The city of Gaithersburg is switching to biodiesel to help clean up the air. This initiative started last month, and now 98 trucks are 20% freer of fossil fuels.

For anyone that still doesn’t know some the benefits of biodiesel please check out this post.

The fastest growing alternative fuel source, biodiesel — which in this area is made primarily from soy beans — reduces carbon dioxide emissions and cuts down on harmful sulfur that contributes to greenhouse gases.

‘‘When it comes down to it, it’s better for engines and better for the environment,” said Jim Arnoult, director of Gaithersburg’s Department of Public Works.

The city estimates that they will use 10,000 gallons less of regular diesel a year. Assuming they continue to use 52,000 gallons like 2005.

As Gaithersburg looks to go more ‘‘green” — touting its first energy efficient building recently and adding two hybrid cars to its fleet — biodiesel is the natural next step, Arnoult adds.

‘‘We’ve been considering it on and off for over a year,” Arnoult said. ‘‘We think it just made sense.”

Source: gazette.net

It looks like sticker shock and odometer shock is causing a lot of analysts to rethink their predictions that hybrids would take over the world. The high initial cost along with the 40-45mpg, maybe, real world mileage is enough to send would be buyers packing. I guess for once I have to thank Consumer Reports. They’ve helped shed a lot of light on this instead of the usual “all things Japanese are the greatest thing ever”. Don’t get me wrong I do think the Japanese car companies caused other manufacturers to wake up if they want to be competitive. I think engine reliability is about equal now, and American cars are getting there on interiors.

Global Insight Inc. forecaster Philip Gott said in 2001 that hybrids would make up 90% of the U.S. auto market by 2025. He’s now changing his tune to 12%, and they are currently at less than 2%. It was an easy mistake he made. At the time all you could go on was the federally estimated miles not real world miles. Real world miles for most is highway driving. This quote from Gott is perfect

“I was in California the other day, and it was funny to see all the Priuses running in the HOV lanes,” he said of the sedan, one of the hybrids allowed to use California’s high-occupancy-vehicle lanes with only one person aboard. “That’s when they are least efficient.”