Thursday, May 6, 2010

Idle-Reduction Technology Provides Fleets With Maintenance and Emission-Free Mobile Electric Power

Austin, TX - Fleets across the country - from small municipal service trucks to large construction vehicles - are using the Independence Package Utility Series, Energy Xtreme's newest idle-reduction technology. The system helps fleets save money on fuel, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and optimize existing vehicles instead of purchasing new, expensive equipment.

The Utility Series powers a vehicle's electrical system while the gasoline engine is turned off and built in AC/DC outlets provide mobile electric power for tools and other equipment in the field without the need to engage the engine or use a generator.

Houston-based CenterPoint Energy uses the Utility Series in its service trucks.

"Besides the significant cost savings and emission reduction we achieve utilizing the Utility Series, the weight reduction alone is enough to justify the conversion of our equipment," said Richard Malish, a special projects manager with CenterPoint Energy. "The Utility Series reduces our payload by 35 percent and eliminates our weekly maintenance routine to upkeep our batteries and generators."

The Utility Series recharges while the vehicle is in operation, is redundant and can provide engine ignition power in case of a dead engine battery, reducing down time and stranded drivers. It requires a simple two-wire installation and fits in most trucks. A Polar Option is also available that combines the Utility Series with an Espar heater to efficiently power a vehicle's entire electrical load and heating unit.

"Our Utility Series was designed to provide more reliable remote power for everyday work trucks while reducing fuel costs and eliminating needless emissions," said Ross Johnson, Energy Xtreme's vice president of product development. "Our customers appreciate that our product is maintenance-free and silent, which improves their work environment."

The City of Austin used the Utility Series on a Ford F-350 over a 30-day period for an average of four hours per day. The City saved 4.8 gallons of gasoline each day, and based on the average 2009 Austin gas price of $2.70 per gallon, the city saved $12.96 per day in fuel costs and is saving over $4,000 per year per vehicle. In addition, the City is eliminating an estimated 28,800 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per vehicle per year.

Other fleets using the Utility Series include the Arlington Water Utility Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas Water Utility Department, the Inglewood Public Works Department, the Irving Public Works Department and Roadline Products Inc. Many of these fleets are taking advantage of public funding to purchase the Utility Series, including the City of Irving and the City of Arlington, which partnered with the North Central Texas Council of Governments to purchase 21 and 23 units respectively, and the City of Austin, which partnered with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to purchase 31 units.

"I give Energy Xtreme's Utility Series a four-star rating," said David Cook, a utility service technician for the City of Irving, Texas. "I use the system on a daily basis."

Energy Xtreme will showcase the Utility Series at the Alternative Fuels and Vehicles National Conference in Las Vegas on May 10-12.

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