Renewable diesel now available at Sprague terminal in Upstate New York

Photo: New York League of Conservation Voters

The New York League of Conservation Voters and Sprague Operating Resources LLC hosted a press conference June 12 to celebrate the availability of renewable diesel at the Sprague Fuel Terminal in Rensselaer, New York, which will service trucking companies and wholesalers in the upstate region.

Earlier this year, Sprague opened New York City’s first retail fuel station dispensing renewable diesel supplied from Sprague’s Bronx Terminal.

Renewable diesel affords an immediate reduction of greenhouse gases, particulate matter and NOx emissions.

The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse-gas emissions and air pollution in New York.

Low-carbon fuel options for existing vehicles will immediately cut transportation emissions and help New York meet its bold climate goals.

“Today marks an important achievement in environmental progress as renewable diesel arrives at the Sprague Fuel Terminal in Rensselaer, New York, bolstering cleaner energy and public health in the capital region,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “This significant step forward, following Sprague Energy’s recent entry into renewable diesel retail with the Sonomax station in Brooklyn, underscores the urgent need to transition away from dirty fossil fuels to combat greenhouse-gas emissions and toxic air pollution. While electrification efforts advance, embracing low-carbon fuel options like renewable diesel is crucial to meeting the state’s ambitious climate goals. We must ultimately implement a clean-fuel standard to ensure widespread adoption and sustained investment in cleaner energy solutions.”

David Glendon, the president and CEO of Sprague Operating Resources, said, “We are very excited to further expand our renewable fuel supply at the Sprague Rensselaer/Albany Terminal and look forward to helping propel adoption of renewable diesel in Upstate New York and across our entire Northeast footprint. Sprague has over 150 years of experience helping our customers navigate these energy transitions, and we will continue to innovate and invest in cleaner fuels and sustainable solutions for all our valued customers and communities we serve to decarbonize.”

Kris DeLair, the executive director of the Empire State Energy Association, added, “Renewable diesel provides us with yet another proven and affordable solution to significantly decarbonize both the transportation and heating sectors. Moreover, renewable diesel can seamlessly replace conventional diesel without requiring modifications to existing engines or fuel systems. I commend Sprague and all of our member companies for their forward-thinking approach and their steadfast dedication to protecting the environment and serving their customers. Their efforts exemplify the industry’s proactive stance in reducing emissions through the delivery and use of renewable liquid fuels. ESEA and its members are fully committed to leading New York state towards a greener, more sustainable energy future.”

Greg O’Connor, the president of Main Care Energy, said, “We are excited to partner with companies like Sprague Energy to offer renewable diesel, a reliable and affordable solution that meets tomorrow’s environmental goals today. Main Care’s commitment to the environment drives us to embrace low-carbon liquid fuels and power our delivery fleet with renewable diesel. We’re leading the way to achieve a lower carbon footprint while providing greater fuel efficiency in the communities we serve.”

Greg Nido, the president of Guy E. Nido Inc., said, “I’m very excited to offer renewable diesel to my customers. This is a great opportunity to reduce emissions while improving engine and boiler performance utilizing the cleaner nonfossil fuel. It’s exciting and am glad to be a part of the reduction of diesel emissions and partnering with Sprague.”