Dubuque disposal services company Dittmer Recycling recently added two new natural gas-powered refuse trucks to its fleet, joining the national trend to cut fuel costs and reduce tailpipe emissions by running vehicles on compressed natural gas.

For optimal cost savings, the two Dittmer trucks will travel the company's heaviest routes. "We're excited to welcome these new natural gas trucks to our fleet," said Scott Dittmer, vice president of Dittmer Recycling. "We'll evaluate their performance and our cost savings before adding more natural gas-powered trucks to our fleet."

The cost savings are evident the moment you reach the pump. Diesel fuel today is about $3.69 a gallon, while compressed natural gas is about $1.99 per gallon of gasoline equivalent. Prices for any fuel can fluctuate, but fleet managers in recent years have enjoyed a 40 to 60 percent reduction in fuel costs by converting to natural gas.

The environmental benefits are clear too. Natural gas burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel fuel, so converting one refuse truck to natural gas yields the same environmental benefits as removing 325 cars from Dubuque's streets. Dittmer has effectively doubled that result.

"Natural gas vehicles actually have been on the road for decades," said Mark Ernst, a Natural Gas Vehicle expert with natural gas utility Black Hills Energy. "The technology has reached a point where a natural gas fleet is often practical and cost-effective."

Ernst said Black Hills provides the expertise and industry relationships companies need when considering a conversion to NGVs. "Black Hills is a local community and economic development partner," he said, "and helping fleet managers decide if NGVs are right for them is an extension of our close ties to the communities we serve."

There are about 140,000 natural gas vehicles on U.S. roads, with buses for schools and public transportation filling the largest role. And the infrastructure to feed natural gas fueling stations has been in place for decades.

Today, over 1.2 million miles of natural gas pipeline crisscross the country, and the number of natural gas fueling stations recently topped 1,000.  Right now, Dubuque features an NGV station at the Kwik Stop at 1210 E 16th Street, and another at the BP station at 1215 E 16th Street.

Black Hills Energy offers an NGV overview at www.blackhillsenergy.com/ngv, and detailed information by contacting the company's Mark Ernst at 563-585-4015 or mark.ernst@blackhillscorp.com.

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