Advanced fuels and vehicle technologies are rapidly gaining, especially among fleet consumers. Virginia Clean Cities (VCC) is the Commonwealth’s leader in business-smart vehicle deployments. VCC is a mission-driven and fuel-neutral non-profit with unparalleled access to resources through the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities program. Whether you are a fleet needing to assess options or an industry partner exploring market opportunities, VCC can meet your needs.
If you are a manufacturer, equipment installer, fleet, government, or just a curious partner, we can help. Here’s what we do:
Analysis and Planning;
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Fleet organizations of all sizes and types are under increasing pressure to reduce long-term costs and increase sustainability. However, hasty, ill-conceived actions may lead to unacceptable consequences. VCC works with fleets to provide data-driven analysis. As a mission-driven non-profit, VCC is not tied to any specific fuel type or industry. We help you to develop actionable plans that achieve your financial and sustainability goals. Then we work in partnership to help you implement your plan by accessing a wide range of industry, government and peer-fleet resources.
Education and Vehicle Demonstrations;
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Fleets contemplating a transition to alternative fuels or advanced and efficient vehicle technologies are confronted with a dizzying array of options – CNG, propane, bi-fuel, dual-fuel, dedicated, biofuels, hybrids, electric, upfits, OEM options, and on it goes. What are these options? What will work best operationally? What pencils out in your fleet? What is bleeding edge vs. proven? VCC has connections throughout the industry and access to technical resources and real world fleet experience. VCC can recommend solutions and help you set up trials to help you evaluate what will work in your fleet.
Training;
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When considering whether and how to transition parts or all of your fleet to alternative fuels or advanced vehicle technologies, training must be part of the plan. Training needs may include technicians, drivers, emergency personnel, and even management. Subject areas are likely to include code compliance, vehicle inspections, vehicle maintenance and inspection protocols, and refueling infrastructure. VCC has training capabilities itself plus access to a wide range of proven training assets in various alternative fuels industries. We can work with you to identify, plan and coordinate the training your organization needs to achieve success and avoid pitfalls.
Grant Writing
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VCC can work with your fleet to provide general grant overview information. We will work with your team to match your needs with an appropriate funding source. We then research, author, and submit grants to appropriate funding sources. As a 501(c)(3) organization VCC is able to submit on behalf of your organization if non profit or state status is required. Once a grant is awarded, VCC can provide post-award grant and project management services to ensure compliance with applicable federal or state laws and successful project completion.
Strategic Government Affairs
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VCC works with local, state and federal legislators to draft policies related to alternative fuels and vehicles. VCC can assist your fleet with government action to reduce a market barrier, such as higher initial deployment costs, or regulatory issue. VCC can help identify and build political and community awareness and support for your alternative fuel project.
Communications and Marketing
The Virginia Clean Cities team includes a full-time staff dedicate to media and press relations. We have relationships with media outlets around Virginia and national industry news publications. We utilize a variety of social media channels and can customize content and a strategy suited to a partner’s specific goals. We understand the power of visual, especially video, content, and we’ve developed the capabilities to produce content to support our partners and their goals. VCC can address each step of of a media outreach plan, including:
Market Research
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Virginia Clean Cities can assess market opportunities and strengths for a wide variety of industry partners. Virginia is an emerging market for alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Our economy includes an strong industries such as logistics and manufacturing, transportation, shipping and much more. Virginia will become an even stronger market for alternative fuels as we convince Virginia’s political leaders to embrace strong alternative fuel incentives. As a result, many alternative fuel vehicle, infrastructure and other companies are beginning to focus on market opportunities in our state.
Virginia Clean Cities is uniquely positioned to help assess these market opportunities and offer strategically sound advice. We have connections and experience working with fleets, access to data and tools, and experience conducting various types of market analyses. These include analyses related to station developments, market potential for types of vehicle technologies, and dynamics in parts of Virginia that impact market acceptance and interest.
Please contact Alleyn Harned at aharned@vacleancities.org or call (540) 568-8896 to discuss an idea or request a quote for services.
Clean Air Consulting Success Stories
- Private Station Outreach: VCC provided contracted work to Phillips Energy in 2010 for station opening event and ribbon cutting including numerous participants and significant outreach. A video of the event was also developed.
- Private Fleet Grant Writing:VCC provided grant writing services in 2012 to Rover Marine for diesel repower of equipment. Virginia Clean Cities has experience successfully writing grants for EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy DOE and with foundations.
- Private Vehicle Manufacturer Demonstration: VCC provided support to Roush Cleantech in 2011 for demonstration of dedicated propane vehicle technology to dozens of fleets, this demonstration work allowed fleets to experience vehicles firsthand.
- State Government Agency Technical Assistance: Virginia Clean Cities provided 2013 contracted support through our university partnership to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on subject of biodiesel.
- Local Government County Alternative Fuel Fleet Review: VCC provided 2013 fleet support to Stafford County regarding their potential to use either and to deploy alternative fuels as well as information on cost saving potential.
- Local Government Event Assistance: VCC provided event management assistance to City of Charlottesville for an electric vehicle workshop for possible site hosts and equipment providers, and tied work to a series of deliverables.
- Local Government Fleet Analysis: VCC provided comprehensive 2011 review of Chesapeake refuse fleet and systems and coordinated with the EPA and with NREL on a formal business case report that allowed real analysis of fleet transition to alternative fuel as well as long term cost savings analysis.