Bergstrom congratulates INL on winning American Bus Association Green Spirit Award

Bergstrom congratulates INL on winning American Bus Association Green Spirit Award

February 28, 2018

A "no-idle” battery electric auxiliary power unit (APU) manufactured by Bergstrom is part of the winning entry of this year’s American Bus Association (ABA) 2018 Green Spirit Award in the "special recognition” category.

The organization that received the award is Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a lab part of the Department of Energy’s complex of national laboratories, which performs work in each of the strategic goal areas of DOE – energy, national security, environment and science. INL also operates a fleet of motor coaches for employee shuttles that takes nearly 2,000 cars off the road every single day. INL was recognized for its stringent idle reduction program and piloting an innovative use of Bergstrom battery electric APU with solar to run a motor coach’s air conditioning at standstill with the engine turned off.

ABA presented the award to leaders of INL's Transportation Services at the association’s annual meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Jan. 29.

"We’re thrilled to have partnered with the INL team on this project,” said Bergstrom President and CEO Jack Shaffer. "INL Transportation Services operates the largest bus and light vehicle fleet in the U.S. Department of Energy complex and has long been a supporter of investigation into improving sustainability of bus and vehicle systems. We are huge proponents of collaboration with the motor coach industry to find cleaner, more energy-efficient technology and being recognized for those efforts is a big step in further industry acceptance.”

With funding support from the Department of Energy’s Sustainability Performance Office, INL formed a working partnership with Bergstrom and leading bus manufacturer Motor Coach Industries (MCI), to design and modify a bus cooling-ventilating system to eliminate the need to idle in order to maintain bus climate control.This reduction in engine idling greatly reduces fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

In August 2017, a pilot proof-of-concept no-idle HVAC project was completed with the installation of the Bergstrom battery electric APU with solar, and motor coach industry representatives attended a demonstration and technical review at the Energy Innovation Laboratory. The system is now being tested on INL fleet vehicles.

INL was among three winners of the MCI-sponsored award from across the nation, along with Badger Coaches of Madison, Wisconsin, and Premier Transportation of Dallas, Texas.

ABA is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry, with more than 1,000 motor coach and tour company members in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour, regular route, airport express, special operations and contract services.

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