PERC Corner
PERC Summer Meeting:
Training, Marketing & R&D Projects Approved During the July Council meeting, council members approved the preliminary 2022 expenditure budget of $35,279,012 for public comment. The budget will be finalized by the Council at the November meeting. New council officers: • Stuart Weidie, Blossman Gas (Swannanoa, NC) – Chairman • Casey Cramton, Dead River Co. (South Portland, ME) – Vice Chairman, Marketers • Duncan McGinnis, Aux Sable (Morris, IL) — Vice Chairman, Producers • Jeff Kerns, ThompsonGas (Frederick, MD) – Treasurer • Gary France, France Propane Service (Schofield, WI) – Secretary New Advisory Committee Working Group Chairmen and Vice-chairmen: Safety & Technical Training Working Group: Chairman: Chris Wagner, AmeriGas Research & Technology Development Working Group: Chairman: Chuck Strawn, Red Seal Measurement, Vice-chairman: Steve Moore, Expo Propane (No change to Market Growth & Commercialization Working Group)
This Docket was tabled, not approved:
Docket 22970: Origin Engines 3.6L Mobile Equipment and Power Generation Certification with Ultera Ultra Low Emissions, $950,000, for Origin Engines to develop a 3.6L propane fueled engine for mobile industrial equipment and power generation that utilizes the patented Ultera®
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Ultra-Low Emissions Technology. Lowering engine emissions and overall carbon footprint continues to be a strategic focus not only of engine manufacturers but of big companies and their pledges to be Net-Zero by 2040. Trends on a global level continue to drive higher efficiency and lower emission internal combustion (IC) engines. Additionally, actions are being pursued on the West Coast to phase out (IC) driven forklifts. Origin sees an opportunity to develop an engine and emissions package that can keep IC engines as a viable solution for mobile equipment OEMs selling into these markets. Origin Engines is seeking PERC funding and partnership to offset the costs associated with the calibration development and emissions certification to bring the 3.6L engine to market with both EPA-and CARB- emissions certifications. This will help ensure that propane remains available in this power range.
The Council approved the following funding requests:
Change Order 21996: Entry Level Driver Training, $414,500, for a scope and funding change order. This docket was originally approved in early 2019 for $310,000 to produce an Entry Level Driver Training program the industry could utilize to meet the theory curriculum regulations the Department of Transportation (DOT) had imposed for new CDL applicants. The implementation date for the new regulation was pushed back by DOT from Feb 2020 to Feb 2022 and the docket was kept open with the intent of starting production in early 2021. During this delay there was additional clarity from DOT for online theory training programs which changed the scope of the project by adding additional program elements, in-
Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com
teractivity, and voice over requirements. The program being developed will fulfill the theory curriculum; the second part of the program requires behind-the-wheel training to be performed. Behind-the-wheel providers are required to self-certify to minimum facility, equipment, and staff requirements, register with FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry with biennial reports, record keeping, and document retention, and be subject to FMCSA audit. The scope change for this project will be to add additional learning paths to the ELDT theory curriculum including a class “B” CDL path and hazmat endorsement path. Additionally, there will be an increase in the interactivity and robustness of the programs and exams to meet the requirements of DOT. The new timeline for the project will have it completed by 12/31/2021. The cost for these additional scope changes as well as improved user interactions will result in an additional $414,500 of expenses. These dollars will be taken from 2021 safety and training budgeted dollars. Docket 23027: Assessment of Liquid Direct Injected Fuel Systems for Propane Engines, $654,850, to meet the Propane Education & Research Council’s mission of exploring, developing, and commercializing propane technologies for medium-duty (Class 6 & Class 7) and standby power applications. Katech Engineering LLC will develop a robust Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) Direct Injected (DI) fueled system using both commercial off the shelf (COTS) and custom fuel system components through a three phased approach. In Phase I, Katech will utilize COTS components and will leverage their performance using a decision matrix. In Phase II, Katech will engineer and develop custom fuel system components and solutions for robustness if COTS fuel systems fail in Phase I. Katech will utilize a parallel strategy to meet the objectives of Phase II. For example, on one end, Katech will pursue a recently released DOE Vehicle Technologies Office FOA (DEFOA-0002475: LOW GREENHOUSE
