Renewable Diesel Significantly Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions; EC government uses about 360,000 gallons of diesel annually
Pilot Program will test three DPW Vehicles; if successful, potential roll out for entire fleet
ERIE COUNTY, NY— Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined today by Deputy County Executive Lisa M. Chimera, Commissioner of Public Works William Geary and departmental personnel, and Mary Burke of Kurk Fuel at the East Concord DPW barn to announce the launch of a renewable diesel pilot program for the county Public Works Department. First announced by Poloncarz at his 2024 State of the County address, the pilot program will test renewable diesel in three DPW vehicles and, if successful, will roll out the program to the entire fleet. These baseline tests were also conducted with petroleum diesel.
“Erie County is committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and renewable diesel is a promising alternative fuel that can not only significantly cut those emissions but is also drop-in ready for current diesel engines, so no new trucks or infrastructure is needed for this pilot program,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Renewable diesel can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 90% so it’s better for the environment and reduces health risks to workers as well. I look forward to the results of this pilot program.”
Cutting emissions in the heavy-duty sector remains challenging and the technology, infrastructure, and market do not yet exist for reliable heavy-duty vehicle electrification, so snowplows and related heavy equipment are not yet able to be effectively electrified. In addition to lower greenhouse gas emissions, renewable diesel has lower tailpipe emissions for particulates, sulfur, aromatics, and VOCs, reducing health risks to workers and lowering costs by reducing the amount of Diesel Exhaust Fluid used and the number of particulate filter regeneration cycles burned.
Commissioner of Public Works Bill Geary added, “We would like to partner with other municipalities, school districts, and agencies on this program in order to achieve economies of scale, and as more buy in the savings increase. NYS OGS made renewable diesel available on the state contract for the ten counties in the Albany area so more commitment from governments locally could get Erie and other counties added to the contract in 2026.”
Erie is currently the only county in New York with its own in-house renewable diesel program. The county solicited a bid in April for 5,000 gallons of fuel, which is provided by Kurk. This renewable diesel is made from soybean oil, canola oil, waste grease, or other feedstocks. Erie County mandated no palm oil to be used in our fuel because of the mass deforestation involved in palm oil harvesting.
Deputy Erie County Executive Lisa M. Chimera noted, “If we completely switched over to renewable diesel, we would reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 6.6 million pounds (or 3 million kg) per year. New York City, California, New Mexico, and Washington state are all using renewable diesel and its time for Erie County to join them.”
Renewable Diesel (RD) is not Biodiesel. It is refined like regular fuel and is chemically identical to petroleum diesel. RD does not suffer the same problems as biodiesel, especially gelling in cold weather that biodiesel is prone to.
For more information:
On the Erie County Department of Public Works, visit https://www3.erie.gov/dpw/
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