The Associate Press reported today on a new oil platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, the second in five months. Initial reports indicate that there is no oil spilling into the Gulf from the Mariner Energy platform, which exploded Thursday. 13 crew members escaped injury. [MORE]

Boulder EVs is bringing its all-electric commercial vehicles to Los Angeles for a two-day, two-location ride and drive session targeted at fleets. This event is being sponsored and hosted by the City of Los Angeles, LADWP, and California Clean Cities coalition.  Contact Boulder EV's Gerry Dameron gerry.dameron@boulderev.com for more details.

Event dates and locations:
Wednesday September 8, 10 AM - 4 PM Hyperion Water Treatment Plant (on the ocean)
12000 Vista Del Mar, Playa del Rey 90293

Thursday September 9, 10 AM - 4 PM L.A.D.W.P. Fleet Offices
433 E. Temple Street, L.A. 90012

In case you miss it, the company provides a montage video here:

Pasadena Star News reports that a state-funded research center that will work to develop energy efficient trucks broke ground Tuesday in Pasadena, with the goal of making vehicles 50 percent more efficient within the next decade, officials said. The California High Efficiency and Advanced Truck Research Center (CalHEAT) held a kick off meeting in Pasadena. [MORE] Read the California Energy Commission media advisory about the launch.

At a grand opening event today at the Bay Area's newest renewable fuel station, California Energy Commissioner Anthony Eggert, Director of California Governor Schwarzenegger's Office of Economic Development (GoED) Joel Ayala, and officials from Propel Fuels, CALSTART, and East Bay Clean Cities, formally launched Propel's Bay Area operations, which will include more than 20 stations across the Bay, with up to 10 open by the year's end. The event also announced a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and California Energy Commission (CEC) to build and operate 75 retail renewable fuel stations throughout California over the next two years. [MORE]

The state of California will issue up to 40,000 high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) stickers for plug-in and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). San Jose Mercury News reports on a bill signed into law late Monday night by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, SB 535  Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, also extends the current carpool perk for hybrids by six months, until July 1, 2011.  “This is an important measure that will provide a key incentive for the clean fuel vehicle market.  HOV lane access saves time and money for owners of clean fuel vehicles.  We applaud the leadership provided by Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Lee on this key policy,” said CALSTART’s President and CEO John Boesel. [MORE]