City of Lincoln receives grant from Nebraska Soybean Board to incorporate B20 biodiesel in municipal fleet

The city of Lincoln, Nebraska, has been awarded a $53,750 grant from the Nebraska Soybean Board to begin incorporating B20 biodiesel in its municipal fleet. 

Officials said the grant marks a significant milestone in the city’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions.

“We are grateful to the Nebraska Soybean Board for selecting Lincoln as a recipient of these grant funds,” said Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

“Incorporating renewable biodiesel into our fleet helps the city reduce our carbon footprint and advance our sustainability goals,” the mayor added.

Kim Morrow, chief sustainability officer, said that studies have shown that the lifecycle emissions of pure biodiesel are 74 percent lower than those of regular diesel, underscoring the significant environmental benefits of this transition.

By replacing approximately 215,000 gallons of diesel with biodiesel, the city of Lincoln will reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.

Morrow said the city’s commitment to sustainable improvements in its municipal fleet and the use of renewable biodiesel in existing vehicles and equipment is an important step in reaching Lincoln’s Climate Action Plan goal to reduce GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

As part of Lincoln’s Climate Action Plan, the city is working to achieve the goal of transitioning its fleet vehicles to 100 percent electric or alternatively fueled by 2040.

There are nearly 130 vehicles in the city fleet that will use B20 biodiesel.

The fleet also includes 158 hybrid-electric vehicles, 10 battery-electric vehicles, and six plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles.

Additionally, Lincoln’s StarTran bus fleet is currently 65 percent electric or alternative fueled.

This includes 41 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and trollies, and 10 electric buses.