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Evansville staff flag biofuel case study and supplier questions as potential short-term fleet option
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Summary
Staff reported case studies showing B20 biodiesel can reduce emissions about 15% and may be delivered at lower cost, but noted vehicle compatibility nuances and a lack of local biodiesel supply as obstacles to immediate adoption.
During the Sept. 11 meeting, climate staff described recent conversations with other Indiana municipal fleets and a case study approach to evaluate biodiesel as a near-term way to reduce fleet carbon emissions while electric vehicle infrastructure continues to develop.
Staff said Fort Wayne converted municipal fleets roughly 20 years ago and Carmel recently started testing B20 (20% biodiesel blended with conventional diesel) without equipment conversion. "They're seeing that there's, an average of about 15% reduction in emissions, and lower costs," Norvell said, describing Carmel’s initial findings.
Board members asked whether biodiesel requires vehicle conversions; Norvell said her understanding is fleets can operate up to B40 without conversion but emphasized she is not a vehicle expert and that Carmel is testing B20 specifically. She also identified lack of a local biodiesel supplier—sufficient local production or aggregation would be necessary for sustained use.
A member of the public, Sandhya (Sandy) Jayaseelan, introduced herself as a Cummins engineer and offered company support to assess engine compatibility and to connect the collaborative with Cummins’ sustainability and alternative-fuels groups. "If the fleets happen to have Cummins engines, I would love to maybe give in more support about the compatibility," Jayaseelan said.
Staff said they will pursue further case studies, identify potential suppliers, and report back; no procurement decisions or budget commitments were made at this meeting.
