On the Go: An On-Road Transportation Podcast with Clean Cities

On the Go is a podcast on alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and emerging transportation technologies that are transforming mobility as we know it. We sit down with experts and fleet practitioners from national laboratories, federal agencies, utilities, and transportation stakeholders to give you on-the-ground insight into the U.S. transportation ecosystem.

Subscribe to On the Go through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.

Technical Assistance Stories: Expertise and Resources Solve In-the-Weeds Challenges

Sept. 28, 2023

Guests: John Gonzales from NREL, Lori Clark (Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities), Rita Ebert (Greater Long Island Clean Cities), and Steve Trowbridge (Drive Clean Colorado)

Text Version | Download MP3

Listen to this episode of On the Go to hear how technical assistance from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) empowers Clean Cities coalitions to engage local fleets and fuel providers around deploying alternative fuel vehicles and fueling stations. Hear lab and coalition staff share their stories about how technical assistance provides coalitions and their stakeholders with problem-solving support to overcome obstacles and make informed choices. This episode features John Gonzales from NREL, Lori Clark from Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities, Rita Ebert from Greater Long Island Clean Cities, and Steve Trowbridge from Drive Clean Colorado.

Potential Benefits, Limitations, and Reality of V2X

June 28, 2023

Guests: Andrew Meintz (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Jesse Bennett (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Text Version | Download MP3

In the latest episode of On the Go, NREL researchers Andrew Meintz and Jesse Bennett discuss technologies that connect electric vehicles to buildings, the electric grid, and other infrastructure. Vehicle-to-X connectivity includes vehicle-to-load (V2L), vehicle-to-building (V2B), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration. Andrew and Jesse share applications of V2X, the near-term outlook for these uses, technical challenges, and barriers that will need to be overcome for broader use of V2X.

Expert Update: Ethanol, Biodiesel, and Renewable Diesel

Oct. 12, 2022

Guests: Kristi Moriarty (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Scott Irwin (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Text Version | Download MP3

Tune in to hear alternative fuel experts discuss the current market status of ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel, including vehicle usage, prices, and availability. In this episode of On the Go, Kristi Moriarty from NREL and Scott Irwin from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign discuss current production and consumption of these fuels. They share insights into the increase in stations offering ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel, expanded production of renewable diesel, and how feedstock prices impact the biofuel market.

How to Put Community at the Heart of Transportation Projects

July 21, 2022

Guests: Paty Romero Lankao (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Nicole Rosner (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Text Version | Download MP3

Engaging community members from the very beginning of project planning can result in solutions designed for unique local needs, make technology solutions more impactful, and help ensure projects have more equitable outcomes. In this episode of On the Go, listen to NREL social scientists Paty Romero Lankao and Nicole Rosner discuss how community engagement can improve transportation projects. They share recommended strategies and best practices for identifying the people and organizations to include, determining the right priorities, and building relationships.

EV Charging Rapidly On the Rise in Oklahoma

May 24, 2022

Guests: Eric Pollard (Association of Central Oklahoma Governments), Leon Ashford (Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality)

Text Version | Download MP3

Tune in to listen to electric vehicle (EV) deployment experts talk about their work building out Oklahoma’s charging network. This episode features Eric Pollard from the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, which houses Central Oklahoma Clean Cities, and Leon Ashford from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. They share insights from the ChargeOK program, which used VW settlement funds to invest $3.1 million in EV charging infrastructure, resulting in 90 new DC fast and dual port level two stations. In 2020 alone, charging ports increased by 122%.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Today

April 21, 2022

Guests: Kristi Moriarty (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Zia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Text Version | Download MP3

Tune in to listen to NREL researchers talk about their work to make air travel more sustainable and to learn about the benefits of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), how it is produced and distributed, and who is currently using it. SAF is a near-term option to help decarbonize the aviation industry because SAF is produced from renewable feedstocks and has a substantially lower carbon footprint than petroleum-based jet fuel. Learn more in a recent report from NREL, U.S. Airport Infrastructure and Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Innovative Mobility Solutions in Small Town America

Dec. 29, 2021

Guests: Andy Duvall (National Renewable Energy Lab), Valerie Lefler (Phoenix Mobility Rising), and Katie Kam (Wheels and Water)

Text Version | Download MP3

Small towns face unique transportation challenges and often don’t have access to the same transit options as urban areas. Listen to the newest On the Go podcast episode to hear how the community in Bastrop, Texas, is expanding mobility options by using low-speed electric shuttles to provide on-demand transit service. These shuttles help people without a personal vehicle to get to work, medical appointments, the grocery store, or anywhere else they need to go. Want to learn more about how infrastructure gaps in rural areas are being addressed?
Read more about the project in Bastrop and other initiatives in small towns. Also check out this article featuring a partnership between the National Park Service, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Clean Cities coalitions to install electric vehicle chargers on public land, such as national parks.

Aug. 12, 2021

Guests: Abby Brown (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and Emily Klotz (ICF)

Text Version | Download MP3

In this episode of On the Go, experts discuss trends in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and why it is important to track this information. These trends are identified by analyzing information in the Alternative Fuels Data Center Station Locator, which tracks public and private alternative fueling infrastructure across both the United States and Canada. The Station Locator is a trusted resource among drivers, fleet managers, policymakers, academics, and industry organizations, and is considered one of the most reliable resources out there for alternative fueling station information. Check out quarterly reports detailing the trends in electric vehicle supply equipment.

Transportation Demand Management—Overview and Benefits

July 22, 2021

Guests: Sean Flaherty, Shuchi Gupta, and John Hodges-Copple (Triangle J Council of Governments); Dale McKeel (Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO); Brandon Watson (North Carolina Capitol Area MPO); and Jill Vitas (North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality)

Text Version | Download MP3

Managing transportation demand can help alleviate traffic congestion, improve air quality, and even save money. In this episode of On the Go, experts from the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition in North Carolina discuss their experiences with transportation demand management and how it has helped them address population growth and reduce vehicle pollution. Tune in to hear how they partnered with metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and other entities to establish and operate a transportation demand management program.

2020 Transportation Topics: Two Experts Weigh In

Jan. 15, 2021

Guests: Stacy Noblet and Amy Snelling (ICF) from the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office's Technical Response Service

Text Version | Download MP3

The world of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles is ever evolving with new technologies, markets, and policies. During the transformative year of 2020, what key trends emerged as transportation stakeholders worked to implement advanced vehicle technologies under shifting ground? As a free rapid-response data and information service for transportation stakeholders, consumers, and others, the Technical Response Service has first-hand insight into trending inquires on alternative fuels, fuel economy improvements, idle reduction measures, and advanced vehicles. In this episode, On the Go hosts chat with experts from the Technical Response Service to unpack trending topics in 2020, including:

  • Impacts of the pandemic on e-commerce
  • Surging interest in transportation electrification by consumers and fleets across the country
  • Expansions to alternative fuel corridors along U.S. travel corridors, and more.