Alternative fuel vehicles have gained traction amid rising gas prices, emerging technologies and new state incentives, said a panel of industry experts at an alternative fuels expo sponsored by the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization.
Here's what's happening in Northeast Florida:
Compressed natural gas
• St. Johns County will convert 15 percent of its fleet, or 130 vehicles, to compressed natural gas over the next three years, said Public Works Director Neil Shinkre.
The conversion will save the county $700,000 over the seven-year lifecycle of the vehicles.
"We knew we would really reduce our costs," Shinkre said. "Right now there's a $1.50 per gallon price differential between gas and compressed natural gas."
The county will benefit from a state incentive that rebates 50 percent of the cost of converting to alternative fuel, and a $730,000 grant from the TPO.
• The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will request proposals starting next year for a vendor to provide CNG buses for its fleet by late 2015, Vice President of Transit Lisa Darnall said.
The JTA already added hybrid electric buses to its routes earlier this year.
• Waste Pro, one of four garbage haulers in Jacksonville, will within a year open a CNG fueling station and operate a CNG fleet in Jacksonville. The Orlando-based company is also pursuing CNG at its Fort Pierce, Daytona Beach and Palm Coast facilities.
Electric
Florida is fourth in the nation for its number of electric vehicle sales, but Northeast Florida lags the rest of the state, said William Rigsby, director of channels and technical relations for NovaCharge, a Tampa-based company that builds electric vehicle charging stations.
About 150 electric vehicles are registered in the Jacksonville metro area, while Orlando and Tampa Bay have more than 500 and 700 vehicles respectively.
Propane:
W.W. Gay, a plumbing, HVAC, and industrial contractor has been using propane fuel vehicles for 25 years at a significant cost savings, a company representative said.
"Propane has the most refueling infrastructure of any alternative fuel," said Chelsea Jenkins, account manager for ROUSH CleanTech, a company that builds propane conversion kits for trucks, vans and buses. "Customers are saving 22 to 42 cents per mile. They typically break even in under three years and save $10,000 to $85,000 over the vehicle's lifetime."