Unitil Adds More Hybrid Vehicles to Fleet
29 Marzo 2023 - 2:30PM
Unitil Corporation (NYSE: UTL) (unitil.com), a provider of natural
gas and electricity delivery service to customers in New England,
is continuing its transition to a sustainable fleet by adding more
hybrid electric vehicles and launching a program to reduce vehicle
idling time as the Company aims to slash its operations-related
carbon emissions.
Following the introduction of its first hybrid bucket truck in
early 2022 at its electric operations facility in Exeter, New
Hampshire, the Company now has nine hybrid pickup trucks operating
in New Hampshire and four in Maine. Another five are planned in New
Hampshire and six in Maine by the end of the year. In addition, the
Company operates one hybrid bucket truck and five hybrid pickup
trucks in Massachusetts; six more hybrid pickup trucks and a second
hybrid bucket truck are on order for 2023.
“We remain committed to creating a cleaner and more sustainable
future and have developed a strategic plan to meet our goals. Part
of that plan includes making the switch to a greener vehicle fleet
and other similar initiatives that we believe will have long-term
environmental benefits,” Unitil Media Relations Manager Alec
O’Meara said.
The addition of hybrid trucks is one step Unitil is taking to
meet its goal of reducing direct operational carbon emissions by
50% by the year 2030, and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. A
single hybrid bucket truck, which uses a rechargeable battery to
power its boom, is expected to eliminate an estimated 20 metric
tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is equivalent to
4.3 gasoline passenger vehicles a year or the annual energy use of
2.5 households.
The move toward creating a more sustainable fleet began in 2020
when Unitil conducted a comprehensive review of its fleet’s carbon
footprint, and gained a better understanding of vehicle uses. Based
on that review, the Company explored emission reduction
technologies that could best balance its emission goals with
operational needs, customer service, and emergency response
capabilities.
To help the Company reach its 50% carbon emissions reduction
goal, its future fleet will include a mixture of hybrid, electric,
and possible alternative fuel and/or technologies for medium and
heavy-duty vehicles without a viable electric vehicle
alternative.
The Company also recently launched an idle mitigation program in
New Hampshire using technology that eliminates unnecessary idling
by automatically shutting down the engine when the vehicle is in
park, while continuing to provide all required power. The
technology is expected to reduce the annual idle time by
approximately 92% and lead to annual fuel savings for the five
fleet vehicles chosen for the program.
“Idling is a necessary reality in the utility industry.
Oftentimes the engine stays on and the vehicle idles because
workers need to operate electronics, power equipment and emergency
lighting, and run heat and air conditioning. Although the pilot
program began just a few months ago, the early results have been
favorable,” O’Meara said.
Those results have shown that decreased idling on a medium-duty
pickup truck in the idle mitigation program has lowered emissions
by approximately 40% annually for that vehicle, or a reduction of
approximately six metric tons of carbon dioxide.
If data continues to show favorable carbon reduction results,
the Company plans to have five additional vehicles equipped with
idling mitigation technology in New Hampshire and two additional
vehicles in Maine later this year. To further reduce emissions, the
Company also plans to add two compressed natural gas/gasoline
bi-fuel duty pickup trucks to its fleet in the Concord, New
Hampshire, region this year as well.
More information on Unitil’s sustainability efforts can be found
in the 2022 Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility
Report.
About Unitil CorporationUnitil Corporation provides energy for
life by safely and reliably delivering natural gas and electricity
in New England. We are committed to the communities we serve and to
developing people, business practices, and technologies that lead
to the delivery of dependable, more efficient energy. Unitil
Corporation is a public utility holding company with operations in
Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Together, our operating
utilities serve approximately 108,100 electric customers and 87,500
natural gas customers. For more information about our people,
technologies, and community involvement please visit
unitil.com.
For more information please contact:
Todd
Diggins – Investor RelationsPhone: 603-773-6504Email:
diggins@unitil.com
Alec O’Meara – Media Relations
Phone:
603-773-6404
Email: omeara@unitil.com
Unitil (NYSE:UTL)
Gráfica de Acción Histórica
De Abr 2024 a May 2024
Unitil (NYSE:UTL)
Gráfica de Acción Histórica
De May 2023 a May 2024