A consortium, including Alternative Fuel Technology Inc, is seeking funding available through the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) programme in a bit to convert 20 hybrid diesel electric buses to hybrid dimethyl-ether (DME)-electric propulsion.
DME is considered an ultra clean burning diesel fuel replacement as it does not produce any particulate emissions and can be manufactured at a low cost from a number of resources, including stranded natural gas, coal and biomass.
By converting bus diesel engines to use bio-DME made from non-food crops, it is hoped that industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) and other biomass could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The TIGGER programme offers up to $100million in discretionary funds by The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under the scheme, each proposal must request a minimum of $2million but not more than $25million.
Eligible projects can include replacement of existing vehicles with more energy efficient vehicles; incorporation of wayside energy storage for captured regenerated energy in rail transit systems; and repowering existing vehicles with more energy efficient propulsion.
