What Happened
Last summer, the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, “up-fitted” twenty police cars so they could use both gasoline and propane. In the first year of the use, the city reported saving approximately $22,270. At the same time, The city’s Office of Sustainability worked with the police to place anti-idling technology in 29 police vehicles. In just three months of use, 962 gallons were saved, resulting in savings of $63,199.
City Implementation
Raleigh began an “Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program” in 2002. It now has 461 alternative fuel vehicles in its fleet, including propane, compressed natural gas (CNG), electric and biofuels. 186 trash collection trucks use biodiesel fuel—which is derived from vegetable oil—and there are 67 hybrid vehicles, including sedans and SUVs.
Grants Played a Role
The changes were facilitated by a strategic grant program, which helped the city achieve very specific goals:
- Propane “Up-Fits”—The propane “up-fits” were assisted by a grant from the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, a public-private effort to increase the use of alternative fuel vehicles.
- Compressed Natural Gas—For its CNG vehicles and pumping station, Raleigh received Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Grants from the Division of Air Quality of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The primary goal of the Mobile Source Emission Reduction grants is to reduce emissions and help the state maintain National Air Quality Standards.
- Electric Cars—For electric cars, Raleigh tapped Project Get Ready, a program started by the Rocky Mountain Institute aimed at sharing best practices and lessons on how to integrate electric vehicles into cities. More than 30 cities and states are currently participating.
- Biofuels—In order to increase the amount of biofuels available for use in its fleet, Raleigh tapped a $100,000 grant from the Biofuels Center of North Carolina. The grant enabled the city to install production and processing equipment for waste-to-energy conversion at its wastewater treatment plant. Additionally, the public utilities department planted 27 acres of sunflowers, which will yield 1,200 gallons of biodiesel. The city’s overall goal is to replace 50% of its annual diesel needs with biodiesel.
More Information
To learn about Raleigh’s strategic program, you can contact the office of sustainability at 919.996.3840 or email the city’s Sustainability office.