The International Clean Fuels Training Institute (ICFTI) is a new, private entity being created to provide knowledge and expertise regarding all aspects of clean fuels, including vehicle technology and conversion training; fuelling infrastructure development, economics and safety; strategic marketing, as well as political and government relations strategies.  ICFTI organises and facilitates training and education sessions as specified subject classes for individuals and can provide on-site or off-site training for individual companies or other organised groups. 

    Primary training curricula and materials were developed by the two founders of the new International Clean Fuels Training Institute, Dr. Jeffrey M. Seisler and Mr. Gert Jan Rap.  Materials related to fuelling station technologies and hydrogen safety were developed by Mr. Gijs van Schoonhoven and Ms. Karen Hall respectively.  In order to meet growing needs for training in various countries around the world, ICFTI can provide trainers from a wide team of experts, on gaseous fuels, liquid alternative fuels, and alternative drive trains like hybrids, electrical vehicles, etc.  Specific, experienced trainers affiliated with ICFTI can be used on an interchangeable and rotating basis depending upon the needs of each client or the focus of each specified class or workshop.   

    The International Clean Fuels Training Institute is in the process of legal establishment as a non-profit European Economic Interest Group.  The ICFTI will have its base of operations in Brussels and the Netherlands. At this initial stage, however, correspondence should be through Clean Fuels Consulting and/or also to RAP Clean Air Products (see below). 

Training description 

The ICFTI can provide a variety of training expertise and courses.  These include: 

• Generic information about the worldwide and European NGV markets and market development, as an ‘overview’ to the industry, available technology, and related politics.
• Alternative fuels including alcohols, gaseous (CNG, LPG and hydrogen), other liquid fuels, and cryogenic fuels, etc.
• Alternative drive trains (electric vehicles, hybrids)
• Vehicle related: basic functions of gaseous fuels, alternative fuelled vehicles, as well as in-depth coverage of vehicle conversion systems
• Vehicle conversion training
• Fuelling station for CNG and hydrogen: development, sizing, economics, etc. 
• Detailed safety training for natural gas, hydrogen and LPG vehicles as well as bulk fuel trailers.
• Government policy making for decision makers and stakeholders: comparative laws and regulations; proven strategies for success (and proven failures); trends and timeframes for commercialisation
• Marketing and commercialization strategies
• Safety: for gaseous fuels (LPG, CNG and hydrogen) as well hybrid and electric drive vehicles
• CNG cylinder inspection 

Training programs language and materials  

    Training is given in the English language.  Training in German is possible for some courses related to vehicles and compressor stations, however, the accompanying  materials initially provided are in English.  

Duration of trainings  

    A generic one day overview course on marketing and political strategies, vehicle technologies and fuelling stations for NGVs and/or hydrogen are available.  But depending  upon the needs of each client or group, training courses can be tailored from the basic training courses to fulfil needs from one-to-three days, depending upon the depth of the training required.  Additionally, it is possible to lengthen the training timing to a five day course depending on the needs of individual clients. 

    Besides the one day overview course of CNG and/or hydrogen vehicles, these additional one day sessions are possible:  

• Generic training of both alternative fuel vehicles as well fuel infrastructure technology    
• Detailed safety training for pressure vessels, vehicles, and fuelling infrastructure for hydrogen and natural gas 

Target Groups 

There are a wide variety of focused audiences for different training curricula: 

Vehicle-related

• Technical Manager conversion workshopsWorkshop
• Manager conversion workshops
• Conversion workshop technicians
• Technical Manager car manufacturers
• Technical Manager car importers

 Fuelling station-related

• Station owners or operators of fleets or public stations
• Purchasing officers (fleets operators, especially)
• Government planners
• Others

 Safety-related

• Fire marshals and inspectors
• Building code officials (related to fuelling stations)
•  Vehicle safety inspectors
• Other related safety professionals

Overviews, policy, strategic marketing and generic sales and marketing

• Government-based policy makers, analysts, and special interest groups/NGOs who deal with policy makers on a regular basis
• Generic audience of alternative fuel stakeholders, including equipment suppliers and marketers
• Marketing directors and sales staff as well as strategic marketers and planners
• Others hoping to get a range of overview information or very specific training in order to facilitate decision making and purchase decisions about clean fuels and clean fuel technologies. 

The Trainers

Jeffrey M. Seisler

    Dr. Seisler has more than 30 years experience dealing with energy and environment issues, and has 25 years experience in the NGV/alternative fuels industry as a lobbyist, marketer and technologist.  Having worked for several consulting firms in the areas of energy conservation, utility and solar energy policy analysis and marketing analysis, Dr. Seisler went on to begin his own management consulting business, specialising in energy and marketing analysis for the gas and electric industry as well as for other private sector and government clients. Dr. Seisler has since fulfilled the roles of the Associate Director of New Market Development at the American Gas Association (1983 – 1988), Executive Director of the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (NGVC) in the United States (1988 – 1994), and (on a volunteer basis) President of the International Association for NGVs (1998 – 2002). Dr. Seisler was the founding  Executive Director of European Natural Gas Vehicle Association (ENGVA) ( 1994-2007).  He began Clean Fuels Consulting in Brussels in October 2007 specializing in lobbying, government relations, and commercialisation of clean fuels and technologies. His contribution in the training curricula offered by ICFTI relates to global overviews of national alternative fuel programs, international standards and regulations, government policy, and strategic marketing and commercialization.   Dr. Seisler is the Commercial Director of ICFCI.

Gert Jan Rap

    With over 20 years of experience in the alternative fuels and vehicle technology industry, Mr. Rap has been involved in conversions of vehicles including those of various large vehicle manufacturers. Mr. Rap’s expertise lies in the areas of the development of components and complete systems for retrofit and OEM systems, homologation, quality assurance during serial conversions, emissions optimisation, engine development for gaseous fuel engines, commercialisation of retrofit products and OEM systems, market development as well as the development, homologation and commercialisation of refuelling technology and transport equipment.   Mr. Rap also provides services in the areas of market research, project management, technical and commercial training, assistance in applying for project incentives and financing and consulting for his own company RAP Clean Air Products. Mr. Rap is the Technical Director of ICFTI. 

Gijs van Schoonhoven

     Mr. van Schoonhoven, owner of his own engineering bureau has nearly 30 years of engineering experience.  In addition, he has over 10 years of experience in the fields of compressor station design, site inspection as well as the design and installation of compressed natural gas (CNG), biogas, and hydrogen fuelling stations and related systems. In light of his broad experience in and outside Europe, Mr. van Schoonhoven’s knowledge extends from petrochemical, nuclear power and gas industries to current fuelling station building strategies, on which he focuses during his training sessions.  In particular his expertise covers areas relating to fuel station technology such as safety, standards and codes, equipment, operation and maintenance planning, CNG systems as well as fuel station sizing, budgeting and economics. 

Karen Hall

    Ms. Karen Hall (Technology Transition Corporation, Ltd. and US-based National Hydrogen Association) presents the hydrogen part of the training sessions. During her portions of the hydrogen sessions she presents a brief description of past, present and future applications for hydrogen and trends and timelines of ICEs and Fuel Cells along with various examples of progress and challenges in the field are cited. Certain vehicle safety issues also are discussed, in particular various national and international hydrogen vehicle safety activities, including SAE recommended practices, the California Fuel Cell Partnership guidelines and emergency responders manual and ISO activities. As for infrastructure and refuelling issues, the following topics are included: Hydrogen production, storage, and delivery; refuelling station requirements and NFPA, ICC, validation activities; Guidance documents (guideline for code officials, specification for hydrogen fuel quality, implications for station operators).  Mrs. Hall is a member of the Order of the Engineer. She is active in the development of safety codes and standards for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with ISO/TC-197, the National Hydrogen Association, and SAE’s Fuel Cell Codes and Standards Forum. She is also a member of the National Fire Protection Association (USA), and serves on two NFPA Technical Committees. She serves as Vice President for Technical Operations for the National Hydrogen Association (USA) and as Administrative Manager for the United Kingdom Hydrogen Association.