The change is a significant step in UAlbany’s decarbonization plan and an interim step in the transition to electrification of campus vehicles. Reducing carbon emissions has been shown to improve air quality and improve health outcomes.
“SUNY is exploring innovative, feasible solutions for decarbonizing the transportation sector, especially the medium- to heavy-duty fleet for which there are limited commercially available electric options,” said Carter Strickland, SUNY’s chief sustainability officer.
“The SUNY Climate and Sustainability Action Plan identified renewable diesel as a potential drop-in solution for immediate carbon reductions and air quality improvements, and we congratulate UAlbany for testing implementation of this new solution.”
Last December, the state Office of Government Services made renewable diesel available through the state contracting process, making New York the first state in the Northeast to offer this biofuel to state agencies. Sprague Energy’s Rensselaer Terminal, one of only a few terminals in the state offering renewable diesel for wholesale commercial use, is supplying UAlbany.
“The primary goal of transitioning to renewable diesel is to provide a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to traditional diesel as we move our campus away from fossil fuels,” said Todd Foreman, UAlbany’s vice president for finance and administration. “This will lower carbon emissions and improve air quality, and the move supports the University’s sustainability goals and aligns us with SUNY and New York State climate goals.”
“Using renewable diesel will provide about a 60% reduction in associated carbon emissions,” UAlbany Energy Officer Indu said. “Unlike biodiesel, renewable diesel is chemically the same as regular diesel. Therefore, it can be used in lieu of regular diesel without any blending or expensive alteration to vehicles or fueling infrastructure.”
Renewable diesel is a biodegradable fuel manufactured in the United States from vegetable oils, animal fats and recycled restaurant fats such as frying oil. Renewable diesel is processed to be chemically identical to petroleum-derived diesel fuel and meets the same ASTM D975 fuel quality specifications as petroleum diesel, making it a drop-in solution that does not require special storage, operational or maintenance equipment.
According to the National Renewable Energy Lab, renewable diesel reduces both carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions when compared with petroleum diesel. Nitrogen oxide is harmful to human respiratory systems, causes acid rain and contributes to smog.
UAlbany will be converting its entire diesel-powered fleet to the renewable fuel. That includes 12 buses, three garbage trucks, about 50 heavy-duty utility vehicles and about 20 diesel-powered mowers. The change from petroleum diesel to renewable diesel is expected to be cost neutral, Foreman said.
Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, applauded the University and its president, Havidán Rodríguez, for leading the way in transitioning to renewable diesel. “This forward-thinking step will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, fostering a healthier, more sustainable campus community, while also serving as a model for other institutions across the state,” she said.
