What Happened?
Gadsden, Alabama, recently converted 146 of the city’s trucks to operate on B20 biodiesel fuel and installed a B20 biodiesel fuel tank at the public works department building to service the vehicles. The retrofitted units are predicted to cut emissions by 15 percent save Gadsden $5,000 annually in reduced fuel costs.
The Goal
The B20 biodiesel fuel now used by 146 garbage trucks, dump trucks, tractors and heavy-duty vehicles in Gadsden is a soy-based mixture composed of 20 percent domestically produced biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. Within one year of operations, $5,000 in savings should be generated as the biodiesel costs 1 cent per gallon less than traditional fuel. The B20 source is estimated to cut carbon dioxide emissions in the city’s fleet by 15 percent as well.
Gadsden is also proactively producing its own B100 biodiesel composed of recycled restaurant and household grease to fuel tractors. City vehicles are also being retrofitted to consume E85 fuel made up of 10 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol.
National Trend
Many municipalities are adopting vehicles and technology that functions on alternative fuel sources to reduce pollution, increase efficiency and lower overall costs. Many cities are finding unique solutions to common obstacles they face when transitioning to new fuel sources.
Santa Ana recently retrofitted 25 police cruisers with battery packs in the trunks to provide four hours of power when the cars idle. Because police cars must stay running while not in use during traffic stops and other investigations, it was important for the cars to remain efficient without being turned off. After upgrading the cruisers with the battery power packs, the city reduced fuel costs by $60,000 in the first year and making minimal changes to everyday police operations.
Furthermore, municipalities are focused on fuel efficiency as well as emissions when altering existing vehicles or investing in new technology. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has increased regulatory standards public fleets must meet to be deemed environmentally sound. These requirements are prompting city officials to compare the costs of upgrading and improving existing fleets with the price tag of new vehicles that run on alternative energy fuel sources. A heavy-duty diesel truck, for example, may need a new exhaust gas recirculation system priced at $8,000 or $10,000 worth of selective catalytic reduction technologies to pass EPA inspections.
Liquefied Natural Gas
Another alternative fuel source taking public fleets by storm is liquefied natural gas, which the U.S. Department of Energy is celebrating through its Clean Cities initiative. LNG is less expensive than diesel fuel but provides more energy per gallon. Trucks running on LNG can travel further on a tank of natural gas than on diesel fuel, while releasing less toxins into the air. As more cities and organizations make the transition to LNG vehicles, fuel providers are starting to develop natural gas stations to profit off the fuel trend.
Transportation Changes
Gov1 has followed different efforts cities are making to reduce costs associated with transportation including garage consolidation and new technology to track fleet data.