutes were attached.
   
   
3. Execute Contract for Development of Alternative Fuel Vehicle-Training Program with Advanced Transportation Technology Initiative of California Community Colleges - To ensure the acheivement of projected emission reductions from Rule 1195 – Clean On-Road School Buses and the Governor’s School Bus Program, appropriate specialized training opportunities must be provided to mechanics. This proposal is for the development of training curriculum for natural gas school bus fleets.
   
   
4. Execute Contract to Support the Development and Demonstration of Advanced Home Refueling Appliance for CNG Vehicles - Fuelmaker Corporation will develop and demonstrate an advanced home refueling appliance for CNG vehicles in two phases. Initial development and limited testing will be conducted in the first phase; while more extensive prototype testing is proposed for the second phase. For the first phase, DOE has allocated $100,000, ARB has allocated $250,000, and Technology Partners Canada (TPC) will provide $375,000. AQMD funding for the first phase is proposed not to exceed $500,000. Funding for the second phase, for 2002-2003, is expected at the same level from the present partners, with additional funding anticipated from DOE and CEC. Total project cost for the first phase is $1,225,000 and approximately the same for the second phase.
   
   
5. Execute Contract to Conduct Special Particulate Monitoring at Selected Sites in South Coast Air Basin - As part of the ARB’s Children’s Health Study, special particulate monitoring will be conducted at selected monitoring locations in the South Coast Air Basin. This includes Scanning Mobility Particulate Sizers (SMPS) which have the capability to continuously measure nanoparticles. The operation of SMPS units over a three-year period will be conducted by the University of Southern California (USC) as part of the U.S. EPA Supersite Program, and the funds for this effort were provided by the U.S. EPA, as recognized by the Board at its July 2001 meeting. This action is to execute a contract with USC for an amount not to exceed $120,000. Total project costs are $194,679 with ARB funding the remaining $74,679.
   
   
6. Execute Contract to Monitor Power Production by Microturbine
   Generators - The Board previously authorized the purchase and installation of microturbine generators (MTGs) at various sites from the AES and LADWP Settlement Funds. This project will monitor, archive, and analyze MTG operational data from all sites. Results will be made available to AQMD and other interested parties on a web site. This information will help advance this relatively clean distributed generation technology, and provide other technical data relative to the performance and reliability of MTGs. Staff recommends funding for this project in an amount not to exceed $75,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
   
   
7. Execute Contract to Develop and Demonstrate Hydrogen Refueling Station - On October 20, 2000 the Board approved the release of an RFP to solicit cost-shared proposals to design, develop, integrate and install hydrogen stations for refueling fuel cell vehicles. Three proposals were received in response. An outside review panel unanimously selected two out of the three proposals. Staff recommends executing a contract with ISE Research to install a water electrolyzer hydrogen refueling station powered by wind near Sunline Transit facilities in Coachella Valley in an amount not to exceed $390,000.

September Board Agenda Item

8. Execute Three Contracts to Cosponsor Development of Next-Generation Natural Gas Vehicles - The U.S Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory (DOE/NREL) issued an RFP to cosponsor development of the "Next Generation of Natural Gas Vehicles" (NGNGV). The purpose of NGNGV is to develop new low emission heavy-duty natural gas vehicles for commercialization starting in 2004. Of the highest-rated proposals, four were recommended for DOE/NREL funding and three for AQMD funding. Staff proposes executing two contracts with Cummins Westport for $400,000 and $378,715, and one with GFI Control Systems for $140,000. The funding of $918,715 for these three contracts will include $471,541 from AQMD, and $447,174 from CEC to be passed through AQMD. These three contracts will cost a total of $2,774,684 with the remaining balance of $1,855,969 cost-shared by the proposers.
   
   
9. Other Business - There was no other business.

The meeting was adjourned.

Attachment A - Attendance

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