Our Net-Zero Heroes™ know that Bioheat® Fuel is used to heat your home, but did you also know that biodiesel, the main component of Bioheat® Fuel, can be used to power vehicles? That’s right – sanitation trucks, transit, and school buses, firetrucks, pickup trucks, farm equipment, mail trucks, snowplows, and even military vehicles can all run on biodiesel. In fact, many municipalities and government agencies are already using biodiesel to power their respective fleets! Let’s get into the facts.
New York City operates the largest municipal fleet in the US and the 2nd largest in the world. The NYC municipal fleet uses 14.3 million diesel gallons per year, and diesel fuel accounts for 60% of New York City’s total fuel use. Municipal transportation is New York City’s 3rd largest source of carbon, with diesel and gasoline vehicles accounting for about 80% of those emissions. When we take into account those numbers, it’s hard not to see how damaging all that carbon and particulate matter can be to the air quality and health of New York City residents. That’s why New York City decided to start its journey to net-zero carbon emissions and began incorporating biodiesel blends into their fleet’s fueling.
In 2015, New York City announced its commitment to total adoption of clean fuels and began moving towards utilizing more biodiesel through their “NYC Clean Fleet” initiative. In the summer of 2018, New York City conducted a pilot program where they used 1 million gallons of biodiesel to power municipal vehicles across their fleet. Now in 2021, 93% of the 14.3 million diesel gallons used by New York City vehicles contain biodiesel blends. All agencies of the New York City government are using at least B5 biodiesel, with many agencies adopting higher blends. The New York City Department of Sanitation runs 100% of their vehicles on biodiesel blends, with 5 million gallons (60%) of their biodiesel fuel being the B20 blend. If you’ve seen a New York City fire truck pass you by, it’s running on biodiesel!
Decreased usage of traditional diesel fuel is not only beneficial for the environment and air quality of New York City but also the health of its residents! Traditional diesel fuel emits harmful carbon and particulate matter (PM) into the air, causing increased rates of lung-related diseases. In high-density urban centers, like New York City, carbon and PM can accumulate in the air and significantly decrease air quality, forcing residents to breathe in harmful particles. When utilizing a biodiesel blend like B20, particulate matter emissions dropped by an incredible 12%. As New York City’s municipal fleet moves towards utilizing fuel blends with higher amounts of biodiesel, we’ll be closer to achieving our goal of net-zero carbon emissions.
The road to achieving net-zero carbon emissions is paved in biodiesel and Bioheat® Fuel. While our government is doing its part by using biodiesel in their vehicles, our Net-Zero Heroes™ can help lead the way by bringing Bioheat® Fuel into their homes. Using Bioheat® Fuel will reduce the carbon emissions your system puts into the air and will help improve the air quality in your neighborhood. Thanks to New York State’s Biofuel Mandate, New York City residents, as well as Long Island and Westchester County residents are automatically receiving B5 Bioheat® Fuel in their heating oil delivery! Want to learn more about Bioheat® Fuel and how it’s reducing emissions right now? Visit todaysbioheat.com or contact your local heating fuel provider.
