Moderate up-front costs for efficiency equipment can save hundreds in fuel costs each month and pay themselves off in short order. It is common for fleets running sleeper heaters or trailer skirts to save several thousands of dollars each year per truck/trailer. Provincial rebates are available. Click here for more info.
Installation of fuel-efficency equipment can be easily coordinated through your local dealership or after market equipment suppliers.
A small increase in fuel efficiency amounts to reduced emissions and large cost savings over the lifetime of your equipment. Trailer skirts or cab heaters can reduceemissions by over 6 tonnes per year.
Why should I consider fuel efficiency retrofits?
In Canada, transportation accounts for 30 per cent of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Alberta, commercial freight accounts for about half of road transportation emissions and not surprisingly, diesel fuel use accounts for over 80 per cent of freight-related GHG emissions in the province. In total, freight transport in Alberta accounts for 16.6 megatonnes of GHG emissions each year.
Saving fuel improves your bottom line and reduces Alberta's greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing aerodynamic drag, rolling friction or unproductive use of your engine (idling), you can do the same work with less fuel.
What are the financial benefits?
Every litre of diesel fuel saved reduces 2.7 kg of CO2 and keeps another dollar in your pocket. Class 8 tractors use about 4 litres/hour at idle, and if not managed carefully, can idle for hundreds of hours per year without being noticed. Transport trucks can travel over 100,000 km/year and easily use 30-50,000 litres of diesel annually. This program helps you save up to $30,000 off the purchase price of equipment, and reduce fuel costs for the life of your trucks and trailers.
What are some things that truck operators can do to increase fuel efficiency?
It takes about 100 hp for a transport truck to overcome air resistance and friction at highway speed. Luckily, there is a range of aerodynamic equipment available to greatly reduce drag, saving fuel and CO2 emissions in the process. Likewise, lighter and more efficient super-single wheels can reduce rolling resistance, also providing real fuel savings. When the truck is stopped, it shouldn't be running. A range of technologies are available to help you stop idling and still maintain heat or air conditioning in your cab, or start a pre-warmed engine. Not only do these technologies lead to significant fuel savings, they also reduce the tremendous engine wear and tear caused by unnecessary idling. For utility trucks and bucket lifts, running hydraulics from smaller power packs or even electric batteries (rather than power take-off shafts from the main motor) can reduce fuel costs and create quieter, safer work environments. For just about every duty cycle, there are ways to save money while saving fuel... without sacrificing your ability to get work done.
