Washington County considering diesel alternative for fleet vehicles

For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 19, 2019

Washington County has launched a pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of transitioning diesel-burning fleet vehicles to a new, more environmentally-friendly fuel source. Recently, the County’s fuel provider, Bretthauer Oil Company, began supplying an “ultra clean diesel” product, developed by Renewable Energy Group, Inc., which is now being tested in a handful of County vehicles. REG Ultra Clean™ is a patent-pending blend of renewable diesel and biodiesel that has been shown to reduce tailpipe emissions and provide performance advantages over standard diesel.

For many years, the Fleet Services Division has worked closely with the County’s Sustainability Program to advance sustainable practices in day-to-day vehicle operations, including ways to increase fuel efficiency in County fleet vehicles as well as the use of alternate fuels. “Our sustainability goals align well with this new product,” said Tom Keyser, CFFA/CAFS, Fleet Manager for Washington County. “We’ve been looking at various strategies for some time to reduce particulate and greenhouse gas emissions and move away from pure fossil-based diesel. Ultra Clean™ is a step in the right direction and we appreciate the partnership with Bretthauer to find cleaner and more sustainable fuel solutions for our vehicles. We’re looking forward to see how it performs and whether it’s feasible to make the switch with the hundred or so other diesel-burning vehicles the County owns.”

For the past several years, Washington County has been gathering data on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with overall operations. The latest report indicates a 7% drop in GHG from baseline data collected in 2008. Emissions per full-time equivalent employee (FTE) showed a 10% drop. This information allows County leaders to manage risk, reduce climate impacts and inform future investment decisions.

Washington County Fleet Servicesis a division of the Department of Support Services whose mission is to provide innovative, excellent and cost-effective services that support County operations and administration, which all contribute to a healthy, safe and sustainable community for Washington County residents. Fleet Services works to procure safe, dependable, cost-effective vehicles and equipment and to manage and maintain these assets through quality service programs.

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