Florida Power & Light's Biodiesel Strategy

This is the first in a series of brief case studies highlighting the different methods that covered fleets use to comply with the State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleet Program vehicle acquisition requirements. For more information on Program compliance, please view the Standard Compliance Guidance Document (https://epact.energy.gov/pdfs/standard_compliance.pdf) and/or Alternative Compliance Guidance Document (https://epact.energy.gov/pdfs/alt_compliance_guide.pdf).

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), a leading electric utility in the United States, is on a journey to decarbonize its power generation and support operations. As such, FPL is working to diversify its energy mix with innovative technologies and address environmental considerations while keeping rates as low as possible for over 5.9 million customers.

FPL biodiesel fleet truck.

B20 in Fleet Diesel Vehicles

As part of the effort to decarbonize FPL’s operations, the utility began using biodiesel in its fleet vehicles in 1999. By 2010, FPL was purchasing more than 500,000 gallons of pure biodiesel (B100) and blending its own B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel) to meet the needs of its 3,400-vehicle fleet. The switch was driven in part by the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleet Program (Program) requirement to reduce petroleum consumption, which extends to certain alternative fuel provider fleets. During the Model Year 2023 Program reporting period, FPL used more than 2.5 million gallons of B20. This resulted in a petroleum reduction of over 540,000 gasoline gallon equivalents FPL could apply toward meeting its Program requirements through Alternative Compliance. With a fleet of over 4,000 on-road vehicles and various non-road equipment, FPL uses B20 in all its diesel vehicles, including medium- (MDVs) and heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), off-road equipment, mobile machinery such as forklifts and tractors, and back-up generators.

“One thing about [biodiesel] is it’s easy,” explains Patti Earley, FPL’s fleet fuel manager. “For fleets that have B20 available, it’s easy because you use the same fixed fuel facilities, you use the same transport equipment, you can put B20 in a vehicle one day and put ultra-low sulfur diesel in the next day and it will not affect the operation of the vehicle at all.”

In more than two decades, FPL has not experienced any maintenance issues related to using biodiesel in blend levels as high as B35. According to the FPL team, biodiesel’s lubricating properties, and cleaner combustion have helped reduce maintenance issues for the fleet’s engine and exhaust systems. “Biodiesel actually puts that lubrication back in the fuel that was taken out when the sulfur content of diesel fuel went down,” said Patti Earley, FPL’s fleet fuel manager.

Best Practices

To maximize biodiesel usage in its fleet, FPL includes procurement contracting language that prioritizes the acquisition of diesel-powered MDVs, HDVs, and equipment whenever possible. FPL purchases B100 and petroleum diesel in bulk to produce its B20 blend, which it stores in three bulk fuel storage tanks located in different areas. The company then transports the B20 to 67 fixed fuel sites as needed, making it available to FPL fleet vehicles across the utility’s territory. FPL has used B30 and B35 in the past but switched back to B20 after it saw an opportunity to sell B20 to other fleets.

Due to Florida’s heat and humidity and the potential for long storage times in bulk tanks, FPL instituted best practices to ensure and maintain fuel stability. While FPL’s B20 is already produced to exceed standard specifications, the company also adds an antimicrobial agent in the summer and requires that its biodiesel vendors add an antioxidant prior to shipping. FPL also pulls and polishes any biodiesel that might stay in equipment, like generators, for long periods of time and then recirculates it for use by fleet vehicles.

Satisfying EPAct Requirements

Because FPL uses such large quantities of biodiesel, it is a key feature of the fleet’s Program compliance strategy. FPL chooses to comply with Program requirements via Alternative Compliance; however, fleets that comply via Standard Compliance may also utilize biodiesel as a strategy to earn credits toward the fleet’s requirements. For more information on FPL’s strategy for compliance, refer here: https://epact.energy.gov/case-studies/florida-power.

Looking Ahead

While FPL plans to increase the number of electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles in its fleet, the utility expects to still rely heavily on biodiesel use in its MDVs, HDVs, and equipment to operate a cleaner, more efficient fleet, and as part of its strategy to fulfill its Program requirements.

More Information

For more information about FPL fleet operations, contact Patti Earley, FPL fleet fuel manager, at patti.earley@fpl.com. To learn more about complying with EPAct program requirements, see the Compliance Methods page.