Houghton College Science Honors Students Hold “Car Rally” To Test Alternative Energy Vehicles on the Houghton College Quad

Houghton, NY April 28, 2010 A year-long research process was put into practical application as Houghton

College (www.houghton.edu) Science Honors students tested their alternative energy vehicles. Surrounded by classmates, faculty, staff and family members, the students had the opportunity to show off their car for spectators and give a quick overview of vehicle features to the gathered audience.

The 21 students involved in the Science Honors program brought their vehicles out of the classroom and onto the sunny, albeit cold and snowy, sidewalks of campus. Representatives from each team – solar, ethanol, biodiesel and fuel cell – explained the development process behind their vehicle, the building costs involved, challenges faced and extolled the virtues of their particular energy source. The challenges ranged from flat tires to making their own fuel to mechanical issues and equipment failures.

“This was a year-long project that required the students to be involved in every aspect of making these cars work – from building all the components to supplying the fuel necessary to make them run,” stated Mark Yuly, director of the Science Honors Program and chairman of the physics department. “We all learned a great deal about alternative energy through this experience.”

All of the cars were successful in their runs down the sidewalks – some a bit faster than others, but all operational. While the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle ran at a leisurely pace of 10 mph, the ethanol vehicle was able to reach a maximum speed of 32 mph. Every team pointed to the reduced environmental impact these vehicles would have on society and encouraged action on behalf of those in attendance. “We can keep discussing which alternative energy source is best, but now is the time to act,” remarked Stephen Trinidad ’13 of the biodiesel team.

The Houghton College (www.houghton.edu) Science Honors Program offers an innovative problem-driven curriculum that takes an interdisciplinary approach to solving important real-world problems – something that in today's world requires both technical scientific know-how and a deep understanding of context. The flagship of the program, the Science Honors course, immerses students in the study of a difficult scientific and societal problem, one that requires all of their passion, skills and knowledge to solve.

Challenge President to Adopt Energy Measure with Double the Impact of Improved Auto Fuel Efficiency Standards at Fraction of the Cost

New York, NY April 2, 2010 The following is a statement on auto fuel

standards issued today by Jack Halpern, President of Energy Alternatives for the 21st Century (EA-21): (http://www.ea-21.org)

EA-21 supports President Obama's decision to increase auto fuel efficiency 42% by 2016 as part of a plan for energy independence and security. But if the President means what he says about the need to move the U.S. off of oil, we challenge him to get serious by passing the one measure that should be the centerpiece of such an effort: the proposed Open Fuel Standard Bill.

Passing that bill would require auto manufacturers to produce "Flexible Fuel" vehicles that can run on alternatives to gasoline, and would reduce gasoline consumption in new cars by as much as 85%, not just 42%. Better still, Flexible Fuel Cars can be built for an added cost of merely $100 a car, not the thousands that it will cost to improve auto efficiency. Mandating that Detroit produce them could have double the impact of today's announced auto fuel economy improvements, at a fraction of the cost.

We aren't suggesting that Flexible Fuel cars be put in place instead of improved fuel efficiency. Improved fuel efficiency will reduce the demand for oil, and thus provide more time for America to devise solutions for alternative ways to fuel our cars. But there is already one alternative available immediately for doing so. So anyone serious about ending our dependence on oil should be looking for ways to put that alternative in place right now.

The Open Fuel Standard measure has already been incorporated in the House Climate Bill. But no action has been taken on the measure (S 835) in the Senate. Although then-candidate Obama said that every car in America should be built that way, President Obama has been silent on the issue.

According to a report issued by EPA during President Obama's first year in office, such an Open Fuel Standard could put 177 million flexible fuel cars on the road in a decade, and would reduce consumption of foreign oil by nearly 25%. To put that impact in perspective this single simple measure -- the Open Fuel Standard -- would have 50 times the impact of the Administration's weatherization program and nearly double the impact of improved fuel efficiency standards.

Bigge Helps Crane Owners Insure a Clean, Green California

March 29, 2010 -- The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has mandated that all diesel engines, including off-road and on-road cranes as well as all other heavy-duty diesel equipment, reduce diesel emissions or face fines of up to $10,000 a day.

Compliance is required for both all California crane owners, as well as to all cranes brought into the state to work.

To meet the CARB regulations, every crane must be certified that it is reducing particulate matter by 85% or more. If not already compliant, each crane will require a diesel retrofit emission control (http://www.bigge.com/emission-controls/) device to meet the CARB requirements. Retrofitting involves modifying the existing diesel exhaust system by removing the muffler and replacing it with a special device that traps or burns off PM (particulate matter) and other highly poisonous material that has historically been expelled into the air. Emission control filters must be installed by a CARB certified technician.

Bigge operates California’s largest crane rental (http://www.bigge.com/crane-rental/) fleet, so it was especially impacted by these new regulations. After experimenting with several different emission control systems, Bigge was especially impressed by the performance of the Cleaire filters.

Now, Bigge has partnered with Cleaire to distribute, install, and service Cleaire diesel emission control systems for both on and off-road cranes. Bigge has partnered with Cleaire because their filters have proven to be the highest quality and easiest to operate and maintain, and are licensed and certified by both CARB and the EPA.

Bigge has trained and certified technicians who know what emission control system each crane in your fleet needs. Bigge can evaluate your crane fleet, take the necessary steps to comply with CARB regulations, install diesel particulate filters (http://www.bigge.com/emission-controls/service_support.html) required to certify your crane on site, and handle all the certification paperwork.