Denton builds alternative fuel station thanks to grant

The station will be equipped to dispense 85% Ethanol (E85), 20% Bio-Diesel (B20), unleaded, and diesel fuels.

http://army-energy.hqda.pentagon.mil/

The City of Denton Fleet Services Division has been awarded a $599,860 grant of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds by the North Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). This grant was part of the North Central Texas Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Investments Agreement. The City of Denton will construct and operate a Fuel Island that provides alternative fuels for the city equipment to help reduce the ozone levels within the North Texas nonattainment counties.

The funds will be used towards the construction of an Alternative Fuel Station, which will be located at 1251 South Mayhill Rd. The station will be equipped to dispense 85% Ethanol (E85), 20% Bio-Diesel (B20), unleaded, and diesel fuels. The station will be used by the city fleet vehicles, including 37 alternative fuel vehicles and 18 hybrid vehicles currently owned and operated by the city. The station is scheduled for completion in September 2010.

The Dallas Fort Worth area has significant problems with ground level ozone, and continues to be in “non-attainment” status. Volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, small particulate matter, sulfur oxides, and a host of other air quality concerns continue to present challenges for the region. The City of Denton recognizes the impacts that these air quality issues have on human health, economic vitality and the overall environment of both our region and our planet.

“Because many air quality issues are intricately linked to energy consumption, strategies for increasing energy efficiency often have the dual benefit of reducing operational costs while simultaneously improving air quality,” said Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs. “This Alternative Fuel Station is just the latest initiative taken by the City to continue to do what we can improve our air quality and sustain our environment.”

The City of Denton has long been committed to the goals of energy efficiency and environmental protection. The city has undertaken many sustainability initiatives in the last several years aimed at minimizing energy consumption, reducing our municipal emissions, and facilitating green building initiatives, including:

Construction of a Multimodal Transit Station and investments in the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA)
Denton Municipal Electric’s 40% from renewable energy has positioned Denton as an environmental leader with more wind energy per capita than any other city in the nation.
Added an “Energy Depot” web page that provides citizens with a personalized energy consumption profile, home and business energy audits, and recommendations for reducing energy consumption.
Constructed a Materials Recovery Facility at our landfill that will help expand commercial recycling, increase energy and cost efficiencies with collection, and provide new jobs
Added 63 gas wells to our municipal landfill to capture methane gas and sell back to the grid as electrical power.
Established the Denton Municipal Electric Energy Save Program, which provides rebates for energy efficiency measures in existing homes as well as new construction.
Constructed a fire station that receive a gold LEED designation, and expressed the intent to enact LEED standards for future municipal buildings.

All of these initiatives and actions are designed to provide a city that has energy efficient municipal operations and improve air quality while simultaneously making Denton a better place to live.

Source: City of Denton