News

Ledcor is committed to a net-zero future by 2050, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions from fuel consumption is a priority. Vehicles, equipment, vessels, and aircraft will need various sources of energy to minimize environmental impacts and perform optimally in all environments. Recently, Ledcor took advantage of two opportunities to test new equipment technologies and switch to alternative, cleaner fuels.

Renewable Diesel-Powered Tugboats

In collaboration with 4Refuel, Ledcor is piloting a switch from traditional to renewable diesel for its tugboat fleet. Renewable diesel uses organic matter or biomass such as corn, sugar, vegetable oils, or waste feedstocks to make a pure hydrocarbon chemically identical to traditional diesel. This renewable fuel can be used without modifying or flushing existing fuel systems and can reduce CO2 emissions by 24-85% compared to traditional diesel depending on the blend.

Since April 2023, two tugboats have been operating almost exclusively on renewable diesel. After roughly 5,000 operating hours, these tugs have met the same levels of performance on renewable diesel as they did with traditional diesel. 

Propane-Powered Light Duty Vehicles

Working with Superior Propane, Ledcor pursued an opportunity to customize its light duty vehicles to use both gasoline and propane. A secondary propane system, approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, was integrated to ensure uninterrupted operation. The converted vehicles start on gasoline and switch to propane as the engine warms up, with a manual switch option for drivers.

Propane is not only more cost-effective than gasoline but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 26%. Recognizing these benefits in line with our commitment to GHG reduction, Ledcor's Highway Maintenance group tested the dual-fuel system on two vehicles to evaluate their performance.

With the vehicle conversion the team found that in addition to reduced emissions, the power, range, and acceleration was comparable to gasoline-only vehicles. The propane conversion also resulted in lower maintenance costs and increased engine life.  

Learn more about Ledcor’s net-zero commitment.