Nearly one million gallons of alternative diesel fuel consumed during trial period
New York, N.Y. (November 13, 2018) – It’s no secret that the energy industry has gone through significant changes over the last 150 years, from wood and coal to natural gas and petroleum. Today, with more consumer focus on sustainable energy, industry leaders are actively investing in renewable fuels.
Sprague Operating Resources LLC, which was founded in 1870, has always strived to be at the forefront of fuel innovation. Headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., with additional locations throughout the Northeast, Sprague pioneered Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel adoption ten years prior to the Environmental Protection Agency mandating its use. In 2007, Sprague introduced bioheat and biodiesel to New York City agencies, and today offers a multitude of biofuel options through its Bronx and Lawrence terminals to customers on Long Island and in the City.
New York City, as part of their goal to become the most sustainable city, aspires to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. In order to help meet this goal, they want to reduce their own transportation-related emissions.
With 30,000 owned and leased vehicles and 400 in-house fueling locations, New York City operates the largest municipal fleet in the United States. The City has conducted several pilot studies of alternative fuels in its fleet since announcing its reduced emissions goal. Earlier this year, it reached out to Sprague to understand how renewable diesel might fit into its supply portfolio.
Renewable diesel is molecularly identical to petroleum diesel, but is derived almost exclusively of plant residual waste and animal fats. Its use in an over-the-road application results in a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional petroleum-based diesel. New York City agencies wanted to find out if they could realize these emission reductions without an operational interruption in a variety of use cases.
Sprague was chosen to help facilitate the trial, in part because they could transport a small quantity of boutique fuel and store it in a local terminal. They were also willing to guarantee delivery and meet the City’s stringent quality inspection protocols.
“Sprague was pleased to leverage our infrastructure and experience in order to deliver cleaner fuels to the city," said David Glendon, president and chief executive officer at Sprague. "We applaud the commitment of Mayor de Blasio, DCAS and City agency fleets to this initiative and look forward to continuing our longstanding partnership with New York City agencies as the program evolves.”
While renewable diesel has been successfully used in California, New York City’s project was one of the first fleets to test the fuel in the Northeast.
More than 900,000 gallons of renewable fuel were used in more than 1,000 government vehicles. Primarily used in larger vehicles like sanitation trucks, the vehicles drove more than an estimated 11 million miles during the six-month trial.
About Sprague Resources LP
Sprague Resources LP is engaged in the purchase, storage, distribution and sale of refined petroleum products and natural gas. More information about Sprague can be found at www.spragueenergy.com.