After a successful run with propane autogas, key industry members discuss the future of propane autogas on the North Slope of Alaska.
Photo Credit: roushcleantech.com
Tomorrow’s Alaska Propane Technical Summit will host 30 government officials, operational experts representing North Slope companies, and other potential stakeholders to discuss how ROUSH CleanTech’s propane autogas technology can promote job growth and environmental sustainability in Alaska, while turning an underutilized native natural resource into an economic gain.
The summit follows a nine-month demonstration of two ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas Ford F-250 pickup trucks, coordinated by the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority (ANGDA), to give Alaskan private and public fleets a comprehensive look into how this readily available alternative fuel performs in sub-zero temperatures.
“We actually re-inject millions of gallons of propane back into the North Slope every day,” said Harold Heinze, CEO of Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority (ANGDA). “We need to find good local uses for the vast quantities of propane our state produces, and propane autogas has the potential to accomplish this and so much more. ROUSH CleanTech has the on-road technology to employ propane autogas for all the construction vehicles used in this part of the state, turning a current liability into economic stability. Oil companies are among the heavy weights considering propane autogas as an option to power their fleet over diesel.”
The state of Alaska has been using one of the propane autogas trucks, and many private and public fleets in Alaska have been driving the second truck, including CH2M Hill, the State of Alaska fleet services, CONAM Construction, the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, and the City of Anchorage. The National Park Service in Denali National Park and Matanusaka Electric Association also plan to demo the vehicle. The ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas trucks weathered conditions up to 55 degrees below zero.
“These trucks are performance workhorses, even in the harshest Alaska weather conditions,” said Todd Mouw, vice president of ROUSH CleanTech and a featured presenter at the meeting. “Propane autogas is the perfect ‘zero compromise’ alternative fuel solution for fleets looking for a fuel that’s readily available, environmentally friendly and economical — without sacrificing horsepower and performance. Propane autogas could become an export product and job creation source in Alaska.”
Alaska state fleets typically operate on ultra low sulfur diesel, which is hauled in by ice road trucks. This process is not only dangerous, but expensive. Propane autogas costs up to 40 percent less than conventional fuels, and federal and state tax incentives, like a 50-cent per gallon federal tax credit, make propane autogas even more cost-effective. “This is an easy choice,” says Mouw.
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