Alliance AutoGas Looks Back on Successful 2019
2019 was an exciting and historically significant year for Alliance AutoGas (AAG). By continuing to lead the autogas industry in the research and development of after-market vehicle conversion equipment, AAG obtained 37 Certificates of Conformity from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which cover 167 different vehicle types; proving that as technology continues to evolve, propane autogas remains a reliable alternative fuel source for fleets. The Alliance AutoGas Nationwide Network currently supports 417 autogas fleets, and in 2019 alone, those fleets utilized 16,686,297 gallons of autogas, which displaced 15,123,000 gallons of gasoline, and 345,065 barrels of foreign oil. By using over 16 million gallons of autogas, drivers reduced 312,314 short tons of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, which is comparable to the CO2 offset by 4.7 million trees.
By converting their vehicles to autogas, AAG customers are bettering their communities by reducing harmful emissions and contributing to cleaner air. In August, at the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference and Expo, held in Durham, NC, the 2019 “Green Fleet Awards” were announced. Five of the nationally awarded fleets were Alliance AutoGas customers, including DeKalb County, GA ranked #10, Cobb County, GA ranked #27, the City of Raleigh, NC ranked #33, Prince George’s County, MD ranked #43, and the City of Roanoke, VA received an Honorable Mention. These award rankings were based on multiple factors including fuel emissions, fleet composition, supporting programs, and fleet utilization.
Richard Hilmer, Fleet Manager for Prince George’s County, recalled, “Our county has put a lot of time and resources into running an efficient, eco-friendly fleet. It is exciting to be awarded for those efforts. We consider our county to be a leader in best practices for the fleet community.” Davidson County Transportation System, another AAG customer, received the Propane Autogas Fleet Award for their sustainability efforts at BusCon, the largest bus show in North America, which took place September 23rd – 25th in Indianapolis, IN. The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) presented the ninth-annual Propane Autogas Fleet Award at the show. Previous winners of the award include AAG customers Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System in 2018, and NET Trans in 2017.
2019 also marked a significant milestone for Alliance AutoGas, as the company received its first patent for the development of the LPG Evacuation Pump. When working with an autogas, or a Liquid Propane Gas (LPG) system, all fuel must be emptied from the tank in order to perform internal repairs and service. The LPG Evacuation Pump was designed with service technicians in mind, who now can evacuate autogas tanks in a safe and efficient manner. “Customers were coming to us and asking for help servicing their autogas vehicles,” said David Kennedy, Director of Autogas Design for Alliance AutoGas. “After listening to their needs, we developed a quick and easy way to remove propane and prepare the vehicles for service. Receiving this patent is exciting for us, and shows a serious commitment to the alternative fuels industry, specifically the autogas segment, where we see continued growth in the future.” Jim Bunsey, of AAG Partner Superior Energy Systems, a distributor of the evacuation pump agrees, “We have seen demand rise for a safe and effective way to remove propane from autogas vehicles and school buses running on propane. This system does just that with no engine, electricity or switching of hoses. It is a perfect service and maintenance solution for autogas fleets.”
As the autogas segment continues to grow, AAG has also been committed to growing its National Network of service and installation centers by adding 23 new locations in 2019. To date, 127 locations nationwide are trained and certified to maintain and install the Alliance AutoGas Engineered system. By continuing to grow its Conversion and Installation Center Network, AAG is assuring growth of the autogas movement for years to come, and adding to their already significant foundation of support for more than 200,000 autogas vehicles already on the road.
When describing AAG’s biggest technological advancement of 2019, Ed Hoffman, President of Blossman Services (the distribution partner for Alliance AutoGas systems) says, “The Prins eVP500 electronic variable pressure reducer was the most impactful product introduction this year. The addition of this component to our conversion systems offers the customer a compact design, superior performance, and worry-free maintenance.” Stuart Weidie, President of Alliance AutoGas adds, “As we go into 2020 I am proud of the progress we have made on providing advanced conversion options for a wide variety of advanced engine technologies, including direct injected engines. We continue to distinguish ourselves from the competition every day in this regard.”