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 Since 2003, County departments have purchased 7 gas-electric hybrid vehicles and several flex-fuel vehicles that are capable of running on ethanol. In addition, the Monticello Fire Station uses a 20% blend of biodiesel (B20) in all of its fire engines, and the County School Division is testing the use of B20 biodiesel in 10 of its school buses and exploring the feasibility of using biodiesel in the bus fleet. Using alternative fuels and less fuel in general leads to improved air quality from reduced emissions and supports a domestic, renewable energy source. The County plans to continually research alternative fuels and best practices in this area. Please stay tuned for progress updates in this area.
Updated February 04, 2010 (Albemarle County Internal Fuel Usage Report):
| Shift in Fuel Savings by Month (Gallons): |
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Jul 08 vs. July 09
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-24.1
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Aug 08 vs. Aug 09
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149.4
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Sept 08 vs. Sept 09
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-9.6
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Oct 08 vs. Oct 09
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-76.4
|
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Nov 08 vs. Nov 09
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94.5
|
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Dec 08 vs. Dec 09
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85.6
|
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Jan 08 vs. Jan 09
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40.9
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Feb 08 vs. Feb 09
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27.3
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Mar 08 vs. Mar 09
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95.7
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Apr 08 vs. Apr 09
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78.3
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May 08 vs. May 09
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7.9
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Jun 08 vs. June 09
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116.1
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TOTAL SAVINGS=
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585.6
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During 2009, Albemarle County reduced internal gasoline use for municipal vehicles 9 out of 12 months of the year. The most dramatic change was during August 2009 where the county saved 149.4 gallons of gasoline as compared to the 2008 figures. In saving 585.6 gallons of gas over a year’s span, the County of Albemarle has avoided an astounding 11,360.64 lbs of CO2 emissions.1 To bring a bit more perspective to the figure, curbing carbon dioxide emissions by this amount is the equivalent of the emissions set off by an airplane travelling on a round trip from Charlottesville to New York City 40 times!2
- 6676.1 = gallons used in FY08
- 6090.5 = gallons used in FY09
- 585.6 = gallons saved between FY08-FY09
1 EPA Emissions Facts; http://www.epa.gov/OMS/climate/420f05001.htm#carbon
2 Terrapass Carbon Footprint Calculator; http://www.terrapass.com/carbon-footprint-calculator/#air
More on Gas Electric Hybrid Vehicles:
Gas electric hybrid vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine and a rechargeable battery. These vehicles can offer fuel improvements of up to 30-60% over a conventional gasoline powered car. They come with the added feature of a plug that allows an individual to recharge the car’s battery through a conventional electrical outlet. The car runs on a gas-burning engine at higher speeds, and during slow-speed driving and coasting the electric motor goes to work. When a driver lightly taps on the breaks of the car, the car’s wheels are engaged to an electric generator. It also serves to convert the car’s mechanical energy back into electricity which recharges the car’s battery as the driver operates the vehicle.
Flex-Fuel and Biodiesel Systems:
Flex-fuel vehicles have a specifically designed fuel system that allows a vehicle to operate on a mixture of ethanol and gasoline. They can run on a blend of up to 85% ethanol. They are affordably priced and can serve to reduce fuel economy by about twenty or thirty percent.
Biodiesel is a form of renewable fuel that can be produced from agricultural resources such as vegetable oil, canola oil, recycled cooking oils, or animal fats. In order to create biodiesel the base oil is run through a process called “esterification”. Esterification uses an industial alcohol and a catalyst to convert the oil into a biodiesel substance. Biodiesel B20 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent and offers a reduction in emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, sulfates, and other toxic air emissions. Most diesel engines can run on biodiesel fuel without any special equipment needed. (Source EPA)
More Information:
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