Prince George’s County to Spearhead Environmental Justice Initiative with Launch of B100 Transit Pilot

 

Prince George’s County to Spearhead Environmental Justice Initiative with Launch of B100 Transit Pilot

LARGO, MD — On January 31, 2024, Prince George’s County teamed up with Optimus Technologies and Chevron REG to announce the launch of an exciting new transit project, the 100% Biodiesel (B100) Transit Pilot Program. This initiative, made possible by support from the Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) OPEN grant program, is a major step forward for environmental justice, emission reductions, and decarbonization in underserved communities in our region.

 

The program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions right away. It uses the Optimus Vector System, an advanced fuel system upgrade, to power buses with B100 biodiesel. This system can also cut CO2 emissions by over 90%. In addition to biodiesel buses, electric buses will be used for certain routes. Instead of relying solely on diesel for longer routes, Prince George’s County views the use of B100 biodiesel as an opportunity to achieve significant carbon emissions reductions, with a minimum reduction of 75% per gallon compared to diesel.

 

The Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T) and Office of Central Services (OCS) are leading Prince George’s County’s B100 pilot effort. Prince George’s County operates 3,500 vehicles, and the success of this pilot has the opportunity to lead to the County transitioning 375 current diesels to B100. Since these vehicles are currently operating on diesel fuel, the use of B100 will reduce their carbon emissions by over 75% immediately.

Potentially, the County could reduce its direct carbon emissions by 44,858 metric tons annually and about 450,000 metric tons over the course of 10 years.

 

Michael Johnson, Director of DPW&T, credits the B100 Pilot Project as part of the Transit Transformation Initiative. “The Department of Public Works and Transportation is committed to creating a comprehensive, integrated multi-modal transportation network accessible to everyone,” said Johnson. “During the project’s implementation, we will continue to work with our critical regional partner, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA). In addition to pursuits with local transit systems, TheBus and Call-A- Bus, the Transit Transformation initiative is projected to prioritize transit performance, enhance accessibility to jobs, schools, and essential services, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”