![]() “When we were using biodiesel, we would get two to three alerts a week telling us a unit’s diesel particulate filter had built up with soot, requiring a re-gen,” he said. In addition to being easy to implement, Lentsch said diagnostic alerts from telematics devices have proven renewable diesel has reduced emissions for the fleet. Because it meets the ASTM D975 industry specifications for diesel fuel, renewable diesel can be used on any vehicle that uses diesel fuel, and it’s covered under manufacturer warranties. Today, renewable diesel powers every diesel engine on EWEB’s roster. “We have uncovered absolutely no performance hiccups by switching to renewable diesel - it’s almost too good to be true,” said Gary Lentsch, CAFM, fleet manager, EWEB. With further research, the fleet decided it was time to give it a try. When UPS and the City of San Francisco both adopted renewable diesel, it caught the fleet’s attention. However, price and cold weather performance presented limitations. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions levels and use of fossil fuel, the fleet had been relying on higher ratios of biodiesel. The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB), Oregon’s oldest public utility, has also incorporated renewable diesel for many of the same reasons - and much to the same result. “The most common reaction I’ve experienced is disbelief that there is a cleaner burning direct diesel fuel substitute that is made from renewable sources, doesn’t require any additional expense for the fuel itself, and does not require equipment and infrastructure modifications.” “We expect to displace the consumption of about 250,000 gallons of petroleum diesel and eliminate more than 1,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, and we have yet to encounter any drawbacks,” Battersby said. To date, the fleet has witnessed no discernable difference from petroleum diesel, nor has it received driver complaints. The City of Oakland has been using renewable diesel in all of its diesel-powered equipment, including Fire Department apparatuses and off-road equipment, since fall of 2015. “When the product became available through a local supplier at a very competitive cost, it was an easy decision to make.” But renewable diesel gives you the ability to convert your entire diesel-powered fleet to alternative fuel overnight,” said Richard Battersby, CAFM, CPFP, manager of equipment services for the city. “At first, renewable diesel seemed like a ‘too good to be true’ cost-neutral way to achieve our goals. ![]() When renewable diesel became available commercially in northern California, the city seized the opportunity. The City of Oakland, Calif., was one of these fleets. “Renewable diesel fuel can allow fleets to substantially reduce carbon emissions and petroleum use, and improve air quality without sacrificing power, performance, or driving range.” ![]() Schaeffer said fleets that have turned to renewable diesel have done so as part of a low-cost strategy to meet sustainability goals. Fleets making the switch won’t encounter performance issues, nor will they need to modify equipment or fueling infrastructure to adopt the fuel. Renewable diesel comes with a number of benefits: It’s made of renewable sources, it burns clean, and it works just like traditional diesel. Photo courtesy of Eugene Water & Electric Board Fleet Experience with Renewable Diesel Renewable diesel burns cleaner than regular diesel, releasing less carbon, as shown in this photo. Because it has the same chemical structure as petroleum diesel, renewable diesel can be used in engines that are designed to run on conventional diesel fuel - with no blending required.Thanks to hydrogenation, renewable diesel also burns cleaner than biodiesel.Because it’s hydrogenated, renewable diesel doesn’t contain oxygen, and therefore users will not encounter the challenges biodiesel presents relating to freezing temperature and storage.
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