BOARD MEETING DATE: October 3, 2003
AGENDA NO. 6
(Item Continued from
September 5, 2003 Board Meeting)

Execute Contract to Cosponsor Ongoing Operation and Improved Functionality of Clean Car Maps Internet Website

SYNOPSIS:

As part of the overall effort to expand deployment of alternative fueled-vehicles in the South Coast Air Basin, the AQMD has supported the development of alternative fueling infrastructure in various applications. One aspect of advancing this infrastructure is providing information on fueling station locations and their operating status. The AQMD cosponsored the development of an internet website to provide locations, directions, and information on alternative fueling and electric vehicle charging stations. The website, www.cleancarmaps.com, is developed and maintained by CALSTART, Inc. Staff recommends the AQMD cofund $110,000 of a $355,000 project over three years for CALSTART, Inc to continue existing operations, enhance "real-time" monitoring of station operational status, and develop a new "on-road" interactive communication feature using AAA’s emergency number 1-800-AAA-HELP.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, August 22, 2003. Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; Committee members present communicated their concurrence and recommendation that this item be forwarded for Board consideration with no approval or disapproval recommendation from the Committee.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with CALSTART, Inc. to cosponsor the operation and improved functionality of the internet website, cleancarmaps.com, in an amount not to exceed $110,000 over a three year period, and provide this funding from the Clean Fuels Fund.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The AQMD continues to be a major proponent of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) in the public, private and commercial sectors. Several models of AFVs have been manufactured, many of which operate in the South Coast region, including roughly 13,000 natural gas vehicles and 2,000 electric vehicles.1 SCAQMD fleet rules already require certain types of fleets to purchase and operate clean fuels vehicles in the Basin. A vital component of any vehicle infrastructure is refueling. Although commercial alternative fuel infrastructure continues to expand, refueling still presents the following concerns to AFV users:

• Limited number of fueling locations;
• Primarily unmanned self-service stations;
• Varying hours of operation from station to station;
• Accessibility differs from station to station (public, private);
• Inconsistent operational status; and
• Methods of use and payment.

1 California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition & EV Progress Report
 

Easing concerns about refueling AFVs, encourages their use. One method of reducing AFV user’s concerns about fueling stations is to provide centralized, readily accessible, reliable information on alternative fuel stations, their location, current operating status, accepted payment methods, and accessibility. A cost effective means of providing this information is the Internet.

Information exchange is a significant asset in improving the efficiency to any system. The fact that alternative fueling stations are not currently abundant and are primarily unmanned, makes information exchange on these stations even more critical to AFV operators and the success of the AFV program in general. Although unmanned, self-serve stations help companies minimize operating costs, they pose a problem to AFV users when the facility is in a non-operation mode, which may occur for a variety of reasons. Instantaneous "real-time" feedback mechanisms are not in use at most refueling stations. Hence, information networking and distribution are critical components in ensuring AFV operators get reliable information about fuel availability. Currently, the most effective method of collecting and distributing refueling information is through the Internet, which is accessible to all AFV operators.

Several years ago, the AQMD cosponsored the development of an independent, nonprofit internet website, to provide locations, directions, and information on alternative fueling and electric vehicle recharging stations. This website, www.cleancarmaps.com, is developed and maintained by CALSTART, Inc. The request proposes funding to cosponsor the continuation and expansion of the Clean Car Maps website.

Proposal

The proposal is to co-fund a clean-fuels project that will continue, and expand the functionality of the existing alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) web-based information resource www.cleancarmaps.com. Cleancarmaps.com is a nonprofit website which provides AFV users information on location, operating status, payment methods, and accessibility (public or private) of alternative fuel refueling and recharging stations. Alternative fuels are defined by the AQMD as CNG, LNG, Electric, Ethanol, Methanol, and Hydrogen. This project will enhance the responsibilities and capabilities of cleancarmaps.com resulting in more accurate and more "real-time" information about each station’s current operating status, and in cooperation with the Southern California Automobile Club (AAA), an "on-road" call-in system which will enable AFV operators to get locations and directions to refueling stations from their vehicle.

The project in total includes four objectives: Sustaining Existing Operations, Improving Existing Functions, Developing and Implementing New Operations, and Reporting.

Sustaining Existing Operations includes verifying and distributing information regarding the operating status of alternative fuel stations to insure accuracy, and database and website management. Currently, information received through the website’s "feedback" function is verified for accuracy by contacting the station’s owner or operator prior to posting this information on the web page. Ongoing database operations and website management include technical management and website hosting.

Improving Existing Functions – CALSTART, Inc. will coordinate with stakeholders in the CNG and LNG industry to improve the exchange of information on station locations and their current "real-time" operating status. The following list includes stakeholders in the CNG and LNG industry which have agreed to and are cosponsoring this effort.

• California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (CNGVC)
• Clean Energy
• Gladstein & Associates
• Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
• Southern California Gas Company (Sempra Energy)

Developing and Implementing New Operations includes coordinating with the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) in developing and implementing a pilot program for the AAA’s Emergency Roadside Service ("ERS") that will enable AFV users to "call-in" and request locations and directions to currently operating stations. This information will be available to both AAA members and non-members. CALSTART, Inc. will also provide information on cleancarmaps on SCAQMD’s plans to build a network of hydrogen refueling stations in the South Coast region.

Reporting - CALSTART, Inc. will be available to make presentations at the SCAQMD on the status of the Clean Car Maps program. CALSTART, Inc. will provide a report on all these activities to the SCAQMD on a quarterly basis, as well as compiling an annual report.

Benefits to AQMD

Alternative fuel technology has been and continues to be a major component in achieving emission reductions from both stationary and mobile sources. This project would complement existing efforts promoting alternative fuel technology in the mobile sector, as well as facilitate a public outreach effort to private, public and commercial operators of Alternative Fuel Vehicles. The success of the alternative fuel program in the mobile sector is dependent in part on the ease of use and minimizing the adversity of operating and refueling these vehicles. Since alternative fueling stations are not yet at conventional fuel station levels, information on station locations and fuel availability becomes a vital component to all operators of AFV (public, private and commercial sectors). A centralized information resource with comprehensive, reliable, and current data on station locations and operating status is a cost effective solution in the transition to alternative fuels in the mobile sector.

Sole Source Justification

CALSTART, Inc. qualifies as a sole source for this project under Section VIII, Part 2(c) of the SCAQMD Procurement Policy and Procedures. Part 2(d)(1) reads as follows: Other circumstances exist which in the determination of the Executive Officer require such waiver in the best interests of the AQMD. Such circumstances may include but are not limited to:

     (1) Projects involving cost sharing by multiple sponsors.

CALSTART, Inc. initially developed the cleancarmaps.com website with AQMD co-funding. Further operational support has been provided over the past couple of years by CARB, the California Energy Commission (CEC), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The on-going efforts and proposed enhancements described in this proposal have attracted the following supporters and sponsors: California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, Clean Fuel Connection, Inc., Clean Energy, Gladstein & Associates, Southern California Gas Company, Western Propane Gas Association, California Hydrogen Business Council, National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, Automobile Club of Southern California, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), CARB, CEC, FTA, and OEM’s – Honda, Ford, and GM.

Resource Impacts

The total cost for this project over three years is estimated at $355,000 and would result in continuing the operation of the website www.cleancarmaps.com and expanding both the functions and responsibilities of the website operator CALSTART, Inc. The amount of AQMD co-funding shall not exceed $110,000 or 31% of the total project cost. Although this ratio is relatively low compared to other cost-sharing projects, significant benefits are expected from the success of this project.

The cost-sharing for this project over three years is summarized in the table below. Additional funding is being provided by the Federal Transit Administration, the Automobile Club of Southern California (Auto Club, AAA), four alternative fuel station operators – Clean Energy, Southern California Gas Company, Gladstein and Associates, and Pacific Gas and Electric, three automobile manufacturers – Ford, General Motors and Honda, the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (CNGVC), Clean Fuel Connection Inc. (CFCI), National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC), Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA), and California Hydrogen Business Council (CHBC).
 

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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