PROPOSAL:
Execute Contract to Cosponsor Development and Demonstration of On-Board
Diagnostic Systems for Natural Gas Vehicles
SYNOPSIS:
On-Board Diagnostic systems (OBDII) are required on light- and
medium-duty vehicles to help identify and diagnose emission problems with
the increasingly complex engines and emission controls of newer vehicles.
Baytech Corporation is a small-volume manufacturer who has developed and
certified CNG systems for General Motors vehicles for many years. This
action is to enter into a contract with Baytech Corporation to develop
engine calibrations and perform emission testing to demonstrate OBDII
compliance with their newest CNG system for General Motors full-size vans
and cut-away vans. This demonstration will be used to certify the CNG vans
for Model Year 2006. The total cost of this project is estimated to be
$774,896 with AQMD funding not to exceed $319,615.
COMMITTEE:
Technology, October 28, 2005. Less than a quorum was present during the
discussion of this item; the Acting Chairman communicated his concurrence
and recommendation that this item be for-warded for Board consideration.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Authorize the Executive Officer to execute a contract with Baytech
Corporation to develop and demonstrate On-Board Diagnostic systems for
natural gas vehicles in an amount not to exceed $319,615 from the Clean
Fuels Fund (Fund 31).
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Over the last decade, natural gas has emerged as a leading low-emission
alternative fuel technology for both stationary and mobile source
applications. Based on the most recent emission inventory and toxic air
pollution studies, mobile sources are the predominant contributor to ozone
and fine particulate precursor emissions and to the public’s exposure to
toxic air contaminants in Southern California. As a result, AQMD has
aggressively promoted the use of natural gas and other alternative fueled
vehicles.
Thousands of light- and medium-duty vans and van-derived vehicles operate
in the Los Angeles Basin. Such applications include pick-up and delivery
services, service trucks, passenger shuttle services, shuttle buses, and
school buses. These vehicles typically oper-ate within a fixed area or over
fixed routes, and are therefore ideal candidates for CNG vehicle usage and
emerging refueling infrastructure. Available low-emission natural gas
vehicle technologies are limited for these applications since Chrysler and
Ford have ceased production, and General Motors will cease production this
year.
Baytech Corporation is a small-volume manufacturer of certified CNG and
propane systems for General Motors (GM) vehicles and engines. Baytech has
certified numerous engine families with U.S. EPA and CARB since 1991. These
included light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
CARB has required the newest generation of On-Board Diagnostic systems (OBDII)
on light- and medium-duty vehicles since 1996. Such systems are required to
help identify and diagnose problems with the increasingly complex engines
and emission control systems of new vehicles. This includes monitoring the
fuel injection system, ignition system, catalytic converter and numerous
sensors and actuators. Baytech, in converting GM vehi-cles to CNG, has also
developed expertise to adapt the GM engine, electronics and OBDII system to
CNG.
CARB has granted flexibility in recent years to small-volume
manufacturers of alternative fuel vehicles such as Baytech, due to the
significant hurdles to fully comply with OBDII requirements. For 2005
models, CARB granted Baytech OBDII approval with near-full compliance;
however, for 2006 models full compliance is required.
Proposal
Baytech Corporation has proposed to develop engine calibrations and
perform emission testing to demonstrate OBDII compliance with their newest
CNG system for 2006 model General Motors full-size vans and cut-away vans.
This will be performed through the fol-lowing tasks.
Task 1 - Baytech will secure aged components and specialized equipment to
induce mal-functions. Baytech will also secure a CNG full-sized van and CNG
cut-away van for de-velopment, emission testing and demonstration.
Task 2 – Baytech will identify OBDII emission monitoring requirements
that require re-calibration, specifically parameters for the fuel system and
catalytic converter. Calibrations will be altered and refined to make the
system comply with OBDII monitoring requirements and emission failure
criteria. This will likely involve the oxygen sensors, fuel trim, misfire
monitoring, and catalyst monitoring systems; other systems may be affected.
Task 3 - Chassis and engine dynamometer emission testing will be
conducted to verify compliance with monitoring requirements. This will
include testing with aged and mal-functioning components. Cold FTP-75,
Hot-505 and HD Transient Engine emission tests will be performed
demonstrating emission compliance at 4,000 miles of system aging.
Task 4 - Baytech will develop detailed OBDII compliance documents for the
CARB certi-fication. In addition, streamlined OBDII procedures will be
developed and presented to the CARB which can be used in future years for
alternative OBDII certification. The overall project will require
approximately 10 months to complete.
In summary, staff is requesting Board approval to enter into a contract
with Baytech Cor-poration at a cost not to exceed $319,615 to perform the
above tasks. Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund (Fund
31).
Benefits to AQMD
The proposed project is included in the March 2005 update of the
Technology Advancement Plan under the project entitled, “Develop and
Demonstrate Advanced Alternative Fuel Heavy-Duty and Medium-Duty Engines and
Vehicles.” The AQMP relies upon the expedited implementation of advanced
technologies in Southern California to achieve air quality standards and to
continue reductions in air toxic exposure.
The AQMD has been extremely proactive in developing and demonstrating
low-emission, medium- and heavy-duty natural gas vehicles. This project will
help provide better air quality by reducing the NOx and particulate
emissions from these vehicles while also re-ducing carbon dioxide greenhouse
gas emissions.
Sole Source Justification
Section VIII.B.2 of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four
major provi-sions under which a sole source award may be justified. This
request for a sole source award is made under provision B.2.d.: Other
circumstances exist which in the determina-tion of the Executive Officer
require such waiver in the best interest of the AQMD. Specifically, these
circumstances are: B.2.d.(1) Project involving cost sharing by multiple
sponsors.
This program is cosponsored by several entities, and AQMD’s contribution
will be approximately 40 percent. Other project sponsors will be Texas
Commission on Envi-ronmental Quality (TCEQ), General Motors (GM), Baytech
Corporation, Clean Energy and BAF Technologies (BAF).
TCEQ recently awarded Baytech a grant to help accomplish the tasks of
this project to ultimately improve air quality in Texas. GM is the world’s
largest vehicle manufacturer, intends to supply gasoline vehicles for
Baytech conversions to natural gas, and will sup-ply aged components and
test equipment for this project. Clean Energy is the largest provider of
vehicular natural gas in North America. BAF is a national distributor for
Baytech and has installed more than 1000 Baytech CNG systems in the last
nine years.
Resource Impacts
Total cost for the proposed project is approximately $774,896. The
proposed contribution from the Clean Fuels Fund shall not exceed $319,615.
The total estimated cost-share for this proposed project is as follows:
| Texas Commission on Environmental Quality |
$112,561 |
| General Motors |
138,250 |
| Baytech Corporation |
88,560 |
| Clean Energy |
69,825 |
| BAF Technologies |
46,085 |
| AQMD |
319,615 |
| Total |
$774,896 |
Sufficient AQMD funds are available in the Clean Fuels Fund, which is
established as special revenue from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program.
The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code Sections 40448.5 and
40512 and Vehicle Code Section 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect
revenues from mobile sources to support projects to increase the utilization
of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling
technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by
statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to mobile
sources that sup-port the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.
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