Karen E. Klein profiles Propel Fuels, and their ambitious plan to lead the nation in providing alternative fuels to would-be consumers at their "gas station of the future," the first of which opened last month.
Offering gasoline, ethanol, and biodiesel fuels, tuneups for cyclists, and public transit information, "Propel is laying the foundation for what 37-year-old [CEO Matt] Horton calls the 'slow, but exciting' transformation of the U.S. automotive industry," writes Klein.
The four-year-old company is well on its way to dramatically improving access to alternative fuels for drivers in the Golden State. "Backed by more than $19 million in venture capital and nearly $12 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission, yesterday the 23-person Redwood City (Calif.) startup received an additional $10.1 million grant from the Commission to help build 100 stations around the state in the next four years."
According to Klein, "Propel provides information about alternative fuels at its pumps, since studies have shown that more than one-third of drivers of flex-fuel cars don't realize their cars can run on something other than gasoline. And it encourages customers to sign up for a system that tracks their carbon emissions. They can then log on to Propel's website for customized reports about the benefits they're getting from avoiding imported fuel."
"Propel is 'a remarkable company, like the Apple store of the alternative energy market,' says Jim Lane, editor and publisher of BiofuelsDigest, a daily online publication. 'We have these transformative fuel products that are being sold as commodities, like computers used to be sold. But Apple really showed that if you start thinking about customer experience you can change people's minds and get them thinking about something in a whole new way.'"
Thanks to Daniel Lippman
FULL STORY: The Gas Station of the Future Just Opened
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.