As United Parcel Service (UPS) works to decrease its greenhouse gas emissions, the company is setting new alternative fuel goals and eyeing a 40% savings in fuel costs by switching its truck fleet to run on natural gas rather than gasoline or diesel.
On 25 July, the company announced it had seen an increase in the amount of packages delivered, but a decrease in total greenhouse gas emissions thanks to fuel efficiency measures, increased investment in alternative fuel vehicles and new routing that cut over 12 million miles from its ground deliveries, according to a press release.
By 2017, UPS will reach one billion miles driven by alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicles.
For 2012, UPS Airlines—which accounts for 57% of the company’s total carbon footprint—reduced its fuel use and carbon production, with air shipping volume rising 4.8% year on year, but fuel use dropped 1.3%.
In an interview with Bloomberg, UPS described natural gas as the “big game changer.”
UPS’ new sustainability report comes after an announcement earlier this year that it would purchase almost 1,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tractors over the next two years. UPS’ alternative fuel fleet already includes 2,600 vehicles. This will be combined with LNG refueling infrastructure.
By. James Stafford of Oilprice.com
