Green Energy News | February 1, 1998

February 1, 1998 – Vol.2 No.44

ENERGIES... week of February 1,1998

GREEN VEHICLE BUDGET. President Clinton’s proposed budget for fiscal year 1999 includes a $50 million increase over FY 1998 for the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program. PNGV, under the umbrella of the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (U.S.CAR), includes 19 Federal agencies and over 300 automotive companies, suppliers and research organizations. The Partnership is working to build a mid-sized family sedan (like a Ford Taurus or Toyota Camry) that will get 80 mpg with very low emissions. Concept cars are set to debut in 2000, production prototypes in 2004.

The FY 1999 PNGV budget includes $164 million for the Department of Energy, up 28% over 1998. Included is $21 million more for fuel cell research, $10 million more for direct-injection and advanced fuel research, and another $6 million in the advanced battery research kitty.

The Environmental Protection Agency would get a total of $35 million, up $18 million for research into emission control technologies for advanced combustion engines, including alternative fueled and clean diesel engines.

The Department of Commerce’s cut for research into the manufacturing of the new generation vehicle would be cut from $25 million, to $22 million. The Department of Transportation would stay the same at $4 million and the National Science Foundation would see a bit less money at $52 million for FY 1999.

Before the administration’s budget was announced, PNGV determined which technologies should be pursued and which cut or left to the private sector. Making the grade were hybrid electric vehicle drive systems, direct-injection engines (including emission controls), fuel cells and lightweight materials. Gas turbines and ultracapacitors were considered less promising put on the back burner.

The Administration and Congress will hash out a final budget over the next few months, which could affect the above figures.

GREEN FLEET VEHICLES. For fiscal year 1999 the U.S. Department of Defense will transfer its Advanced Vehicle Program to the Department of Transportation, which will then create a public-private partnership for further research into more efficient medium and large fleet vehicles. The success of the military hybrid electric Humvee and hybrid bus are factors behind the transfer to the civilian agency.

Under the new partnership, research will focus on hybrid technology for vehicles such as school buses and delivery trucks for a goal of a 50% improvement in fuel economy. Despite current historically low fuel prices, fleet operators would still see a fatter bottom line with more miles to the gallon.