Saving Gas While Fighting Crime

Saving Gas While Fighting Crime in Tallahassee

March 20, 2012 

Police cars in Tallahassee, FL are using EECBG funding from the Recovery Act to reduce idle time and save fuel and taxpayer money. | Courtesy of Tallahassee Police Department.

John Johansen

If you’ve ever watched an episode of the TV show “Cops,” you might have noticed that police cars are often idling – whether from the frequency of ‘routine’ traffic stops, highway incident responses or being on the scene for investigations. This idling can add up to hundreds of gallons of fuel wasted every month -- not the best average for a city during a time of high gas prices and tight city budgets.

To help reverse this trend, the City of Tallahassee, Florida’s Fleet Management Division has designed and built its own Less Idle Time (LIT) package and has installed the equipment in 27 police cars using EECBG funding through the Recovery Act.

The LIT uses batteries and other features to allow police cruisers to have full electrical capability while the engine is off, including the use of emergency lights and air conditioning. Additionally, significant fuel and carbon emissions savings are expected over the normal eight-year vehicle life of a police car. Thanks to reduced engine idle time, LIT could increase the vehicle lifespan by 30 percent (or another two years.)

As with any design built from scratch, there has been a learning curve, but the city's fleet personnel have worked together to resolve each challenge they’ve encountered. The city intends to eventually outfit all police cars with LIT packages. Similar equipment is being developed for other fleet vehicles that idle for several hours a day such as the city’s utility bucket trucks.

More LIT benefits: 

• Can save up to $2,000 a year in fuel per vehicle (based on a 2-hour-per-day usage per vehicle).
• Can eliminate up to 73 pounds of CO2 emissions per-vehicle every day.
• Is installed in the trunk and runs the entire electrical system, including emergency lights and AC
• Works from one to five hours depending on ambient air temperature and thermostat settings.
• Recharges while the engine is running. 

Learn more about the strategies vehicle fleets are using to increase efficiency and reduce petroleum use by joining our Live Twitter Q&A today, March 20 at 12PM EST. Or for more information about energy efficiency projects happening in communities across the country, visit the EECBG website or read about the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

Library Patrons in New York Check-Out Renewable Energy

The following was gleaned from a December 27 blog post on the U.S. Department of Energy's web site.

Library Patrons in New York Check-Out Renewable Energy

December 27, 2011

 

The public library in Esopus, New York, used Recovery Act funds to install two photovoltaic arrays expected to generate 31,200 kWh of electricity annually -- approximately 30 percent of the library’s electricity use and a savings of nearly $4,000 in energy costs each year. | Photo courtesy of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

Julie McAlpin

Communications Liaison, State Energy Program

In a hamlet on the Hudson River in upstate New York, two newly installed photovoltaic arrays at the local library are generating electricity, interest in renewable energy, and community pride.

Recognizing its role as an educator and community leader, the Esopus Library used a $96,790 award from the Recovery Act to install the 22.5kW roof-mounted and 5.5kW ground-mounted photovoltaic systems.

The new solar system is expected to generate approximately 31,200 kWh of electricity annually -- approximately 30 percent of the library’s electricity use and a savings of $4,000 in energy costs each year.

The ninety-six 230-watt Sharp® photovoltaic panels, made in Memphis, Tennessee, along with the PVPowered™ 30 kW inverter and rooftop DPW Solar Mounting System were installed by a crew of eight electricians over a period of three days.

After completing the 22.5kW roof system, the city still had funds to spare. In turn, the library worked with NYSERDA to modify the project contract and spend the remaining money to add the 5.5kW ground system. The unexpected second array will deliver approximately 120 percent of the electricity that the grant was based on, while still staying within the original cost.