Biobased diesel fuels help OEMs, fleets tackle GHG challenge
When it comes to the challenges of transportation emissions and climate change, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and fleets are on the first line of defense.
According to U.S. EPA, the transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from the United States, accounting for over 28 percent of emissions.
With the clock ticking on aggressive new vehicle emissions standards and climate goals, OEMs and fleets are considering a number of options to tackle the GHG challenge.
While zero-emission technologies such as battery electric or fuel-cell electric hold promise for the future in some segments of the market, it could take decades before those vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them become viable, affordable and available at scale, particularly for medium- and heavy-duty or off-road applications.
However, low-carbon biodiesel and renewable diesel offer OEMs and fleets better, cleaner, advanced-biofuel alternatives that are available for use now in their existing diesel engines, allowing them to make immediate carbon reductions—easily and affordably.
The value of making deep carbon reductions sooner versus later was the topic of discussion for an all-star lineup of OEMs, fleets, and industry experts at the Clean Fuels Conference Feb. 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.
OEMs including Cummins, John Deere and FPT Industrial shared their companies’ sustainability strategies for decarbonization, and how higher blends of high-quality biodiesel and renewable diesel fit into their plan of action now and in the future.
Additionally, a number of high-profile fleets including PepsiCo, New York City, the city of Madison (Wisconsin), the city of Ames (Iowa) and the city of Southlake (Texas) described how they are using biodiesel blends between 20 percent (B20) and 100 percent (B100) as well as renewable diesel to help them decarbonize their fleet operations seamlessly and affordably in their existing diesel vehicles today, without sacrificing fleet performance or investing in costly new vehicles and infrastructure.
“Madison is operating our heavy-duty fleet using B5 in the winter, B20 in the warmer months, and B100 year-round on 18 assets,” said Mahanth Joishy, superintendent of the city of Madison’s fleet. “All of these biodiesel blends work well, and thanks to all the feedstocks coming from Wisconsin we are making a positive impact on Midwest economy as well as ecology, while promoting domestic energy production and energy security.”
Clean Fuels Conference attendees also had the opportunity to get a first-hand look at some of the latest biodiesel-powered equipment in the field and in the fleet at the Clean Fuels Vehicle Showcase event at The Ashton Depot in Fort Worth.
The showcase featured an impressive lineup of equipment from John Deere and the city of Southlake, Texas, running B20, as well as Class 8 Volvo trucks from the local PepsiCo/Frito-Lay fleet equipped with Optimus Technologies’ Vector System to run on B100.
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