Alternative Fuel Vehicles

As required by the Energy Policy Act and Executive Order 13149, many Federal agencies have now added alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) to their fleets. AFVs run on a number of non-petroleum-based fuels, including biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, compressed natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These fuels are cleaner burning and less polluting, though their small market share relative to petroleum often makes them cost prohibitive.

Federal agencies consumed more than 1.4 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGE) of alternative fuels in FY 2000. In terms of share of consumption, the largest Federal alternative fuel users are the United States Postal Service (60 percent) and the Department of Defense (19 percent). The most commonly used alternative fuels are compressed natural gas at 63 percent, E-85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) at 25 percent, and B-20 biodiesel (20 percent vegetable oil, 80 percent diesel) at 8 percent. The remaining 4 percent is largely comprised of LPG.

The E85 formula is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Studies have shown that compared to reformulated gasoline, E85 emits 80 percent less benzene, 25 percent less nitrogen oxide and 7 percent less carbon dioxide. B20, a blend of 20 percent vegetable oil-based diesel and 80 percent low sulfur diesel, has similar positive result. An EPA study found that B20 emitted 11 percent fewer particulates, 11 percent less carbon monoxide and 21 percent fewer hydrocarbons.

The Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia developed specifications for two alternative fuels, ethanol and biodiesel, that have increased Federal consumption of biobased fuels from virtually nothing to close to 6 million gallons annually in a span of three years. DESC partnered with the Department of Energy and the Navy to work through ASTM to develop a technical standard for B20 and establish quality requirements. These quality requirements ensure that the biofuels perform comparable diesel and cause no increase in vehicle maintenance. DESC then developed a procurement clause that lists requirements that B20 fuel must meet; this clause will be used until a commercial specification is available. State and local governments and diesel engine manufacturers also are using this clause.

Currently, the Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Postal Service purchase B20 and E85 through DESC to use in their fleets. In 2001, they purchased 1.5 million gallons of B20 and 565,000 gallons of E85. With additional requirements from the military services, B20 consumption increased to more than 5 million gallons in 2002.

For more information, contact Mark Iden at miden@desc.dla.mil, (703) 767-9304.

The DOE's Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina has also been a leader in the use of AFVs. The facility replaced more than 530 gasoline vehicles with flexible-fuel E-85 vehicles. To do this, the facility constructed two new fuel stations onsite and programmed electronic card readers to only allow flexible-fuel vehicles to fuel with E-85. Since the stations opened in 2000, Savannah has used approximately 357,000 gallons of E-85 in its fleets. For more information, contact Tim Coffield at (803) 557-6316, tim.coffield@srs.gov.

Alternative fuels are not restricted to use in only land vehicles. In 2000, Channel Islands National Park, located off of the California coast, replaced diesel fuel with B-100 (made from 100 percent vegetable oil) in one of its boats, the 56-foot "Pacific Ranger." The boat also featured a "bulbous bow" that reduced friction and wake resistance, and thereby cut fuel usage by 18 percent. Re-refined oil and filtered oil systems are also used and have reduced oil changes by 78 percent. The park uses biodiesel and solar to make Anacapa Island petroleum free and uses biodiesel blends in other marine applications. For more information contact Kent Bullard at kent_bullard@nps.gov, (805) 658-5745

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, TN, procures flex fuel vehicles when the option is available. In FY 2007, 64 percent of vehicles procured were flex fuel vehicles. Currently, this initiative has resulted in the purchase of 118 such vehicles, which is about 25 percent of the fleet. The usage of the lab’s on-site 8,000 gallon E85 tank continues to increase, nearly reaching the 30,000 gallons-used mark in FY 2007. In FY 2007, ORNL’s Logistics Division identified the use of biodiesel as part of its 2007 EMS objectives and targets. The lab has a 6,000 gallon biodiesel fuel tank on site, and used 15,600 gallons of the fuel in its fleet in FY 2007. For more information, please contact Susan R.C. Michaud at 865-576-1562 or michaudsr@ornl.gov.

The U.S. Marine Corps Southwest Region Fleet Transportation (SWRFT) is a regional organization comprised of Garrison Mobile Equipment fleets located at seven Marine Corps Installations in California.

In terms of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), the Team employs 542 compressed catural gas vehicles, 293 electric vehicles, 21 gasoline/electric hybrids, and 367 flex fuel ethanol (E-85) vehicles. B20 biodiesel is required in all of SWRFT’s diesel fuel equipment required. The SWRFT Team has thus reduced petroleum diesel consumption by 20 percent in its 817 diesel engine vehicles. The installation vehicles consume 1.3 million gallons of biodiesel each year.

To further conserve fuel and collect information about engine performance, speed, and location of the vehicles, SWRFT uses an onboard wireless location and performance monitoring device, attaches to the vehicle’s computer monitoring engine performance and speed while using GPS technology to monitor location. The information is later analyzed to ensure that the vehicle is consuming fuel efficiently and as cleanly as possible and to identify improperly performing engines requiring maintenance. These devices also allow managers to reduce the number of unnecessary trips and improve route planning, as well as reduce the amount of air pollution caused by burning excessive fossil fuels. SWRFT has recorded a 27 percent reduction in excessive speed reports after the installation of the GPS devices, indicating just one of the successes of these devices.

Another electronic device, a cabin video/audio monitoring device, has also been installed on the fleet’s windshields. This device monitors the area ahead of the vehicle and the vehicle cabin area and records a 30-second event when it receives a force that exceeds a specified level. These events are later downloaded to a central location for review. These monitoring devices improve operator driving habits and reduce aggressive driving behavior, improving fuel efficiency and reducing premature tire wear. SWRFT has recently seen a 33 percent reduction in captured events.

Knowing that good tire maintenance programs help to both extend tire life and improve fuel efficiency, the Team installed tire pressure monitoring devices on the medium and heavy duty fleet vehicles. For more information, contact Gary Funk at 760-725-3500 ext. 4579 or gary.funk@usmc.mil.