The City of Springfield, IL, will convert 24 vehicles to operate on propane autogas. CleanFuel USA assisted the city in the vehicle conversion, which will include police patrol cars and pickup trucks.
“We estimate our fuel savings in the first year alone to be more than $82,000,” said Bill McCarty, director of budget and management for the City of Springfield. “Transitioning our fleet to propane autogas was an extremely easy decision to make because we are saving taxpayer dollars, improving the environment through cleaner auto emissions and supporting a domestically produced fuel source.”
A recently installed on-site refueling station featuring a CleanFuel USA CFT Pro 2100 autogas dispenser will fuel the vehicles, used by the city’s public works department.
As part of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Smarter Cities Project, Springfield has been named among a list of 22 municipalities that are leading the way as “top energy performers” in green power, energy efficiency and conservation. When compared with gasoline, vehicles fueled by propane autogas emit 20% less nitrogen oxide, 60% less carbon monoxide and up to 25% less greenhouse gases.
“Municipalities around the country like the City of Springfield are doing their research, talking to other fleets, calculating the savings and realizing that propane autogas is a winner,” said Curtis Donaldson, founder and CEO of CleanFuel USA. “With minimum upfront costs and substantial fuel savings, CleanFuel USA’s propane autogas fuel systems and dispensers are clear solutions for fleets looking to achieve both budget and sustainability goals.”
The project was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Energy Dept.’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Texas State Technical College serves as the lead grantee of the funds.