ROUSH CleanTech, a clean transportation solutions company, generated a new case study on autogas. Some of the highlights from the study are reported below:
According to the Propane Education & Research Council, there are more than 60,000 vehicles that run on propane autogas in the U.S. today — and that number is growing. One of the reasons propane autogas is gaining in popularity is that it has a robust, reliable and flexible infrastructure with decades of research and development behind it.
Propane Fueling Options
Propane infrastructure costs less to install than a CNG, diesel, gasoline or electric station. Propane suppliers specialize in helping fleets choose the right fueling option based on fleet size, routes, budget and space. Options include an onsite station, mobile fueling and public stations.
“Permanent equipment (onsite station) is most common because there’s flexibility and room for growth,” said Bryan Raygor, national business manager for autogas at Ferrellgas, a nationwide propane supplier. “The equipment can be expanded as needed depending on the size of the fleet.”
Infrastructure Across America
School districts can save money. Bonny Eagle School District installed one of the largest onsite propane tanks in the state of Maine. The 17,000-gallon tank can fill up 30 propane buses for a month before needing a refill. Located in the Atlanta suburbs, Henry County Schools built two onsite propane dispensers and an 18,000-gallon skidded tank that accommodate its 10-year growth plan.
Transit agencies can reliably serve their communities. After assessing the fleet’s services and size, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) in Michigan chose to install three onsite fueling stations, with two 19,000-gallon tanks located at each station. TransNet, a public transit agency in Pennsylvania, installed an onsite fueling station so that its vehicles could be easily fueled throughout the day.
Commercial fleets can meet their business goals. U.S. mail contractor McAbee Trucking in South Carolina added an onsite station with three 1,000-gallon tanks after several years of mobile delivery. When DDA Transport, a New Hampshire-based U.S. Postal Service contractor, added six propane trucks that travel 75,000 to 90,000 miles per year, it also added an onsite station to help those trucks stay on their strict delivery schedules. While DDA did explore CNG, it determined that the shop modifications required for CNG would be too expensive and burdensome.
Want More Information?
The Energy Department’s Alternative Fuels Data Center provides information about fueling station maps, dispensers and nozzles, codes and safety, and costs. Learn about incentive programs at the Propane Education & Research Council website.
