Avangrid, Inc., a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, is purchasing over 130 new hybrid bucket trucks over the next three years as it continues to electrify its fleet across its northeast utilities.
Headquartered in Orange, Connecticut, it has operations in 24 US states via two primary lines of business: networks and renewables.
Through its business network, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England.
Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States.
While Avangrid already uses hybrid vehicles, this procurement plan represents a significant expansion in the company’s use of proven alternative energy sources, including electric, hybrid, and green fuels.
These 130+ hybrid vehicles will be procured from two different manufacturers—Freightliner and Altec— with Freightliner providing the M2 chassis and Tier 4 Final diesel powertrain, and Altec supplying the bucket arm powered by a large onboard battery.
The trucks will use a diesel engine while driving, but will only need electricity to operate the bucket lift. This comes with many significant advantages compared to traditional vehicles, including:
- Safety: This allows workers to shut down the trucks’ engines when working on power lines, eliminating their exposure to exhaust fumes. The quiet electric motor also makes it easier for crews to communicate with one another.
- Fuel efficiency: Workers can operate the bucket lift and even keep the cabin air-conditioned or heated during exceptionally hot or cold weather using only the electric motor, allowing workers to turn off the diesel engine and save fuel.
- Longevity: Utilizing an electric motor to power the bucket lift reduces wear and tear on the vehicle’s engine. This improves their reliability and keeps them operating more efficiently for longer.
“It is important that Avangrid lives its values as a leading sustainable company and drives innovation across the business. In this case, we are expanding our use of new technologies that will make us more energy efficient,” commented Pedro Azagra, the Chief Executive Officer of Avangrid. “Hybrid vehicles will also improve the health and safety of our employees and the communities we serve while preserving Avangrid’s ability to respond to emergencies in our service area and beyond.”
Meanwhile, Avangrid continues to explore other proven alternatives. For example, some of Avangrid’s fleet is already using renewable diesel fuel made from plant material in its Lancaster, New York service area.
The company is working toward growing its use of green fuels, including in its hybrid vehicles. Its goal is to convert 60 percent of its heavy-duty fleet to alternative energy sources by 2030. The recent hybrid vehicle purchase is a major step toward Avangrid meeting that goal.
Parent company Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low-carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks, and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden, and Poland, among others.
For more information on Avangrid, visit www.avangrid.com.