# Presentation: 247498

## LaRC CENTER UPDATE

## Reorganization

- LaRC is undergoing a major reorganization. After organizations consolidate, and facility closures are complete, the number of vehicles required to support center functions may be reduced.

## Langley’s Fleet

- It is likely that:
- LaRC’s travel fleet (motor pool) will go away in 2006.
- Employees will use local rental companies or POV for all their travel requirements.

## Langley’s Fleet

- The dissolution of the travel fleet would result in a huge reduction of fuel usage, since we currently travel approximately 650K miles a year with travel fleet vehicles.

## Langley’s Fleet

- By keeping our current travel vehicles (which are nearly 100% AFV) and sending older gasoline center use vehicles to excess, petroleum fuel usage would be reduced.

## Langley’s Fleet

- As a result of the new ROME contract, a few GFE vehicles were turned in. The ROME contractor owns nearly all of its fleet.

## Business Case Analysis

- Working on a Business Case Analysis to:
- Explore options with our Travel Fleet:
- Renting from commercial sources for Headquarters and other out of town travel.
- Reducing size of travel fleet and renting from commercial sources during peak usage to supplement.

## Business Case Analysis

- Explore alternative fleet acquisition methods, including lease purchasing, and GSA leasing.

## Business Case Analysis

- Business case will also explore charge back options/systems
- Customers tend to take a hard-line when spending the organizations money.
- This is also essential for full cost accounting.

## AFV REPORT:

- This year Langley replaced 7 gasoline vehicles with E-85 Alternative Fuel Vehicles.
- Total light duty vehicle acquisitions for 2004 were 100% AFV.

## AFV REPORT:

- Since 1999 the percentage is 84%
- 23 CNG bi-fuel, 4 dedicated CNG, including three NG Honda Civics(the cleanest burning combustion engine ever tested by EPA), 26 E-85, 7 gasoline sedans, 1 gasoline sport utility, 2 gasoline pick-ups.
- Currently our covered fleet of vehicles is 33% AFV; (162 vehicles total)

## CNG

- LaRC was unable to get proper signage to allow CNG vehicles in HOV lanes in Washington DC; however, we still experienced a higher demand for bi-fuel vehicles by employees traveling to DC.
- This worked out well for us, as our NG station has had a lot of down time this year. It was down the entire month of June, 2004.

## CNG

- LaRC has used _1,718_ gasoline gallon equivalents through June 30 of this year, which is down a little from last year during the same time period.

## E-85

- Last year I reported that LaRC had tried to partner with HRCC, Langley Air Force base, and a local oil company to obtain E-85 fuel, and after 8 months with no progress I pursued E-85 infrastructure for NASA LaRC.

## E-85

- Ordered a 6,000 gallon Core ConVault fuel tank, which arrived in mid-August.
- Installation was completed by the first of October.

## E-85

- Total project cost was just under $64.5K
- $37K for Tank, Dispenser/pump, Stage I & II vapor recovery, and Ladder.
-  $27.5K for site work and installation of power, card readers, & alarm panel.

## E-85

- E-85 Fuel Tank

## E-85

- Due to the continuing resolution, the PR to purchase E-85 fuel was held up until      January 04.
- Finding a supplier turned out to be some what of a challenge, took over three months before we received our first delivery.

## E-85

- Finally started pumping E-85 the first week of April.

## E-85

- From mid-April until June 30, 2004 LaRC has dispensed 1552 gallons of E-85.
- LaRC is currently paying $1.54/gallon for E-85, but should be able to purchase through DESC in FY05 at a much lower price.

## B20

- NASA/Langley started using B-20 the end of May, 2002. Through June 30, 2004 we have used 27,095 gallons.
- During our initial research a repeated issue that came up with Bio-diesel was fuel filter replacements due to the cleaning properties of bio-diesel.

## B20 cont’d

- After 2 years and more than 27,000 gallons of B-20, LaRC has not encountered any fuel filter issues or any other fuel related problems with any of our vehicles or equipment.
- There has been no reported change in performance of the vehicles and equipment that operate on B-20.

## B20 cont’d

- LaRC has encountered some problems related to the underground storage tank system and dispensing pump’s filter system while using B-20, but believe it was due to the fuel supply being completely depleted after hurricane Isabel.

## B20 cont’d

- In addition to the 95 vehicles and / or pieces of equipment of various makes and models (Ranging from a 2001 Pierce Fire Truck to a 1975 Jet Fuel Tanker Truck) that used B-20, we also have some experience with stationary back up generators.

## B-20 Cont’d

- After hurricane Isabel struck LaRC, the Emergency Response Team drained our diesel fuel tank to fill various stationary generators around the center.

## B20 cont’d

- A total of 4000 gallons of B-20 was used in the effort.
- We were happy to report no fuel related problems with any of the equipment that used B-20.

## B20: cont’d

- After working with the LaRC Energy Manager and Utility Manager to use bio-diesel in stationary generators and boilers, it was decided that the fuel may sit too long in this equipment to keep it from separating in the tanks.
- LaRC is currently paying $1.37/gallon for B-20.

## New Technology:

_***NITRO POWER SPARK PLUGS:***_
- At the request of Mr. Gookin, LaRC ran a test on spark plugs sold by Leading Edge Cryogenics. LEC has developed a process to cryogenically treat spark plugs.

## New Technology:

- The treated plugs are advertised to:
- Increase fuel economy by up to 20%
- Produce up to 15% more power
- Reduce emissions by as much as 80%
- The plugs were installed in two 2003 Ford Taurus sedans.

## New Technology:

- The preliminary results are:

## New Technology:

- LaRC  has purchased four more sets of the spark plugs to be tested in a broader range of vehicles, including testing a set in a vehicle operating on E-85.
- We also plan on having an emission test run on at least one vehicle, before and after.

## New Technology:

- If these results are consistent, it would be an opportunity for NASA, as well as the rest of the federal government, to reduce petroleum fuel consumption as required by EO 13149.