FLEETS/Cities, college install alternative fueling station
Evanston, Ill., Northwestern University and Skokie, Ill., have installed an alternative fuel dispensing station at Evanston’s service center for use by each party’s fleet and by the public. The compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling facility is helping the entities comply with the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act.
With the adoption of the federal regulations in 1997, each of the three entities sought to improve air quality and reduce dependency on foreign oil. The parties considered using E-85 (an ethanol-based product) and CNG as alternative fuels for their fleets. They selected CNG because vehicle manufacturers offer more CNG vehicles than E-85 vehicles, says David Syoen, automotive superintendent for the Skokie Public Works Department.
“We decided that the bulk of the alternatively fueled vehicles would be better served with CNG,” says Cathy Radek, Evanston’s superintendent of administrative services. “But, we did not have a CNG fueling station.”
Northwestern University hired Alsip, Ill.-based Environmental Resources Management to assess the parties’ current and future needs for a CNG station. The company estimated the number of vehicles in each entity’s fleet that could be replaced with CNG vehicles and the emissions that could be reduced as a result. It found that, by using CNG in 47 vehicles, the entities could reduce annual emissions by 9,600 pounds of hydrocarbons, 126,000 pounds of carbon monoxide and 10,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides within three years.
Based on those findings, the entities submitted a grant application in January 2000 to the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition. (The coalition previously had obtained $2 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding and distributed it to sub-grantees for Chicago-area CNG station installations.) One month later, the entities received a $300,000 grant to build a CNG station.
After the award notification, the three entities created a separate business authority — called EVNORSKO — to own and operate the CNG station. They jointly developed corporate agreements so that EVNORSKO could buy and sell CNG fuel as one group.
The entities’ governing boards approved those agreements in early 2002 and divided responsibilities within EVNORSKO. For example, Evanston took responsibility for the daily operations of the facility, Northwestern University was charged with providing educational outreach to the community about the facility, and Skokie was charged with providing technical expertise in the selection of vehicles.
The CNG station, which opened in July 2002, is comparable to a large air compressor. Natural gas is pumped to the station through a dedicated line from Northern Illinois Gas and is compressed to produce a high-burning energy to propel the CNG vehicles.
According to Radek, Northwestern University uses the CNG facility to fuel two vans, and Skokie uses it to fuel seven vehicles. Evanston expects to purchase some CNG vehicles for its Police Department next year. The facility also is open to the public.
