Monday, January 11, 2010
Racing to the Green Flag
When it comes to passions, cars are top on my list. Racing is the pure extension of that passion, and for a car enthusiast, is one of the best experiences you can have. When you think of nationally recognized racing, NASCAR is probably the first name that would come to mind. Forty plus cars going around a track at speeds of up to 200 mph for the pure thrill of thousands of fans on the edge of their seat, waiting for that ultimate finish. Ok, the real thrill is the crashes, and we all know that's why we watch.
Regardless of if you like NASCAR as much as I do or not, we all know that they use a ton of fuel and create a bunch of waste. What are they going to do to make up for their carbon footprint? The NASCAR organization has actually stepped up and started to install solar panels at their grand stands to help with the electricity used from the air conditioners, they are planting 10 trees for every caution flag during 11 races, they've installed an idle air system at many locations to prevent the car haulers from idling, and are
maximizing the recycling programs throughout the stands. Goodyear and Safety-Kleen stepped up by recycling their tires and oil.
We all understand that there are more issues in the racing industry to address, however this is a great first step in the process of going green. It shows that the companies are actually trying to make an impact on the foot print they are leaving behind. This is better than turning off the lights for 30 seconds for a marketing gimmick. I believe that we will find a way to make a race exciting, and have it become more eco friendly in the near future. I don't believe that they will be electric cars, because I just don't see the grand stands filling the way they do now, but would bet that the race cars will become much more fuel efficient in the next few years.
Winter Diesel Fuel?, that is the question. What are the answers? By Dusty Wright
I recently sampled nine refineries to test their fuel's performance this winter. The base fuel performance for CFPP and cloud point were all over. The worst performer was +10F and the best was -9F. Reactivity with cold-flow improvers were inconsistent as well. One type of polymer worked with one fuel but not with another. Treat rates varied as well, resulting in different treat cost. A couple samples showed no improvement without the addition of #1. So the question the end user has, "What is my fuel's winter performance?" Not an easy answer without reliable testing.
What are the pro/cons of adding #1 to #2 for winter performance?
Pros
- consistent winter performance, typically lowers #2 CFPP 10-15F
- easily available
- blended at the rack
- lowered BTU, lower fuel economy
- drier fuel, even less lubricity than #2 (more pump/injector wear)
- cost-typically adds 15-30 cents per gallon to fuel cost
What are the pro/cons of using an anti-gel winter additive?
Pros
- Treat cost is less than adding #1
- Does the additive emulsify water in fuel & tank
- Some additives increase the lubricity of the fuel
- Other benefits-cetane, moisture control, & detergents to keep your fuel systems clean
- Increase fuel economy
- Have to add it yourself or order from fuel provider
- Is it at the correct treat rate for the performance you need
- Does the additive demulsify water in fuel & tank
- Does the additive lower the lubricity of the fuel (more pump/injector wear)
- Supply, can you get it when you need it
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
360Fuelcard is here to help
The last couple days I've been thinking a lot about what I was going to write for the next blog. I was recently in Phoenix and Chicago to meet with a bunch of masterminds in the fuel industry, and boy did I learn a lot. I learned about the increased need in E85
and attended several seminars on alternative fuels. The only problem with most of it was that it was so far away. What can we, as consumers, do now to help to help offset the carbon footprint that we are leaving behind? The answer seemed simple to me, why not offset your carbon footprint with a 360Fuelcard that helps do it for you? With every gallon you purchase, we donate money to Carbonfund.org. It makes this program similar to a pay as you go way of taking care the problem. In addition to helping offset your carbon footprint, we give you weekly tips on how to get the most out of your fuel with tips from Dusty Wright and a simple tip on how to save energy in your everyday life.This card isn't just a "Green" card however, the 360Fuelcard can save your company lots of money. With our discount network, the average savings on 11/17/09 was 19 cents per gallon at our truck stop locations. When you are filling up two to three times a week, we are looking at huge savings!
Visit our website or give us a call to get find out just how much you could be saving!
Winter Fuel-to demulsify or not demulsify?
How to handle the extra moisture present in ULSD and the water build up in storage tanks. An additive that is alcohol based for moisture control will cause excess water to "drop" to the bottom of the tank. PRO- water is out of the fuel and winter performance is improved. CON- refilling the tank puts the water back into solution, if your fuel is treated it is not treated for the sudden addition of water RESULTS- your truck doesn't run if you filled up at a location that recently had a fuel delivery and had water in their storage tanks. Solutions Make sure where you get your fuel has hydrosorb fuel filters on the pumps. CHEM-TEK makes an excellent one. Simple concept, impregnate the filter paper with the same chemicals that are in baby diapers to absorb moisture. Second, use a winter additive that will emulsify the water in the fuel, this keeps the water in suspension and allows it pass through the combustion process giving you a little extra kick....steam explodes. Ask for Schaeffer's Diesel Treat 2000 a full premium diesel additive that delivers cetane, lubricity, de-icer, cold-flow improver, moisture control, and detergency. SAE testing has shown up to 12% fuel economy increase and 45% reduction in exhaust emissions with technology in Schaeffer's Diesel Treat 2000.
Our Fuel tips are written by Dusty Wright, e-mail him at dwright@schaefferoil.com
The Green side of things
I recently did something I don't normally do, I picked up the newspaper. Usually I just read the news online for quickness and to conserve paper, but I was traveling and it was left on my airplane seat. Being that we are a company that cares about our environment, I quickly skimmed headlines looking for something that might appeal to me, and you, the reader of this blog. I came across an article that talked about the reduction of deforestation in Brazil,
down by 46% over a year span actually. This is the biggest decline in nearly two decades, and really shows that the world is taking responsibility for their actions. The deforestation is actually right around 25% of what it was back in 2004! This is largely helped by the aid of the police, who regulate and control the deforestation in the area. The Amazon deforestation accounts for 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil according to the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gases. What this shows me is that people actually care about the environment, and that we are not alone in our fight.Looking for ways to "Go Green" in your everyday life? When you are doing your laundry, try turning the dial over to cold instead of hot. With the majority of clothes there is no reason to use hot water, in fact you are actually wasting money and energy. So use cold water, and save help the environment while saving yourself some green!
What are some ways you've "gone green"?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Going Green Made Easy
We all know that "going green" is probably for the best, but what do we do about it? We try to do our part by recycling the paper we don't need, bringing bottles back for redemption, and making sure the trash ends up in the trash can, not on the street. But what if we could do something to help the environment, without even changing the way we do business? What if we could actually save money, while saving the environment? With the 360Fuelcard, we do exactly that. When your business signs up for our card, we donate a percentage of our profits to give back to the environment through Carbonfund.org. We are glad that we can support projects like these http://www.carbonfund.org/projects and are continuously looking for ways that we can do our part to help out. As a customer of 360Fuelcard, every time you fuel a vehicle in your fleet, you are doing your part by helping these same projects. Check us out at 360fuelcard.com for more information on our products, and get your company signed up today!
Monday, November 2, 2009
When prices go up, call 360Fuelcard!
The Future of Fuel?
Giant Miscanthus, also known as elephant grass because of its 13 foot height, may be an important source of energy in the future. The dry stems, which drop their leaves in the winter make an excellent solid fuel. Their energy ratio of input to output is less than 0.2 compared to 0.8 or more for ethanol and biodiesel.
Elephant grass is an environmentally friendly fuel; any carbon dioxide it release when it burns was taken from the atmosphere as it grew, the nitrogen it draws from the soil is stored in an underground organ called a rhizome, it outgrows weeds, requires little water and minimal fertilizer and thrives in untilled fields.
Illinois researchers estimate that if 10 percent of the state's land mass were devoted to elephant grass, it could provide half of the state's electricity needs. Researchers hope to demonstrate how power plants can be modified to use Miscanthus as a fuel as some plants in Europe have already done.
Winter Diesel Fuel Tips
When fueling on the road, check the truck stop and make sure pump filters have been changed. Clue - clean filters. Look for hydrosorb filters, these will remove water from the fuel before it gets in your tanks and forms ice or gelling.
Ask the supplier if they are using a bioblended fuel and if it has been treated. Also ask if the fuel has been tested for CFPP. Bioblended fuels are harder to treat in the winter and will not perform like a straight #2. Whatever you do, do not add gasoline to diesel fuel, I have heard of truckers doing this but none seem to know the risks they are taking with their lives and the truck.
You may also want to check the filter on the pump for micron level. If the pump is a 15 micron and your fuel filter is a 2 micron; you may have some filter plugging issues down the road as the weather gets colder.
Our Fuel tips are written by Dusty Wright
When fuel prices go up, call 360Fuelcard.com
When fuel prices go up a penny or two most people don’t really notice. When the cost of fuel goes up 16 cents in a couple of weeks, people start to notice and it kicks in a memory of the summer of 2008 when prices soared to over $4.00 a gallon.
If you are in control of a whole fleet, you really start to wake up at this type of jump. The price of diesel fuel is up 20 cents a gallon over the last month. It's not like your personal vehicle where you only fill up a few times a month, your trucks are filling up non-stop, taking up to 120 gallons of diesel a day. This puts a good shock to the fuel budget! Quick math will tell you that the 20 cents per gallon extra, will add an extra $10 per 50 gallons you buy. Now you multiply that by the 50 trucks you have, and your daily cost is up $500. Weekly you're up $2,500, and well over $10,000 a month. There's a lot that you could do with that extra $10,000, other than buy fuel.
No one knows where the price will go next month. One way to save money is always going to be with 360Fuelcard.com. With this card, your fleet can save money at thousands of locations, whether you buy gasoline from regular gas stations, or you have the 50 trucks stopping at truck stops along the interstates. We are here to help you save money in these tough times, give us a call and let us show you how to be sure you are getting the best deals out there. Check us out at http://www.360fuelcard.com/
Giant Miscanthus, also known as elephant grass because of its 13 foot height, may be an important source of energy in the future. The dry stems, which drop their leaves in the winter make an excellent solid fuel. Their energy ratio of input to output is less than 0.2 compared to 0.8 or more for ethanol and biodiesel.
Elephant grass is an environmentally friendly fuel; any carbon dioxide it release when it burns was taken from the atmosphere as it grew, the nitrogen it draws from the soil is stored in an underground organ called a rhizome, it outgrows weeds, requires little water and minimal fertilizer and thrives in untilled fields.
Illinois researchers estimate that if 10 percent of the state's land mass were devoted to elephant grass, it could provide half of the state's electricity needs. Researchers hope to demonstrate how power plants can be modified to use Miscanthus as a fuel as some plants in Europe have already done.
Winter Diesel Fuel Tips
When fueling on the road, check the truck stop and make sure pump filters have been changed. Clue - clean filters. Look for hydrosorb filters, these will remove water from the fuel before it gets in your tanks and forms ice or gelling.
Ask the supplier if they are using a bioblended fuel and if it has been treated. Also ask if the fuel has been tested for CFPP. Bioblended fuels are harder to treat in the winter and will not perform like a straight #2. Whatever you do, do not add gasoline to diesel fuel, I have heard of truckers doing this but none seem to know the risks they are taking with their lives and the truck.
You may also want to check the filter on the pump for micron level. If the pump is a 15 micron and your fuel filter is a 2 micron; you may have some filter plugging issues down the road as the weather gets colder.
Our Fuel tips are written by Dusty Wright
When fuel prices go up, call 360Fuelcard.com
When fuel prices go up a penny or two most people don’t really notice. When the cost of fuel goes up 16 cents in a couple of weeks, people start to notice and it kicks in a memory of the summer of 2008 when prices soared to over $4.00 a gallon.
If you are in control of a whole fleet, you really start to wake up at this type of jump. The price of diesel fuel is up 20 cents a gallon over the last month. It's not like your personal vehicle where you only fill up a few times a month, your trucks are filling up non-stop, taking up to 120 gallons of diesel a day. This puts a good shock to the fuel budget! Quick math will tell you that the 20 cents per gallon extra, will add an extra $10 per 50 gallons you buy. Now you multiply that by the 50 trucks you have, and your daily cost is up $500. Weekly you're up $2,500, and well over $10,000 a month. There's a lot that you could do with that extra $10,000, other than buy fuel.
No one knows where the price will go next month. One way to save money is always going to be with 360Fuelcard.com. With this card, your fleet can save money at thousands of locations, whether you buy gasoline from regular gas stations, or you have the 50 trucks stopping at truck stops along the interstates. We are here to help you save money in these tough times, give us a call and let us show you how to be sure you are getting the best deals out there. Check us out at http://www.360fuelcard.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
