Release: B20 Club Welcomes City of Indianapolis DPW as its Newest Member
INDIANAPOLIS – The B20 Club of Indiana, a collaboration between the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the American Lung Association that recognizes and supports select Indiana-based fleets running on biodiesel blends of 20 percent or higher, recently welcomed the City of Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) as its newest member.
Since September 2003, the City of Indianapolis DPW has been using biodiesel, a cleaner, renewable form of diesel fuel. Now, they have four B20 fuel sites and more than 1,500 of their vehicles run on biodiesel year-round.
“When we entered into an agreement with the State of Indiana to increase E85 and biodiesel usage nearly two decades ago, we purged all tank lines and filled them with B20,” said Bill Rogers, fleet administrator.
Since then, DPW has increased its biodiesel usage and championed the use of alternative fuels and technologies in its vehicles. “We’ve considered pretty much everything,” Rogers said. “B20 is our preferred fuel and is used in most of our trucks, but we also use liquefied petroleum gas (propane), E85, compressed natural gas and plug-in-hybrid-electric vehicles.”
DPW’s use of biodiesel provides benefits to both Indy’s health and environment. Their use of B20 provides an estimated $1.7 million in annual health benefits and a carbon reduction equivalent to planting 27,211 trees every year.
The City of Indianapolis DPW was recently named a 2022 Leading Fleet by Government Fleet magazine, in part because of their commitment to sustainable fuels. This awards program, co-produced with the American Public Works Association and sponsored by Ford Pro, recognizes operations that are performing at a high level, particularly in fleet leadership, competitiveness and efficiency, planning and overcoming challenges. The City of Indianapolis also was selected and received the Greater Indiana Annual Clean Fleet Leader award for 2021.
DPW joins the B20 Club’s growing roster of members including the City of Fort Wayne and the Muncie Indiana Transit System. “We’re proud to be part of the B20 Club,” Rogers said. “They’re a great partner for us as we continue to champion sustainable fuels in the City of Indianapolis.”
About Indiana Soybean Alliance: The Indiana Soybean Alliance works to enhance the viability of Indiana soybean farmers through the effective and efficient investment of soybean checkoff funds that protect and promote the interest of Indiana soybean farmers. The ISA works to assist soybean farmers through its strategic initiatives of market development; environmental, social and economic sustainability; value creation and producer engagement. ISA is led by an elected, farmer board that directs investments of the soybean checkoff funds on behalf of more than 20,000 Indiana soybean farmers. Learn more at indianasoybean.com
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy, and research. The Association’s Department of Clean Air Initiatives is dedicated to providing clean air for all through its award-winning Clean Air Choice® program, which focuses on promoting and implementing alternative fuels and technologies. Learn more at cleanairchoice.org
The B20 Club of Indiana is a collaboration between the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the American Lung Association that showcases exceptional green fleets with experience using B20 or higher biodiesel blends in the state of Indiana. Learn more at B20clubindiana.org
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