RENEWABLE DIESEL

The Police Department recently purchased a Chevy Colorado diesel truck, which will run on renewable diesel. What is renewable diesel? The simple answer is it’s a fuel that is chemically similar to petroleum diesel, but is 100% renewable and sustainable. It’s the latest, greenest diesel on the market, and soon many Town vehicles will be using this fuel. Below is an outline of each diesel product to provide some understanding of the differences.

Petroleum Diesel: Conventional (petroleum-based) fossil fuels are made from crude oil — hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and small amounts of metal from millions of years ago. To make fossil-based fuels such as petroleum diesel, crude oil is removed from the ground, pumped into a refinery, and refined through a heat- and pressure-based process called hydrogenation.   

Biodiesel: Unlike petroleum diesel, biodiesel does not rely on fossil fuels. Instead, it is made from vegetable oils and/or animal fats, which are renewable. It is also processed differently than petroleum diesel, using a process called transesterification. This process introduces oxygen into the fuel, which can cause issues with freezing temperature, separation during storage, algae growth, and higher emissions. Biodiesel is generally blended with petroleum diesel at a 5% to 20% ratio.

Renewable Diesel: Like biodiesel, renewable diesel is not a fossil fuel. Instead, it is made of nonpetroleum renewable resources such as natural fats, vegetable oils, and greases. Renewable diesel differs from biodiesel, however, in how it’s processed. Renewable diesel is processed similar to the way petroleum diesel is produced, which makes it chemically the same as petroleum diesel. That means a few things:

  1. Because it’s hydrogenated, renewable diesel doesn’t contain ­oxygen, and therefore users will not encounter the challenges biodiesel presents relating to freezing temperature and storage.
  2. Thanks to hydrogenation, renewable diesel also burns cleaner than biodiesel.
  3. Because it has the same chemical structure as petroleum diesel, renewable diesel can be used in engines that are designed to run on conventional diesel fuel — with no blending required.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS

We are excited to announce that six new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been installed in the Railyard section of the downtown parking district. There are four level 2 chargers, and two fast chargers. The Town began construction on these in July, and they are now open to the public to use. We were able to utilize infrastructure within the parking lot and the sidewalk that was proactively installed during the Railyard Phase I project to limit any throw away costs with the installation of the EV charging stations provided by ChargePoint. Read more about the project here.

WAY TO PARK APP

In the coming months the entire Downtown Parking District will have access to the WayToPark app. This is a new smart app that makes it easier and faster to pay for your parking. You select the amount of time you want to park in the app, and pay directly with the credit card you have registered. If you want to park longer, you may extend the time with the app, and do not need to walk back to your car to pay. This app will make the parking experience easier, as well as, cut down on paper being printed at the pay station.

By: Deverie Acuff, Truckee Police Department Support Services Manager