In 2013, Sharp Energy (Georgetown, Del.) entered the autogas market with one private fueling station serving 13 vehicles. Today, the propane subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities Corp. has 53 stations in Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. These include 37 private stations and 16 public stations that serve 1300 vehicles from multiple fleets that are Sharp customers. As a partner of Alliance AutoGas since 2012, Sharp Energy is part of a national network of companies that help fleets transition to propane autogas. These companies deliver vehicle conversions; onsite fueling infrastructure; fuel supply; safety and operational training; and ongoing technical support. “Since 2013 we have been building out the market for autogas,” Eric Mays, director of sales and marketing with Sharp Energy, tells BPN. “We are continuing...

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), one of the biggest challenges to air quality in the United States, are as much as 96% lower when a school bus is fueled by propane autogas rather than diesel. That’s just one of the findings in a study recently published by West Virginia University’s Center for Alternative Fuels Engines and Emissions (CAFEE). Reduction of NOx is important because these emissions are regulated by the federal government and are a predominant non-attainment concern in many areas, the author of the study adds. “NOx is one of the primary precursors to ground-level ozone, or smog,” Ross Ryskamp, associate director, testing and development, with CAFEE, tells BPN. “The whole nation is making a big push to bring down NOx emissions from vehicles.”...