Alternative Fuels Not Created Equal in the Valley
Download mp3 (5.28 MB)
Gas prices are as low as they’ve been in years. But alternative fuel sources, which typically drop off when gas is cheaper, still play a role in getting around the Valley and officials support some of those alternative fuel sources more than they do others.
Last week AAA reported that fuel prices were the lowest they’ve been in four years. While the vast majority of vehicles run on gasoline, there’s a growing number of alternative fuels being made. However, falling gas prices may put a strain on some and not others.
Unless a vehicle is blatantly displaying it runs on alternative fuel, you might spot one only by an alternative fuel license plate. Arizona defines an Alternative Fuel Vehicle as powered by either electric, hydrogen, natural gas or solar. These vehicles get some perks as well, like tax credits and free use of the HOV lane.
Though options for an alternative fuel vehicle was once limited, like an electric car, Bill Sheaffer of the Clean Cities Coalition notes more options are now available.
“We have a host of all electrics now coming out," Sheaffer said. "The Leaf was the first out and the new Tesla. But Ford and GM have cars in this category as well.”
Electric vehicle batteries initially had trouble in the high desert heat, but Sheaffer says new technology has helped.
“New vehicles now have a cooling system that overcomes that problem," he said. "We’ve added cooling to the battery packs.”
However, it isn’t passenger cars making a big impact with alternative fuels. It’s the bigger vehicles initiating the change.
“Leading the way is the application of alternative fuels in fleet operations," Sheaffer said. "And here we’re talking about heavy duty vehicles. This is where the real volume has been happening.”
A great example are the buses you see here in the valley.
“88 percent of our fleet is alternative fuel. We’re transitioning over to more compressed natural gas. It’s plentiful. We’re not reliant on foreign imports,” said Susan Tierney with Valley Metro. She noted another plus of using compressed natural gas.
“Compressed natural gas is very low emissions," Tierney said. "Practically negligible.”
But the cost savings are not. Tierney says an average a bus will travel half a million miles over its lifetime. And when it comes to choosing compressed natural gas, its basic math.
“The average Compressed Natural Gas bus costs about thirty one cents a mile to operate, versus 68 cents a mile on diesel,” Tierney said.
Alternatively, Valley Metro also has 17 Electric Hybrids on the road and nearly 200 biodiesel buses. Which could be good news for biodiesel producers, like Dan Rees of REVbiodiesel in Gilbert.
“Some people have converted their vehicles to run on straight cooking oil,” Rees said.
Biodiesel is made from collected waste cooking oil, often what you find after food is fried. But Rees says heavy subsidies to oil companies, falling gas prices and shifting regulations has biodiesel being priced out. He had to lay off all but three of his staff, all veterans who Rees said wanted to see biodiesel succeed after seeing what oil demand is doing in the middle east.
“They took it twice as hard as anybody else would," Rees said. "It just made me sick to my stomach.”
And the state isn’t helping. By law, Biodiesel is not considered an alternative fuel and does not receive the subsidies and tax breaks like other alternative fuels such as propane and natural gas. We walk outside and cozy up right next to the tailpipe of a running biodiesel truck.
“No black cloud,” Rees said.
This is not something you want to do next to a regular diesel vehicle.
“Diesel particulates is one of the highest pollutions in Arizona" said Rees. "We are a 60 percent reduction in diesel particulates. It’s so organic if you spill it on the ground, it will degrade faster than sugar. You can actually drink biodiesel.”
While most drivers won’t gulp down biodiesel, Sheaffer hopes that more drivers will start to look into alternative fuels regardless of gasoline prices. After all, there may be one absolute truth out there on the road.
“People tend to consider the world revolves around their car,” Sheaffer said.
