Alternate fuel will cost state a lot more in Connecticut
Gov. Rell attempting to comply with federal mandate
by Paul Huges, Republican-American.com,
Hartford, CONN; August 13, 2007
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2007/08/12/news/new_england/277316.txt
The state government’s fleet of more than 6,000 cars, vans, and trucks burns thousands of gallons of gasoline every day. The state’s bill for unleaded gasoline topped $7.5 million in 2006. That’s roughly $20,550 a day. Gov. M. Jodi Rell is now trying to comply with federal mandates requiring the state to reduce its use of petroleum. The administration is proposing a combination of strategies — expanding the use of alternative fuels, reducing the number of miles that state-owned vehicles log and acquiring more hybrid electric vehicles.
But those moves would come with a high price tag. There are also many uncertainties presented by the auto manufacturers, the fuel industry and new technology under development. The state’s purchasing and transportation departments are now pricing out the administration’s plan, state officials said.
One of the administration’s strategies proposes to add more specially modified cars, vans and trucks that can also run on alternative fuels. Specifically, the administration is looking to increase the use of E85 fuel, a blend of 85 percent corn-based ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. This will not be cheap. A gallon of E85 fuel costs roughly twice as much as a gallon of unleaded gasoline, according to an administration report. The fuel economy per gallon is also less than gasoline, the report said. This means more expense per miles of travel and fewer miles per tank.
Also, E85 is not widely available in the Northeast. There are no commercial E85 stations in New England, and the Rell administration doesn’t see that changing soon. Also, ethanol isn’t distilled in the state, so all E85 must be shipped long distances to Connecticut. The administration estimates that will keep prices high for the foreseeable future. The availability of E85 is expanding throughout the country, said Phil Lampert, executive director of the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group that supports expanding the use of E85
He also questioned the administration’s cost estimates. On average, E85 nationally cost 40 cents a gallon less than gasoline in July, according to U.S. Department of Energy figures. At this time, the state’s use of E85 is minimal.
In 2006, the Rell administration reported the Department of Transportation dispensed 3.3 million gallons of gasoline, compared to less than 33,000 gallons of E85. The department runs the state’s fueling stations. The E85 cost $133,650. Lampert said questions of cost and availability alone don’t explain the gaping disparity. “It is a matter of commitment. It is a matter of leadership,” he said.
Rell spokesman Christopher Cooper said the state government is showing both commitment and leadership. The recently adopted state budget act requires that half of all cars the state buys or leases be alternative-fueled, hybrid electric or plug-in electric vehicles. It extends the requirement to all state cars and light duty trucks in 2012.
The budget act also requires the development of plans to increase the use of fueling stations that dispense E85, natural gas and other alternative fuels. Only two of the DOT’s fueling stations — in Newington and Danbury — pump E85. There are 14 stations where natural gas is available. The administration is looking to add more E85 pumps. It specifically identified two high volume fueling stations in Hartford and Norwich. New tanks and pumps would be required to equip them for E85.
And this will cost money.
The administration estimated adding a single E85 pump at the Hartford and Norwich stations would cost $30,000 apiece. It is also assessing the costs of adding less expensive above-ground pumps to single-pump stations at other locations. But the administration is also uncertain E85 is the fuel of the future for this part of the United States, which raises questions about the future payoff of adding more pumps and tanks for dispensing E85.
The state is already spending millions on cars, vans and trucks that can run on E85 and gasoline, natural gas and gasoline and natural gas alone. The state’s single largest fleet of nearly 4,400 cars, vans and trucks includes 1,740 vehicles that can also run on E85. In practice, they’re running on gasoline, a recent legislative report said.
The administration is also looking at hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles that can use compressed natural gas. Again, there are issues of higher costs, limited availability and changing technology.
Hybrids and vehicles using compressed natural gas are more expensive.The tight supply and high demand for hybrid cars and light trucks has limited how many the state has been able to purchase, and purchasing officials don’t expect that to change soon.
The state’s rolling stock includes more than 500 vehicles that can use compressed natural gas and gasoline. But automakers are now only making models that run on compressed natural gas alone, according to the administration’s research. Like E85, the fuel economy of vehicles using natural gas is lower than gasoline.
The administration is also similarly concerned the limited number of pumping stations will discourage agencies from using these alternatively fueled vehicles.