The chant “Go Green!” is no longer just for fans of sports teams. It has now become more of a plea, and for a host of reasons, such as an increasing concern about the environment, health benefits, savings on fuel and other costs, and incentives from federal and state governments.

For example, the US state of Oregon recently announced it had enacted a biodiesel requirement. A provision requires biodiesel manufacturers and blenders to perform quality tests. Also, all diesel fuel must be blended with 2 percent biodiesel when production reaches five million gallons a year; it goes to 5 percent when annual production reaches 15 million gallons.

Oregon joins Louisiana, Minnesota, New Mexico and Washington, as states with a biodiesel mandate, and a federal court has just upheld a state’s right to legislate emissions-control mandates.

In August, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposed a regulation that would force owners of an
estimated 80,000 trucks built before 1994 to remove them from the state’s roads by 2009. Also, all trucks operating in California and built before 2007 would require some form of retrofitting to reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate
matter emissions.

Chuck Harbin, regional fleet supervisor for Coca-Cola in southwest California, says, “We cannot avoid California, but we are going to have to decide how we are going to structure our operation there if we are going to have to
retrofit our trucks.”

In trucking, it covers all facets, especially in those areas that have proven that going green is profitable.
In the vehicle maintenance area, going green also is a target. Efforts include the use of environmentally safe materials in the shops, etc. However the main push is on the reduction of harmful vehicle emissions.

Everyone is well aware of the latest government regs, including the new engines required in 2007 to reduce emissions. This is followed by restrictions in some states on the use of current fuels that has accelerated the use of alternative fuels and hybrid fueling systems.

Alternative Fuels
Alternative fuels include compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ethanol, hydrogen fuel cells, biodiesel (vegetable oil combined with diesel fuel), diesel-electric and other hybrids.

Availability is one hurdle with many alternative fuels; others include a higher cost than diesel or gasoline and concerns about the ability of some fuels to provide enough power and range to meet operational needs. Finally, the extra costs for new equipment, refueling infrastructure, extra maintenance and employee training must be considered.

The 2005 US Energy Policy Act was a start on incentives, but needs revision. For example, a diesel hydraulic truck potentially is eligible to qualify for a tax credit that is up to 40 percent of the incremental cost of the vehicle. However, critics feel that 30 to 50 percent fuel economy improvement to get incentives is too high. Also, incentives are scheduled to run out in 2009, just when they might start to become valuable to fleets.

The Hybrid Truck Users Forum notes that for the first few years of the market, fleet users need the upfront purchase price reduced to speed their spec’ing of hybrids. They have developed guiding principles that call for incentives to:

• Be available for a longer period of time.
• Directly reduce the capital cost/purchase price of the vehicles.
• Start at higher funding levels and decline over time.
• Support a broader range of fuel economy improvements, not just the highest achievable amounts.
• Include funding for development, demonstration and early sales.
• Be simple to understand and administer.
• Be hybrid-technology neutral.

The new push includes systems aimed at mid-duty trucks, such as the diesel-electric hybrid truck systems. At a recent event, there were test drives of hybrid-powered trucks including a Coca-Cola delivery truck. Further, one fleet that is testing a new Kenworth Class 7 hybrid in a pick-up and delivery operation estimates its fuel economy is up 35 percent in the first few weeks of the test.

FedEx Corp. and Florida Power & Light, both with experience with greener trucks in demonstration or pilot programs, point out that hybrid maintenance is divided between the routine and that involving the more complex power train components in hybrid operating systems. But it is difficult to track long-term, real world maintenance training requirements and procedures.

They offered the following when considering hybrids.

First, understand the operational characteristics of the truck; make sure the build specs are performance-based rather than product-based.

Balance the engine and drivetrain specifications to meet the environment the truck will operate in.

Also, remember the human element—have the trucks mirror conventional trucks in terms of controls and appearance and have “transparent” vehicles to ensure drivers can smoothly transition from conventional trucks to hybrids.

And, match the vehicle to the mission. The current hybrids are most effective in a stop-and-go, low speed environment.

Emission-reducing trucks, engines, hybrids, systems, alternative fuels, etc., are coming, perhaps slow… but sure.

From Beverage World October 15, 2007