American Power’s V6000 Dual-Fuel Demo Truck Yields 60% Diesel Displacement
American Power Group Corporation (APG) announced the results from a month-long test drive of its V6000 dual-fuel system by Sapphire Gas Solution (Sapphire). Sapphire is a Conroe, Texas-based company that provides renewable natural gas (RNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), and compressed natural gas (CNG) services across the United States. Sapphire has been using a 2015 Freightliner CC132 Coronado Sleeper semitruck with a Detroit Diesel 505HP diesel engine upfitted with APG’s new V6000 dual-fuel system to pull heavy-haul LNG tankers with a combined truck/tanker load approximating 80,000 lb. (36,287 kg) across Texas.
“We have been impressed with the performance and results of operating APG’s new V6000 dual-fuel truck,” said Sam Thigpen, CEO of Sapphire Gas. “Our drivers reported the truck ‘performed like a diesel engine with no difference in power or torque’ while operating APG’s dual-fuel system and their new natural gas telematics system allowed us to validate a consistent on-road displacement rate of near 60% with an overall average route diesel displacement of approximately 50% when running on dual fuel. Based on our current fuel costs, this equates to an impressive 25% to 30% net fuel savings of US$1.40 to US$1.70 per gallon over 100% diesel fuel which is currently around US$5.30/gallon in Texas. Based on these initial results and APG’s low cost of conversion, we can now have a more productive discussion regarding dual fuel and our fleet.”
“I am delighted, but not surprised to hear the positive feedback from Sapphire’s month-long evaluation of our new V6000 dual-fuel demo truck,” said Matt Van Steenwyk, APG’s chair. “We have repeatedly proven over the years that we can safely displace a high percentage of diesel fuel with LNG, RNG, CNG, or treated flare gas with no loss of power or torque on engines ranging from 400- to 600-hp (298- to 448-kW) Class 8 diesel trucks to 1500- to 3000-hp (1119- to 2238-kW) off-road generators and diesel pumps. Sapphire and the thousands of existing people and organizations that rely on diesel engines have a ‘ready now,’ inexpensive solution for the reduction of criteria pollutants and carbon emissions that costs less to operate and, when running on dairy RNG, actually can turn the carbon clock backwards.”
“With diesel prices continuing to soar, our ability to provide fleet operators with a 25% to 30% net-fuel savings is significant,” said Chuck Coppa, CEO and CFO of APG. “In addition, from a decarbonization perspective, our V6000 dual-fuel system displacing 50% to 60% of diesel consumption with domestically available RNG from dairy manure could eliminate between 500 to 610 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year per vehicle and generate a significant negative Carbon Intensity Score (-104 to -145 gCO2e/mj).”
“With approximately 2 million late-model Class 8 diesel trucks operating in the United States and assuming an estimated CO2 reduction of 500 metric tons per truck per year, that equates to the elimination of potentially 1 billion metric tons of CO2 per year,” added Coppa. “With these third-party validated results, we have a real opportunity to take existing diesel fleets and convert them to low-carbon or even negative-carbon green fleets when using RNG today!”
American Power Group and Sapphire Gas Solutions will be attending and highlighting their dual-fuel experience at the RNG Coalition Summit in Houston on May 17 through 19, 2022.
