Pretty much everything in America, at some point (and often multiple points) hitches a ride on a tractor trailer of some sort. It doesn't matter if it is locally grown organic produce or the latest and greatest Chinese-built computer. By the time it has arrived at your home, it's probably been on one of these big, smelly beasts.

Improving the fuel efficiency of tractor trailers would be a big deal not just for the environment, but for our wallets as well. So we can all celebrate the latest round of funding from the Department of Energy that is going towards improving the efficiency of Class 8 trucks by 50%.

Read more of this story »

Transportation executives across the shipping world are cautious about the prospects for economic recovery in 2010, a stance that could lead to a hike in transportation costs, new research warns.

If you’re going to deliver half the world’s mail, you might as well do it with fuel-efficient vehicles, and, of course, deliver it on foot in as many communities around the country as you can.

While stymied by financial losses ($3.8 billion in 2008), the US Postal Service continues to commit resources and practice innovation when it comes to adopting fuel efficient delivery vehicles. After all, they had an all-electric delivery vehicle on the road – in 1899 (manufactured by the Winton Company).

Today, three-wheel electric vehicles, called T3s (seen to the left), are being tested as possible replacements for traditional gasoline delivery vehicles in Florida, California, Texas and Arizona. The T3 has a range of 40 miles, a maximum speed of 12 mph and a load capacity of 450 pounds. Powered by two rechargeable modules, the T3 has zero tailpipe emissions and costs 4 cents a mile to operate.

Read more of this story »

Filed under: Biodiesel, Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, Legislation and Policy, USA

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu has been a strong proponent of using more ethanol in the American fuel supply for a long time. His department announced today that it is spending about $80 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money to fund advanced biofuels research for things like renewable gasoline/diesel and ethanol blends fueling infrastructure. Most of the money is going to just two groups, the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB), which gets $44 million, and the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC), which gets up to $33.8 million. Another $1.6 million was awarded to expand fueling infrastructure for ethanol blends up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). More details on the money and the groups are available after the jump.

The $78 million announced today is just ten percent of a huge biofuels investment the DOE made last May, but a penny here and a penny there and pretty soon you're talking real money.

[Source: DOE | Image: www.futureatlas.com - C.C. License 2.0

Continue reading U.S. Deparment of Energy gives out $80 million for advanced biofuels

U.S. Deparment of Energy gives out $80 million for advanced biofuels originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments