City of San Leandro Switches Its Municipal Vehicles to Run on Neste MY Renewable Diesel

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May 22, 2018, 10:00 ET

HOUSTON, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of San Leandro, a suburban city in Alameda County, California, announced today that it has switched all municipal vehicles from using petroleum diesel to only running on Neste MY Renewable Diesel™.

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a low-carbon fuel produced from 100% renewable and sustainable raw materials. This premium diesel cuts greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% and enables reductions in engine-out emissions, all while enhancing fleet performance. Unlike biodiesel, Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a drop-in fuel that requires no blending and is compatible with all diesel engines.

"This was one easy change that we could make ourselves," said Debbie Pollart, public works manager for the City of San Leandro. "Municipal operations need to be the leader in shifting the mindset of residents and businesses that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a worthy effort that involves everyone."

San Leandro operates approximately 160 vehicles ranging from 4-door passenger sedans to ½ and 1-ton trucks, 2 and 3-axle dumps, tractors, street sweepers, box vans, front-loaders, skid steer and a variety of aerial lift trucks.

The city decided to make the switch as part of the city's Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2005 levels by the year 2020.

The decision to make the switch was aided by Fleet Manager Freddy Barajas' familiarity with renewable diesel. "I had first-hand knowledge of the benefits of switching to renewable diesel from my experience at a previous agency," he said. "The first benefit is the environmental impact of having a cleaner burning fuel. The second is being compatible with the varied array of equipment we have in our fleet."

When asked about the biggest benefits of Neste MY Renewable Diesel, Pollart cited the ease of making the transition. "The switch was seamless. We are using 100% Neste MY Renewable Diesel and have not seen anything mechanically deficient with the vehicles that are running on it."

Barajas also noted the fuel's ability to make their machinery run more cleanly. "I was extremely impressed by Neste MY Renewable Diesel's ability to burn visually cleaner than conventional petroleum diesel without negatively affecting the engine's performance," he said. "Since it runs cleaner, there is less soot to trap, thus extending the life of the DPF system components."

"We are very excited to add San Leandro to the list of progressive-minded California cities switching to Neste MY Renewable Diesel," said Jeremy Baines, vice president of sales, Neste US, Inc. "I am confident that this decision will pay dividends in both fleet performance and help the City of San Leandro meet its greenhouse gas emission targets."

Western States Oil, based in San Jose, California, is the exclusive distributor of Neste MY Renewable Diesel to the City of San Leandro. Using exclusive distributors ensures supply chain integrity and guarantees the high quality of the diesel.

Neste Corporation
Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates sustainable solutions for transport, business, and consumer needs. Our wide range of renewable products enable our customers to reduce climate emissions. We are the world's largest producer of renewable diesel refined from waste and residues, introducing renewable solutions also to the aviation and plastics industries. We are also a technologically advanced refiner of high-quality oil products. We want to be a reliable partner with widely valued expertise, research, and sustainable operations. In 2017, Neste's revenue stood at $16.2 billion. In 2018, Neste placed 2nd on the Global 100 list of the most sustainable companies in the world. Read more at www.nesteMY.com.

Media Contact:
Helen Deian
Neste US, Inc.
713-407-4400
[email protected]

SOURCE Neste