Virginia fleets access renewable propane with new state contract

A new state contract brought forth by James Madison University provides vehicle fleets in Virginia with new pricing on propane autogas vehicle conversion equipment, in addition to access to renewable propane autogas.

Autogas is the third most widely used alternative fuel globally, with more than 28 million vehicles on the road worldwide.

“Autogas is a proven and viable solution for fleets in the commonwealth of Virginia today, and we are excited to offer this additional opportunity for reduced emissions with a renewable autogas component,” says Steve McCoy, vice president of business development with Blossman Gas, which is the equipment and fueling partner on the contract.

With the contract, available to all fleets, those using conventional propane autogas can purchase a renewable autogas blend of up to 20 percent, reducing emissions such as carbon and particulate matter even further, according to Blossman Gas.

Though not a fossil fuel, renewable propane is nearly identical to conventional propane in terms of its chemical structure and physical properties. As a result, renewable propane solves a variety of environmental challenges in addition to providing the benefits of conventional propane, Blossman Gas adds. Renewable propane offers sustainability benefits through reductions in carbon intensity (CI) versus traditional fossil-based transportation fuels. CI is the amount of carbon by weight emitted per unit of energy. Renewable propane is estimated to have one of the lowest CI levels, even when compared to electric vehicles.

“Propane autogas is a widely available fuel used in public and private fleets in Virginia, and I’m so glad to have this fuel on state contract,” says Alleyn Harned, executive director of Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University. “It is exciting for JMU to launch a statewide contract for this renewable fuel option.”

Blossman Gas is a founding member of Alliance AutoGas, a cooperative providing EPA-certified autogas vehicle conversion equipment to U.S. fleets.

Featured homepage photo courtesy of Alliance AutoGas