Wedoany.com Report-Apr. 5, New York City is taking big steps to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions by switching its ferries to renewable diesel. The city recently awarded the first tender for this fuel, replacing the old ultra-low sulfur diesel. This move is part of a bigger plan to make the city the first on the East Coast to use clean energy on a large scale for all its vessels.
Renewable diesel, known as R99, is a biofuel that can be used right away as a drop-in replacement for regular diesel. It doesn’t require any changes to the engines, making it a smooth transition. The city is already using this fuel for some of its ferries, like the Marchi Staten Island Ferry, which is now running on it instead of the old fuel.
The city’s goal is to completely switch to renewable diesel in the future, with plans to update more ferries to meet environmental standards. For example, they’re upgrading 13 of their biggest vessels to reduce emissions even further. These changes could cut harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides and particulate matter by up to 65%, according to official data.
New York is also working with other states to invest in cleaner fuels. In California, there’s a program to make more investment in producing low-carbon fuels. Meanwhile, two big refineries in the Golden State are switching from regular diesel to renewable diesel.
Back in New York, the city is planning even bigger goals. They’ve introduced a new bill that aims to study whether zero-emission port operations are possible by 2040. This plan includes looking at how ports can transition to cleaner operations and figuring out what investments are needed to make it happen.
The city is leading the way in cutting emissions, and these efforts are part of a bigger push to make New York a leader in clean energy.
