ROI on Green Tech Investments by Fleets Planned for Texas by PIT: Energotest™
FPInnovations’ Performance Innovation Transport (PIT) group, a not-for-profit engineering and research group for the North American trucking industry, has announced it will hold its first U.S. Energotest™ to examine ROI (return on investment) for fleets that plan investments in green technologies.
The event will be held at the Continental Truck Tires Uvalde Proving Grounds in Uvalde, Texas from February 3 – 7, 2014. Previously, Energotest events have been held since 2007 at the Transport Canada test track operated by PMG Technologies in Blainville, Quebec where PIT conducts fuel consumption evaluations of trucks and a range of new and unique systems and devices.
“We’re bringing Energotest to the U.S. to provide the industry’s most accurate and indisputable results on the return on investment fleets can expect from green technologies,” said Yves Provencher, director of PIT. “We use only proven controlled test-track fuel efficiency evaluation procedures to provide the commercial vehicle industry with the information it needs to make sound equipment choices and capital investments.”
According to PIT, the group uses “the most stringent testing protocols to guarantee the highest reliability in its test results.” “We provide independent verification of a technology’s fuel efficiency performance,” Provencher stated. “Fleet managers who are early adopters of green technologies attend Energotest to find solutions they can use to transport goods in an environmentally friendly and cost efficient manner.”
“Leveraging the disciplined PIT testing protocols allows carriers such as Bison Transport to focus our efforts on our core competences of managing our fleet operations, and not on testing components or innovations,” said Chris Trajkovski, VP Fleet Maintenance at Bison Transport.
Provencher explained that the widely accepted and proven SAE J1321 procedure is the most accurate method for evaluating technology’s impact on fuel consumption. “Other tests, such as those that measure aerodynamic drag reduction, make assumptions about the effect of a technology on fuel use,” he explained. “Drag can be accurately measured, but the formulas used to translate it into fuel economy could be inaccurate.
“We measure fuel consumption on a track where every possible variable is controlled,” Provencher added. “The result is a fuel saving projection that is highly representative of what a fleet can expect to realize in actual over the road service. While we may test as many as 20 technologies during one week-long Energotest event, each test is completed in one or two consecutive days, which removes uncertainties associated with tests that are performed over several days or even weeks.”
Over 200 technologies and operational practices have been evaluated during Energotest events since 2007. Among them are vehicles, including hybrid trucks, tractor and trailer aerodynamic devices, tires and wheel balancing systems, tarp systems for dump trailers, fuel, oil and gear lube additives, and alignment and tire pressure settings.
About Performance Innovation Transport
Based in Montréal, Québec, Performance Innovation Transport (PIT) is a group of FPInnovations. Formed in 2008, PIT bills itsellf as “an unbiased, neutral testing organization to help manufacturers evaluate and refine prototypes and fleet managers select the best technologies to reduce costs and environmental impact.” PIT works in cooperation with the U.S. SmartWay Transport Partnership, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment Canada who has selected PIT as the benchmark facility for testing green transportation technologies. PIT evaluates and implements technologies that promote efficient energy use in the commercial transportation, municipal and transit industries. Membership in PIT has grown to include 36 fleets, 18 municipalities and four federal and provincial government agencies. More information at: www.fpinnovations.ca.
Category: General Update, Green
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