Tampa,
Fla. – At the Clean Fuels
Conference in Tampa today, leading diesel engine and equipment
manufacturers Caterpillar, John Deere and Cummins joined major fleets
including PepsiCo and Florida Power & Light on a featured panel
to discuss the important role that low-carbon liquid fuels like biodiesel and
renewable diesel play in helping them achieve their near- and long-term
corporate sustainability goals. These clean fuels offer substantial and
immediate carbon reduction benefits in heavy-duty on-road, off-road, marine and
rail transportation, segments which are otherwise difficult to decarbonize or
electrify.
Joining the panel of experts was Joel Feucht, Vice President
& General Manager for Caterpillar's Large Reciprocating Engine business.
Feucht stated, “At Caterpillar, we’ve long recognized the value of sustainable
biodiesel and other renewable fuels to our customers who have prioritized the
decarbonization of their operations. In fact, CAT diesel-fueled power solutions
have enabled operation on B20 biodiesel blends and various hydrotreated
vegetable oil (HVO) fuel products for more than a decade. With the increasing
availability and adoption of renewable fuels, we’re committed to expanding our
product and service offerings to help equipment owners further capitalize on
the benefits they offer.”
As part of a Vehicle Technology Showcase
at the Clean Fuels Conference, these featured equipment manufacturers and
fleets are displaying a wide variety of vehicles and industrial equipment that
supports the use of biodiesel and renewable diesel. While B20 (a blend of 20
percent biodiesel with 80 percent ultra-low sulfur diesel) has been the
industry norm for more than a decade and can be used in the majority of diesel
vehicles without modification, many fleets are now looking beyond B20 to
further accelerate their decarbonization efforts. One hundred percent biodiesel
(B100) reduces carbon emissions by more than 70 percent, and Clean Fuels
Alliance America member company Optimus Technologies has engineered a system
that allows fleets to capitalize on those benefits and run their heavy-duty
vehicles on B100 even in the harshest conditions.
Optimus Technologies is showcasing a
2023 Freightliner 114SD equipped with their B100 fuel system technology at the
Clean Fuels Conference this week. On loan from the manufacturer, Vac-Con, the
truck is being upfitted with Optimus' Vector System during the truck
manufacturing process. The final form of this truck will be a 10-Yard
Combination Vacuum Truck for sewer cleaning operations, with the ultimate
destination being the Washington, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority.
Colin Huwyler, CEO of Optimus
Technologies, stated, "The Optimus Vector System is enabling commercial
and municipal fleets across the country to immediately decarbonize their most
challenging assets. Optimus is proud to be creating a path to a more
sustainable future with leading fleets like D.C. Water by using 100 percent
biodiesel to power the critical equipment that keeps the infrastructure in our
nation's capital functioning."
ABOUT CLEAN FUELS ALLIANCE AMERICA |
Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats, the clean fuels industry is a proven, integral part of America’s clean energy future. Clean Fuels Alliance America is the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers and fuel distributors. Clean Fuels receives funding from a broad mix of private companies and associations, including the United Soybean Board and state checkoff organizations.