Ever Heard of Clean Cities?

An Introduction

Officially, the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Clean Cities program advances the nation’s economic, environmental and energy security by supporting local actions to cut petroleum use in transportation.

Unofficially, the Clean Cities Coalition in your area is a willing business partner — ready to listen and assist in streamlining your community’s petroleum use.

Clean Cities was established in 1993 in response to the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and is housed within DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office. Since 1993, Clean Cities has saved more than 8.5 billion gallons of petroleum. In doing so, the program has been a catalyst for transportation projects that advance US energy independence, transform local markets, support regional economic development and reduce harmful vehicle emissions. Clean Cities has also funded more than 500 transportation projects nationwide through a competitive application process. These projects awards contribute to Clean Cities’ primary goal of reducing petroleum use in the US by 2.5 billion gallons per year by 2020.

Our country imported about 24% of the 7.08 billion barrels of petroleum products it consumed in 2015, and more than half of these imports came from outside North America, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Because transportation accounts for about 47% of the more than 19 million barrels per day of US petroleum consumption (nearly 75% of total US petroleum consumption), reducing our dependence on petroleum-based fuels in this sector supports our economy and our energy security.

National Network of Coalitions

Nearly 100 local coalitions serve as the foundation of the Clean Cities program by working to cut petroleum use in communities across the country. Clean Cities coalitions are comprised of businesses, fuel providers, vehicle fleets, state and local government agencies, and community organizations. Each coalition is led by an on-the-ground Clean Cities coordinator, who tailors projects and activities to capitalize on the unique opportunities in their communities. Nationwide, nearly 15,000 stakeholders participate in Clean Cities coalitions and, through their collective efforts, they are transforming local and regional transportation markets and contributing to Clean Cities’ goals and accomplishments.

Each coalition is led by an on-the-ground Clean Cities coordinator, who tailors projects and activities to capitalize on the unique opportunities in their region. Stakeholders in Clean Cities coalitions gain access to a wide array of resources, including networking opportunities with fleets and industry partners, workshops, individualized assistance, information resources, funding opportunities, and outreach support. They may also receive public recognition for their efforts to cut petroleum use. To help meet program goals, each coalition has an annual goal to increase its total petroleum savings by 15% over the previous year.

Partnerships

At the national level, the program develops and promotes partnerships, publications, tools and other unique resources.

At the local level, nearly 100 coalitions leverage these resources to create networks of stakeholders. The coalitions support fleets by providing technical assistance for implementing alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements and emerging transportation technologies.

Clean Cities activities include:

• Building partnerships with local coalitions of public- and private-sector transportation stakeholders
• Developing unbiased and objective information resources about alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and other strategies to cut petroleum use
• Advancing interactive, data-driven online tools to help stakeholders evaluate options and achieve goals
• Collecting and sharing best practices, data, and lessons learned to inform choices and build a strong national network
• Providing technical assistance to help fleets deploy alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and idle-reduction measures
• Working with industry partners and fleets to identify and address technology barriers
• Empowering local decision makers to successfully implement the best petroleum reduction strategy for their circumstance
• Seeding local alternative fuels markets through projects that deploy vehicles and fueling infrastructure

Partnerships and collaborations are the foundation of Clean Cities’ efforts to cut petroleum use. An active network of government agencies, industry representatives, community organizations and businesses work through Clean Cities to exchange information and resources.

Clean Cities coalitions make an impact in their communities every day. Their activities stimulate local economies, facilitate the adoption of new transportation technologies, and make communities more energy independent.

The Clean Cities program offers opportunities to industry, organizations, government, businesses and students. The program works with both large and small organizations through partnerships, projects and internships.

Internships

Clean Cities offers internships through the Clean Cities University Workforce Development Program, which unites Clean Cities coalitions across the country with students interested in changing the future of on-road transportation.

Internships with Clean Cities coalitions are available throughout the year for undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate students studying communications, public relations, business, marketing, engineering or environmental sciences.

Each year, students in the program work with Clean Cities coalitions to increase awareness of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies and their potential for petroleum reduction. Interns work with coordinators and stakeholders in the community to plan events, analyze data, research markets, design websites and promote initiatives through social media and public relations.

Students work on locally focused projects, such as planning and implementing the National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey, conducting fleet manager meetings, and working with campus fleet managers to promote the use of clean vehicle technologies.

Workforce Development Program

The Clean Cities University Workforce Development Program facilitates peer exchange and opens a direct line of education between industry experts by hosting webinars that feature current trends in social media and best practices in the field of public relations, as well as case studies from coalitions involved in the program.

The Clean Cities University Workforce Development Program facilitates peer exchange and opens a direct line of education between industry experts by hosting webinars that feature current trends in social media and best practices in the field of public relations, as well as case studies from coalitions involved in the program.

Goals and Strategies

Clean Cities is on track to meet its goal of saving 2.5 billion gallons of petroleum per year by 2020. To achieve this goal, Clean Cities employs three strategies:

• Replace petroleum with alternative and renewable fuels, including biodiesel, E85, electricity, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane
• Reduce petroleum consumption through technologies and strategies that improve fuel efficiency
• Eliminate petroleum use through idle reduction and other fuel-saving technologies and practices

Accomplishments

Clean Cities has helped deploy hundreds of thousands of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and fueling stations that serve a growing market. The program has also aided in the elimination of millions of hours of vehicle idling and helped accelerate the entry of new transportation technologies into the marketplace.

Clean Cities has provided matching funds and leveraged resources to help communities lay the foundation for alternative fuels and vehicles. The results of those projects have enabled communities to achieve more widespread adoption of AFVs, alternative fuels and petroleum reduction practices.

DOE projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) seeded local alternative fuel markets by deploying large numbers of AFVs and establishing new fueling infrastructure across the country. The success of these projects has significantly increased the availability of alternative fuels and enabled a growing number of fleets to choose AFVs. With this increased market penetration, many fleets are now making additional investments or purchasing AFVs for the first time. Clean Cities projects have also helped establish natural gas corridors along heavily traveled routes in California, Utah and New York; networks of propane fueling stations in many cities; and E85 fueling stations along several corridors such as the I-75 route from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Miami, Florida.

Specific successes include the following:

• Saved more than 8.5 billion gallons of petroleum
• Placed nearly 500,000 AFVs on the road
• Averted more than 6.8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2014 alone
• Grew from six Clean Cities coalitions in 1993 to nearly 100 today, covering about 80% of the US population
• Convened nearly 15,000 public and private stakeholders as members in local Clean Cities coalitions

Find your local Clean Cities coalition or learn more about starting a Clean Cities coalition, a great first step toward establishing partnerships that can cut petroleum use in your area.

Clean Cities shares information and consults with the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), a clearing house for alternative fuel resources. AFDC collects, analyzes and distributes data used to evaluate both alternative fuels and vehicles. We highly recommend their user-friendly website, providing a wealth of information for consumers including a handy mobile app download for trip planning for those of you who own alternative fuel vehicles!

Alkane Truck Company is a proud member of Clean Fuels Ohio (on Twitter @CleanFuelsOhio) and the Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition with support from Utah Clean Cities (on Twitter @UtahCleanCities) and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

Alkane Truck Company thanks www.cleancities.energy.gov and the Vehicle Technologies Office for the content of this article.