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ALTERNATIVE FUEL DEBATE * USA - Truckers chafe at alternative fuel mandates
Alternative fuels may someday go mainstream, but truckers want to make the shift on their terms, not the government's
New York,NY,USA -DC Velocity, by Mark B. Solomon -9 March 2010: -- If market potential were a yardstick for commercial success, then alternative fuels like biodiesel and natural gas would be a sure-fire winner. After all, who could argue with energy sources that can be indigenously made from readily available materials, and, depending on the fuel, could be less expensive than the traditional diesel fuel that powers the nation's heavy-duty trucks?... Well, for one, the trucking industry might raise an objection... Biodiesel has some drawbacks, truckers say. It causes performance problems in cold weather, and its 9 percent lower energy content compared with diesel means a truck must consume more biodiesel than it would traditional diesel to generate the equivalent amount of energy, the ATA argues. For example, a trucker would have to burn 11 gallons of biodiesel to generate the same energy as 10 gallons of petroleum-based diesel... In the eyes of the trucking industry, the Oorja example is the future of the interaction between truckers and alternative fuels, where consumption decisions are driven not by government fiat but by private-sector innovation and fleet-planning initiatives... But Moskowitz of ATA sees a different future. "The penetration of alternative fuels in our industry will be driven largely by government action, either through tax credits or through mandates," he says...
* Study finds alternatives must be more than just ‘green’
New York,NY,USA -Fleet Owner, by Sean Kilcarr -Mar 12, 2010: -- A new survey finds that while alternatively fueled vehicles may be growing, more and more buyers do not see ‘green’ as the only purchasing factor. According to the report, six out of 10 consumers are more likely to buy a hybrid or all-electric vehicle only when it is superior to gasoline- or diesel-only models in every way... According to research conducted by consulting firm Accenture, being “green” is not enough by itself to convince consumers to buy alternatively powered vehicles. In-vehicle services that satisfy different customer needs – including commerce, entertainment, safety, maintenance, communication and onboard navigation – not only are key influences on consumer choice, but also play a key factor in the development of more fuel efficient vehicles...Labels: alternative fuels
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