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b"Truckin' John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART Mike Tunnell, Director, Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO, Quantum Technologies In August, the Obama administration announced the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses. The three experts convened at this Climate One panel say that the trucking industry is ready to meet the new rules, which require semi-trucks to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2018. \\u201cWhat\\u2019s exciting now is that we have some decent public policy in place,\\u201d says John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART. \\u201cThe engineering talent that was dedicated to cleaning up the criteria emissions is going to be applied to helping reduce our dependence on oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions. I think we\\u2019re going to see a lot of innovation in this space.\\u201d The new rules \\u201cwill encourage fleets over this short term to develop best-available technology that is there today. It won\\u2019t really be technology forcing,\\u201d he says. At the same time, he adds, fleets will be looking at alternative fuels, especially natural gas, when they make economic sense. Mike Tunnell, Director of Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations, agrees, pointing out that with diesel prices hovering in $3 to $4 gallon range, \\u201cfleets are beginning to look more, in America, at alternative fuels and natural gas in an effort to cut some of the fuel costs.\\u201d But, he cautions, there is a flip side: the upfront costs for equipment are higher, and fuel availability becomes a concern. Climate One\\u2019s Greg Dalton picks up on the supply worries later, asking if fleet operators are concerned energy firms might not meet California\\u2019s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, which aims to reduce the carbon intensity of California\\u2019s transportation fuels by 10% by 2020. \\u201cThere will be some concerns,\\u201d says John Boesel, \\u201cbut this is a regulation that will encourage them to be more innovative and more creative than they have been in the past.\\u201d David Mazaika, Chief Operating Officer, Quantum Technologies, says that plenty of examples, including hybrid buses now in service, prove that the fuel standards can be met. \\u201cIt certainly can be done; the industry just needs to focus on that. Now, with the new legislation, there are some targets out there that the industry can focus on and really strive to meet.\\u201d \\u201cThe technology is out there to be able to support these types of levels,\\u201d he says. \\u201cIt will be a wide spectrum \\u2013 everything from aerodynamic improvements to hybrid-drive systems and different fuels.\\u201d This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 5, 2011\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices"