BOARD MEETING DATE: April 1, 2005
AGENDA NO. 22

Technology Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Technology Committee met on March 25, 2005. Major topics included Technology Advancement items reflected in the regular Board Agenda for the April and May Board meetings. A summary of these topics with the Committee's comments is provided. The next Technology Committee meeting will be on April 22, 2005 at 12:00 p.m. in CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Roy Wilson, Chair
Technology Committee

Attendance: Committee Chair Roy Wilson participated by video-teleconference. Committee members Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta and Dennis Yates were in attendance at District headquarters.

APRIL BOARD AGENDA ITEMS

1. Execute Contract to Install Solar Panels at AQMD Headquarters to Generate Clean Electricity - On December 3, 2004, the Board approved the release of an RFP to install 60 to 80 kW of solar photovoltaic panels on the AQMD headquarters. This will augment the 20 kW solar panels already providing renewable power to the building. The proposed addition has the capacity to power the electrolyzer for AQMD’s hydrogen refueling station using clean renewable electricity. This action is to fund SolSource Energy in an amount not to exceed $360,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund to install the solar panels and related hardware. Additional funding is anticipated from the California Public Utilities Commission Self Generation Incentive Program. AQMD is expected to recover its portion of the investment within 15 years.
   Moved (Yates), seconded (Verdugo-Peralta), and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
2. Execute Contracts Under State Emissions Mitigation Program - At the July 20, 2001 meeting, the Board established the State Emissions Mitigation Fund to recognize up to $30,000,000 in State funds from CARB. Some of the funds have not been used due to uncommitted projects and projects that cannot meet the required CARB deadline of June 30, 2005 by which all funds must be expended. An amount of approximately $1.5 million is available. This action is to de-obligate funds for Board approved locomotive and construction equipment projects under the Rule 2202 AQIP and Carl Moyer programs, and fund the same projects using $1,463,317 from the State Emissions Mitigation Fund. The de-obligated funds in the Rule 2202 AQIP and Carl Moyer programs will be used to fund cost effective projects in the respective programs in the near future.
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates), and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
3. Reallocate Funds for U.S. EPA National Air Toxics Monitoring Program, Issue Sole-Source Purchase Orders, and Issue RFQs - On October 1, 2004, the Board recognized revenue from U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant funds for a special air toxics monitoring program. After assessing the specific monitoring design for the study, staff determined that there is a need to purchase additional monitoring instruments. This action is to reallocate remaining U.S. EPA funds to purchase additional monitoring equipment. Specifically, staff is requesting Board approval to issue sole-source purchase orders for five VOC canister samplers, three PM_2.5 speciation samplers, and two sequential carbonyl samplers, at a total cost not to exceed $101,000. In addition, this action is to issue RFQs for a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system and a gas dilution system as part of the U.S. EPA PAMS program. Staff has discussed this request with U.S. EPA and U.S. EPA concurs with the reallocation of funds.
   Committee Member Verdugo-Peralta inquired about the properties of aqueous monitoring and whether this technology would be applicable to the District. Staff will look into this and report back at a future date.
    
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates), and unanimously recommended for approval.

MAY BOARD AGENDA ITEMS

4. Execute Contract to Cosponsor Development, Demonstration, and Certification of Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Engine Meeting 2010 Emission Standards - Heavy-duty vehicles are significant contributors to the Basin’s on-road vehicle emissions inventory, contributing over one-third of the NO_x and two-thirds of the particulate emissions. For the 2010 Federal NOx standard of 0.2 g/bhp-hr, stoichiometric natural gas fueled engines with three way catalysts and exhaust gas recirculation have shown promise in the test cell but require real-world demonstrations and testing to verify their performance. This action is to award a sole-source contract award to Cummins Westport, Inc. to develop, demonstrate and certify a heavy-duty natural gas engine that meets the 2010 standard at a cost not to exceed $690,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund by 2007. Cost sharing is being provided by the U.S. DOE and Cummins Westport for the remainder of the $5,943,410 total project costs.
   Moved (Yates), seconded (Verdugo-Peralta) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
5. Execute Contract to Cosponsor the Conversion, Demonstration, and Certification of a Light-Duty CNG Pick-up Truck - As part of the overall efforts to expand the deployment of the cleanest vehicle technologies in the South Coast Air Basin, the AQMD has supported the demonstration and deployment of alternative fueled engine technologies for various vehicle applications. Currently, there are no certified light-duty CNG trucks. This action is to co-sponsor the development and integration of a natural gas engine conversion of a Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon. The project will result in a SULEV certification of the 2005 model year vehicle. Staff recommends AQMD support for this project in an amount not to exceed $52,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.
   Moved (Yates), seconded (Verdugo-Peralta) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
6. Execute Contract to Purchase CNG School Bus and Provide Supporting Services for Purpose of Implementing School Bus Demonstration/Loaner Program - On June 4, 2004, the Board approved an award to purchase a Type D, transit style CNG school bus for the purpose of implementing a school bus demonstration/loaner program. Subsequent to the award, the awardee indicated that they could not meet the contractual terms. Due to this unforeseen development, staff recommends ending negotiations with the current awardee. As part of the original RFP released on March 5, 2004, three proposals were received and evaluated by a panel according to the criteria established in the RFP. Based on this evaluation, this action recommends that A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. be awarded a contract for an amount not to exceed $162,402 from the Lower-Emission School Bus Replacement and Retrofit Program Fund to conduct the demonstration/loaner program. Added to the original bid by A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. ($138,402) is $24,000 for the inclusion into the program of the AQMD’s Type A CNG school bus. The addition of the AQMD’s school bus will provide additional opportunities for school bus operators to experience the operation of natural gas powered vehicles.
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates) and unanimously recommended for approval.

OTHER BUSINESS - There was no other business.

Public Comment Period - There was no other business.

The meeting was adjourned.

Attachment A - Attendance

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