Chicago Area Clean Cities recognizes biodiesel fleets

The Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition announced its Green Fleet Leadership Award winners Feb. 12, recognizing companies and government agencies leading adoption of alternative fuels and clean-vehicle technologies for their fleets. The award winners were named at the coalition’s annual meeting at Hyatt McCormick Place and are given yearly to commend fleets that locally reduce petroleum consumption and improve air quality.

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award was given to Commonwealth Edison Co. (ComEd), the primary electric utility in the Chicago area. With approximately 10 million customers, ComEd reduced its GHG emissions by nearly 5,000 tons in 2017 through its use of biodiesel and electric vehicles to power its fleet. The company also received the Alternative Fuels Award from CACC for reducing nearly 370,000 gasoline-gallon equivalents (GGEs) of fuel through its use of biodiesel in a fleet of 1,750 trucks.

The Chicago Park District was also a recipient of the Alternative Fuels Award from CACC for its use of 10 to 20 percent blends of biodiesel in nearly 200 of its 550-plus vehicle fleet, and for its use of B50 in 56 of its vehicles. Through its sustainability efforts, CPD reduces an equivalent of 19,000 GGEs per year.

“The commercial and government fleets that we’re awarding are being recognized for being the best in their fuel category in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and gasoline gallon equivalents of fuel,” said Samantha Bingham, CACCC coordinator. “Many also are being recognized for year over year improvements. Their efforts are better for the environment by reducing harmful emissions, which improves Chicago air quality, ensuring that the air we breathe is cleaner for all. The fleets we’re honoring all operate in the Chicagoland area and are terrific examples for others to follow to learn about the advantages of clean-vehicle and alternative-fuel technologies.”

Several additional company and government fleets were awarded for their use of other alternative fuels.