Our success story this week rockets us right into the heart of alternative fuel exploration at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

First off, visitors can hop on a propane powered tram for a tour of the JSC campus facilities. Which includes two plug-in hybrid vehicles…a Ford C-MAX and Fusion.

The center’s charging stations use power provided in part by this renewable energy system. It’s wind turbines and solar panels also help power a child care center.

JERRY ROWLANDS: “172 times, we’ve generated more power than what the building uses. This is a grid connected system, so it just basically, the excess electricity goes out into the JSC grid and is used as needed.

JOHN DAVIS: At JSC, EV science is also being harnessed for some “out of this world” work…like this modular robotic vehicle…that could also prove beneficial to earthbound carmakers.

DAVE HANSON: “Well, having electric motors drive vehicles has a number of advantages. First, it’s reliability. There are fewer moving parts compared to other types of propulsion.”

JOHN DAVIS: With the Houston-Galveston Clean Cities Coalition as partner, at Johnson, when it comes to alternative fuel, the sky, and their imagination, are the limits.

For more information, please visit the Clean Cities website. You can also view recent segments by clicking here.