The Council is pleased to announce that the US Department of Energy has officially designated the Land-of-Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition as the 86th Clean Cities Coalition in the nation. (See our photo gallery!)
Station Locator
Find alternative fueling stations in your area. Click here.
Alternative Fuel Accident Training
Training for first responders to deal with alternative fuel vehicle accidents.
Monday, March 26, 2018 2:00 to 4:30 PM Land-of-Sky Regional Council Office 339 New Leicester Hwy – Suite 140 Asheville, NC 28806
DRAFT AGENDA
Light Refreshments and Pre-Event Media Interviews (1:30 – 2:00 PM)
Welcome and Introductions – Bill Eaker, Land-of-Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) (10 minutes)
State and Federal Air Quality Issues Update (Air Quality Conditions/Trends/Programs) – Mike Abraczinskas, Director, N.C. Division of Air Quality (20 minutes)
Local Agency Air Quality Update (Air Quality Conditions in Buncombe County) – Ashley Featherstone, Permitting Program Manager, WNC Regional Air Quality Agency (20 minutes)
Break (15 minutes)
A Smarter and Cleaner Energy Future for WNC – Jason Walls, District Manager and Lang Reynolds, Electric Transportation Manager, Duke Energy (20 minutes)
Efforts to Reduce Emissions from Motor Vehicles in the Region – Bill Eaker, Coordinator, Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition and Ritchie Rozzelle, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator, LOSRC (15 minutes)
It’s Our Air Curriculum – Keith Bamberger, N.C. Division of Air Quality (15 minutes)
Question and Answer Session – The Press (30 minutes)
Closing Remarks – Bill Eaker, LOSRC (5 minutes)
Sponsors: Regional Clean Air Campaign, N.C. Division of Air Quality, WNC Regional Air Quality Agency, Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition
Thanks to Buncombe County Government TV for their support!
For more Information, Contact: Bill Eaker, LOSRC, 828-734-7434 cell
by Annabel Gibson, News Staff Writer, The Blue Banner
As electric vehicles grow in popularity, UNC Asheville has added to charging stations to the P12 lot on campus.
The charging stations were made possible by a $10,000 grant from Duke Energy, as part of its $4.4 million investment in environmental projects and donations in agreement with the government to end their Clean Air Act litigation.
Need a jolt? If you park your electric vehicle at one of three City of Asheville parking garages you can charge your car while you are dining or shopping downtown.
Through a partnership with Duke Energy Carolinas, electric vehicle charging stations — called EVs for short — have recently been installed in:
Wall Street Parking Garage, top floor
Rankin Avenue Parking Garage, bottom level
A third EV in the Biltmore Avenue Parking Garage is privately owned and operated.
Please join us on February 28, 2018 for a first responder clean transportation demonstration day at the NC Center for Automotive Research (NCCAR). Come learn about alternative fuel vehicles and clean transportation technology applications specific to law enforcement, fire and rescue, and emergency medical services. The event will include class room instruction with real world case study results, hands on product static review, closed course ride and drive, and lunch. See and learn about available technologies that can save money, improve efficiency, and extend vehicle service life.
Thanks to UNC Asheville and the other organizations in our region that participated in the Southeast Alt Fuel Vehicle Demonstration Project (SADI). The goal of the 3 state project was getting folks into AFVs for multi-day test drives to acquaint them with the vehicles and learn about the benefits of driving a low emission, fuel efficient vehicle. Other fleets participating in WNC included the towns of Waynesville, Canton, Black Mountain, and Mars Hill, Henderson and Jackson Counties, Buncombe and Madison County Sheriff Departments, Blue Ridge Community College and the Biltmore Estate. Special Thanks to Alliance Autogas and ICOM for providing the propane autogas vehicles. The project was funded by a grant from the US Department of Energy Clean Cities Program and administered by the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition. Others interested in test driving an AFV should contact Bill Eaker at 828-734-7434.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have just released the 2018 Fuel Economy Guide. They publish the Guide each year to help new car buyers choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs. This online version of the Guide will be updated regularly on FuelEconomy.gov as additional information is submitted by the auto manufacturers. New and used car buyers can also use the Find-a-Car feature to compare the fuel economy of all vehicles sold in the United States since 1984.
ASHEVILLE — The Asheville Regional Airport has installed two electric vehicle charging stations on its property.
The airport said Thursday the stations are a part of Duke Energy's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project and were facilitated by the Land of the Sky Regional Council. The stations are installed in the airport's short-term parking lot near its new $22 million parking garage, which opened recently.
WHAT: A solar education meeting will explain the technology, construction, regulations, and economics of the utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that are increasing across North Carolina. In addition to providing an understanding of the development and operation of these solar electricity generating facilities, attendees will learn about the various impacts of these systems on the community and the environment. Specifically, an expert will address common questions about PV panel toxicity, EMF/radiation, economic impacts, system decommissioning, and more. An expert will also discuss the characteristics that make a site most suitable for solar and provide an overview of solar land leases. An opportunity for attendee questions and answers will be provided after a 50-minute presentation.
WHEN: December 7th 10:00-12:00
RSVP: Please RSVP, Anne Tazewell, 919-619-0185, aetazewe@ncsu.edu
WHERE: Land of Sky Regional Council 339 New Leicester Hwy., Suite 140, Asheville NC 28806
WHO: Steve Kalland, Executive Director, NC Clean Energy Technology Center N.C. State University
WHY: North Carolina is experiencing rapid growth in utility scale solar. The Solar Energy Industries Association ranked North Carolina number two in the U.S. for cumulative installed solar capacity in 2016. The objectives of the Land of Sky Regional Council meeting are to educate attendees and to answer questions about solar opportunities within the County. These topics may include: solar basics, environmental health and safety issues, landowner considerations, land use and impacts, local regulatory topics, solar policy, local economic implications, and also non-utility scale solar topics (such as residential, commercial and community solar).
For more information and to RSVP Contact: Anne Tazewell, 919-619-0185, aetazewe@ncsu.edu
The Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center
Alternative Fuels Station Locator
Fuel Economy and Vehicle Comparisons
Fuel Fact of the Week
Fact #1077:Of Emerging Fuel Saving Technologies, Gasoline Direct Injection Was the Most Widely Adopted in 2018
Manufacturers have been adopting technologies that improve the efficiency of light-duty vehicles and allow them to achieve greater fuel economy. Of all the emerging technologies, gasoline direct injection (GDI) has seen the highest level of adoption among manufacturers, reaching 51% for the 2018 model year. Eight of the largest manufacturers installed GDI in more than 75% of the vehicles they produced, with several near or at 100%. Turbo charging and stop/start are two other engine technologies that reached a production share of about 30%, while cylinder deactivation (CD) was at 12%. Thirty-six percent of the vehicles produced had transmissions with seven or more gears while 22% were fitted with continuously variable transmissions (CVT). Gasoline hybrid vehicles accounted for 4%, while plug-in hybrid, all-electric, and fuel cell vehicles had a combined total of 3%.
How is fuel economy determined and reported for alternative fuel vehicles?
Last month we learned about how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determines and reports conventional light-duty vehicle fuel economy ratings. While alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) fuel economy testing is largely similar to that of conventional fuels, the EPA makes some adjustments to account for different vehicle technology and fuel energy content. By tailoring AFV fuel economy testing and reporting, the EPA is able to provide apples-to-apples comparisons and allow consumers to make informed decisions.
Monday, March 19, 2018 - 07:41:15 
