Cascade Sierra Solutions offers rebates
Twenty-four truck parking plug-in and recharging stations were recently installed at the Baker Truck Corral truck stop in Baker City, Ore., to offer drivers the opportunity to shut off their engines, saving money on fuel and reducing engine wear and the emissions idling vehicles release into the environment.
Baker Truck Corral is the first of 50 truck stops around the country to be outfitted by Shorepower Technologies in conjunction with Cascade Sierra Solutions through a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
The stations are equipped with electrical service that will allow drivers to operate heaters, air conditioning systems and appliances in their cabs without having to run the engine. The plug-in stations are similar to those already available at boat marinas and recreational vehicle parks.
As the manager of a U.S. Department of Energy grant for the Shorepower Technologies Electrification Project (STEP), Cascade Sierra Solutions, a non-profit company, is not only bringing power pedestals to truck stops but assisting truck owners in equipping their vehicles to take advantage of them.
STEP includes more than $10 million in idle reduction equipment rebates for devices on medium and heavy-duty diesel trucks that incorporate electric standby operation or run on battery power to eliminate engine idling during mandated rest periods. Individual rebates can be as much as 20 percent of the installed equipment price.
“The Shorepower Truck Electrification Project offers the trucking industry collaborative solutions to complex fuel economy challenges,” said Dave Orton, marketing communications manage for Cascade Sierra Solutions. “Through investments in truck upgrades, fleets can help create jobs and reduce a major operating expense while improving the health and driving experience for the drivers.”
The rebates are available to long-haul vehicle owners operating in any of the lower 48 states. Independent owner-operators and fleets are eligible (with a maximum of 25 rebates per fleet).
Equipment purchases must be pre-authorized by Cascade Sierra Solutions with a Rebate Certificate prior to installation.
Vehicle owners must agree to keep rebated equipment in service, and to use STEP project electrified truck parking where available, until June, 2014.
Vehicle owners receiving rebates also agree to provide certain vehicle profile and operating data for project reporting to the U. S. Department of Energy (summary data only will be reported, not specific vehicle data).
Equipment to be installed must be able to hook-up to the power grid when the vehicle is at rest, (electric standby) or operate on battery, and must be listed as a SmartWay verified technology on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website or have received specific authorization from the program.
For a list of authorized products, go to www.csswebform.org/WebForm/Supplier_list.aspx.
Types of equipment eligible for the rebates, and the maximum payments, include: Auxiliary Power Units or Generator Sets with electric standby options ($2,000 max); battery HVAC systems ($1,600); Battery Evaporative Cooler systems ($700); Thermal Storage systems ($260); Truck Cold Plate systems ($3,200); Trailer Transport Refrigeration Units with electric standby options ($5,000); e-Hybrid Transport Refrigeration Units with electric standby options ($5,000).
Making truck stop electrification more affordable and accessible is part of Cascade Sierra Solutions’ broader mission of providing comprehensive services for medium and heavy-duty diesel fleet owners and independent owner operators who want to upgrade their fleets to cleaner, more efficient vehicles or retrofit them with energy efficient features that virtually pay for themselves. The non-profit is based in Eugene, Ore.
For more information on Cascade Sierra or the STEP program, visit www.cascadesierrasolutions.org.