According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the transportation sector generates the largest share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the country, accounting for over 28 percent of emissions.
It’s a fact that every original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and fleet operator is well aware of.
Creating further angst, the federal government is calling for aggressive new vehicle emissions standards while passing more aggressive climate goals to meet the demands of the United Nations for its members to become true partners as stewards of the planet.
To tackle the GHG emissions challenge, OEMs and fleets are examining a multitude of options.
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, according to Clean Fuels Alliance America, 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.
Clean Fuels Alliance America is a national trade association representing the biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel industries.
Clean fuels, per the association, are defined as those derived from recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats.
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—February 5-8, 2024—in Fort Worth, Texas.
Original equipment manufacturers, including Cummins, John Deere, and FPT Industrial, shared their sustainability strategies for decarbonization and how higher blends of high-quality biodiesel and renewable diesel fit into their plans of action now and in the future.
Additionally, many 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 B20 and 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,” stated Mahanth Joishy, Superintendent, City of Madison Fleet. “All of these biodiesel blends work well, and thanks to all the feedstocks coming from Wisconsin, we are making a positive impact on the Midwest economy as well as ecology while promoting domestic energy production and energy security.”
Attendees of the Clean Fuels Conference will also have the opportunity to view some of the latest biodiesel-powered equipment in the field and the fleet at the Clean Fuels Vehicle Showcase event held at the Ashton Depot.
The showcase featured an impressive lineup of equipment from John Deere and the City of Southlake, running on 20 percent biodiesel blends (B20), as well as Class 8 Volvo trucks from the local PepsiCo/Frito-Lay fleet equipped with Optimus Technologies’ Vector System to run on 100 percent biodiesel (B100).
For more information on the Clean Fuels Conference, visit www.cleanfuelsconference.org.
Clean Fuels Alliance America receives funding from a broad mix of private companies and associations, including the United Soybean Board, the Nebraska Soybean Board, and other state checkoff organizations. For more information, visit www.cleanfuels.org.