Switching from petroleum-based fuels to clean-burning natural gas vehicles is definitely a work in progress for regional and local governments and private fleets operating in the New York Metropolitan area, according to a new research report published today, and made freely available, by Emisstar LLC. Commissioned by NGVAmerica, the study authors attribute much of the progress achieved to NGV financial incentive programs adopted by municipal planning or air quality agencies.
Remarking on the study, NGVAmerica President Rich Kolodziej, said, “Municipalities and agencies throughout the New York region are working hard to comply with evolving emissions reduction mandates, and are actively seeking ways to cost-effectively replace their aging diesel vehicle fleets with alternative-fueled models.”
Emisstar Principal Glenn Goldstein said, “Our aim with this study was to analyze existing incentive-based emissions reduction approaches nationwide, and to recommend how a regional NGV financial incentive program could be developed and implemented in the New York area.”
Kolodziej cited the New York townships of Smithtown and Brookhaven as examples of local municipalities that have implemented a 100-percent natural gas fuel standard for their contracted refuse hauling fleets, in cooperation with project partners Clean Energy Fuels Corp. and National Grid. “In both cases, financial grants, subsidies and rebates for natural gas vehicle purchases were major factors in the success of the towns’ fleet emission reduction efforts.”
In the New York region, Emisstar reports that there is a large, currently unsatisfied demand for alternative-fueled vehicles. “Addressing this $90 million backlog by replacing diesel vehicles with NGVs would dramatically curtail harmful emissions. With this approach, we estimate that total reduction of air contaminants would approach 6,000 tons annually.”
The Emisstar report suggests a specific framework for a regional natural gas program that would offer incentives for the replacement of Class 6 through Class 8 diesel-fueled vehicles with new vehicles powered by natural gas. The report provides detailed recommendations regarding administrative processes and program criteria including vehicle eligibility, scrapping requirements, funding sources and thresholds based on emissions reduced.
“The study results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a voluntary natural gas vehicle incentive program that is attractive to business and public interest alike,” Goldstein concluded.
The Emisstar Natural Gas Vehicle Incentive Program Executive Summary and Report is available for downloading at no charge.
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