Oakland, California, to adopt fuel from waste feedstock in city fleet

The city of Oakland, California, and Finland-based Neste have announced that waste feedstock from the city is now being converted to Neste MY Renewable Diesel, which is helping fuel the city's fleet.

The city; Neste; San Jose, California-based fuel distributor Western States Oil; and local collectors of used cooking oil worked together to gather waste cooking oils from restaurants and other businesses in the Oakland metropolitan area and convert it to fuel the city’s fleet.

“Oakland is a proud leader in protecting our environment and practicing the highest levels of sustainability,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf says. “This bold move will give our residents cleaner air, and it takes us one important step forward in our work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

"We are excited to partner with the city of Oakland to make 'from city waste to city fuel' a reality and to do our part to improve the lives of the people in the city,” Jeremy Baines, vice president of sales, Neste US Inc., says. “Oakland's choice for a more sustainable diesel fuel and their support for making local waste part of their energy solution sets an example for the Bay Area, for all of California and beyond.”

“Switching from petroleum diesel to renewable diesel automatically converts the city’s oldest and dirtiest polluting vehicles into alternative fuel vehicles overnight and with no additional costs,” Oakland Public Works Director Jason Mitchell says.

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a low-carbon fuel produced from 100-percent renewable and sustainable raw materials, the company says. It cuts engine-out emissions of nitrogen oxides by 9 percent, those of carbon monoxide by 24 percent and fine particulates by 33 percent while enhancing fleet performance.

According to the company, the concept saves greenhouse gas emissions by 74 percent compared to conventional fossil diesel. Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a direct replacement fuel that requires no blending and is compatible with all diesel engines.