• AOL’s Autobloggreen wrote about how Alliance AutoGas is helping to expand the network of propane autogas stations in the U.S.

• The lawn and landscaping team for the national mall in Washington D.C. just gained six new clean propane autogas mowers.

• DIRECTV plans to expand its propane autogas vehicle fleet over the next year.

• U.S. Sen. Bob Casey outlined legislation Monday that would add more alternative fuel stations along U.S. highways.

• Legislation sponsored by New Jersey Senators Bob Smith and Linda R. Greenstein was approved in the Senate to help the state’s transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles.

• A Wisconsin Alliance AutoGas partner and fleet customer has increased its clean fleet to 10 propane service vans, with fuel supply and support from Charter Fuels.

• Finally, listen to Autogas for America founder and Alliance AutoGas President Stuart Weidie discuss why propane autogas is an ideal fuel for fleets.

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“By using American-made clean fuels for transportation, we can reduce the supply disruption and price volatility that come with reliance on foreign oil,” says Stuart Weidie, founder of Autogas for America and president of Alliance AutoGas. “Improving national security and stabilizing the cost of transportation is a critical next step for America’s growth. Propane autogas is a proven fuel that can help to meet our country’s transportation needs. It’s American made, cost $1.50 less per gallon than gasoline, and it’s immensely practical for America’s transportation sector–all while reducing harmful emissions by 30 percent compared to gasoline.”

Check out the full video below, and be sure to visit the Alliance AutoGas YouTube channel to learn more about propane autogas for fleets.

Follow us on Twitter or like our page on Facebook for the latest news affecting your fleet or the alternative fuel industry.

When the price of gasoline falls as it has recently, we tend to forget the pain of $4 fuel prices. But the fact remains that fleets and drivers nationwide are negatively impacted every time the price of oil goes up. When gasoline prices skyrocket, businesses may be forced to cut jobs and public agencies may have to reduce services. If we were less dependent on foreign oil, it would lower the price we pay for vehicle fuel and help avoid the repercussions of gasoline price shocks.

Switching more U.S. fleets to run on domestic alternative fuels will have a positive impact on more than just the environment–it will also enhance our national energy security by decreasing our dependence on foreign oil. Ninety-eight percent of the U.S. supply of propane autogas is made right here in America, so fleets running on this affordable clean fuel are creating American jobs while doing their part to ensure our future energy independence.

Fleets that run on American-made autogas pay at least $1.25 per gallon less than gasoline at the pump, significantly reduce harmful pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, all while running on a dependable, high-performance fuel. And for businesses and municipalities that rely heavily on fleet transportation, autogas is more affordable to implement compared to other domestic clean fuels. (The Alliance AutoGas website offers a helpful side-by-side comparison of autogas vs. compressed natural gas, which illustrates exactly why autogas is a more attractive option for fleets looking to switch to alternative fuel at little-to-no upfront cost.) The affordability of autogas infrastructure and vehicle conversions makes it a vital resource to jumpstart widespread alternative fuel adoption for America’s fleets.

There are more than 2,500 autogas fueling stations already in place throughout the U.S. (and growing), and fleets across the country are already deploying thousands of autogas vehicles each year. Autogas may not be the only answer to power our nation’s fleets, but—as the most cost-effective fuel on the market that’s widely available, now—autogas will play a major role in making our dependence on imported oil a problem of the past.

• Turn off the lights: with longer days and cool spring breezes, many of us can afford to cut down on our energy use at home (whether you use electric, natural gas, or propane). Try turning the air and lights off for a few hours to preserve energy resources.

• Don’t leave the faucet running! A simple, but often overlooked act, turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth or put dishes in the dishwasher could save a lot of water – and is even more important in regions hit by droughts over the past few years. Also, make sure none of your faucets are dripping – this can waste many gallons if not fixed.

• Be an advocate for clean fuels: not everyone knows about the wonders of propane autogas, you know. If you’re an autogas fleet manager or operator, spread the word about this clean fuel to fleet managers at other companies and public agencies. Or, forward the Autogas for America newsletter to educate your colleagues about this fuel and the technology.

Have a great weekend and a fun Earth Day this Sunday! Find Earth Day events in your town at http://act.earthday.org/events/search/distance/10601.

For the latest green tips and alternative fuel fleet news and views, follow @AllianceAutoGas or find us on Facebook.

With gasoline prices continuing to rise, autogas is an affordable domestic fuel we can’t afford to ignore. CNG may be making headlines, but autogas is actually more cost-effective to implement when it comes to fueling infrastructure and vehicle conversions.

The event will showcase a wide range of autogas vehicles, from buses, trucks, and cars, to forklifts, commercial lawn mowers and golf carts. Virginia Clean Cities and Clean Cities-Atlanta will provide propane-powered vehicles from Georgia fleets in the landmark Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program. The autogas vehicles will be available for ride & drives following the parade and rally.

Participating industry organizations also include Alliance AutoGas, CleanFuel USA, ROUSH CleanTech and the Propane Education and Research Council. Visit www.pcc100.org for more information, including event times and location.

Titled “America Can’t Wait: A cost and environmental analysis of propane autogas vs. gasoline,” the paper gives a rundown of the cost savings, environmental benefits, and investment potential of autogas vehicle technology.

The paper states:

Domestic offshore oil drilling will take years to yield fuel supply; using the entire Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) would last approximately one month (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2010), and alternative vehicle technologies like electric or hydrogen vehicles are not yet realistic for largescale deployment. None of these options can make an immediate and significant impact on transportation fuel prices. Autogas is right here, right now, and it’s already powering 16 million vehicles worldwide. America can’t afford to wait for other technologies to catch up.

Amen. To read the rest of the paper, click here to download.

If you’re a fleet representative interested in converting vehicles to run on propane autogas, learn about the only complete conversion and fueling program in America.

“The transportation industry has already embraced a variety of alternative fuels such as propane, which is domestically produced and provides the same environmental and economic benefits as natural gas,” Curtis Donaldson, Founder and CEO of CleanFUEL USA said in a press release. “If the U.S. is serious about energy independence and reducing our carbon footprint, we need to remain fuel neutral and preserve the freedom for consumers to choose from a menu of alternative fuels,” he added.

The industry push-back sparked media interest in autogas, and Connecticut Post reporter Vinti Singh interviewed multiple propane company heads about the NAT GAS Act. The article, “Propane industry miffed by exclusion from federal alternative fuel legislation” (4/10/11), quoted AFA Founder and Alliance AutoGas President Stuart Weidie regarding the competitive pricing of autogas. “Like natural gas, propane is cheaper than gasoline. Currently, propane-fueled vehicles in the U.S. pay $1.25 less per gallon than they would for gasoline,” Weidie had explained to the reporter.

Following the article, the president of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Association sent a rebuttal to the figure Weidie quoted. Citing a Connecticut study that surveyed propane prices for residential heating, adding in other ‘fuzzy math’ while omitting the 50-cent-per-gallon alternative fuel tax rebate for autogas, the ‘real’ price of autogas is supposedly $4.82 per gasoline gallon equivalent of autogas.

Not so fast, replied Weidie. That grossly exaggerated figure is typical of the confusion surrounding alternative fuel pricing, he explained.

“A common misconception is that autogas costs the same as retail propane. This is not correct. Autogas is the name for propane that is used as vehicle fuel – it has a different name and a completely different pricing structure. Because of volume and economies of scale for fleet customers, the cost of autogas is not reflective of the prices of propane for residential, agricultural and commercial/industrial applications. The data provided by the Petroleum Association comes from a report that clearly indicates it lists propane ‘prices for home heating only’ – that is, the price of propane delivered to individual homes,” Weidie noted.

Weidie’s response then quoted actual autogas prices that real fleets are paying across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. A survey of real autogas and gasoline prices follows:

Autogas vs. Gasoline Prices

*Note: These figures show the per-gallon autogas price WITHOUT the 50-cent-per-gallon credit in the price.

Averaging these prices, factoring in the 50-cent-per-gallon rebate, and even taking into account a 10% reduction in fuel economy versus gasoline, the “average price of autogas per gasoline gallon equivalent [gge] is $1.69 less than gasoline – substantially more savings than the figure of $1.25/gal that I gave you before,” Weidie showed.

The real cost of the $4.82/gallon figure might be more than just a little misunderstanding, though. “Misinformation damages our nation’s progress toward energy security. Well-written articles like the one you published Sunday are a great step toward raising awareness about this clean, affordable, abundant and American-made fuel that more fleets should be using,” Weidie wrote to the reporter.

See the full debate and calculations here.

“In a few short months, Autogas for America has grown to over 90 stakeholders, including ROUSH,” says Autogas for America Chairman Stuart Weidie. “It’s fitting that one of our key supporters is standing up, loudly saying that now is the time for our legislators to accept Autogas as a viable alternative fuel, and that our industry doesn’t accept Washington politicians picking favorites.”

In yesterday’s press release, ROUSH Enterprises CEO Jack Roush is quoted as saying, “Propane Autogas historically costs around 30 percent less than gasoline, and is as clean as natural gas, but without the harmful methane emissions. Propane is available ‘right here, right now,’ and I feel that any alternative fuel legislation would do our country an injustice if it were to pass into law without including propane Autogas, and for that matter, all alternative fuels, in the legislation.”

In the same release, ROUSH CleanTech President Joe Thompson is quoted as saying, “As outlined by some of our country’s energy leaders, including T. Boone Pickens, in order for our country to meet the national energy policy goals that have been set, all domestic sources of energy must be considered when creating new government incentives for alternative fuel adoption. Modifying this legislation to include propane Autogas and other alternative fuels would broaden the impact of the legislation.”

Thompson added, “The government should not be in the business of picking the winners when it comes to alternative motor fuels. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made this point earlier this year at his own Las Vegas Energy Summit. I implore Senator Reid to follow his own advice when evaluating these narrowly-defined pieces of legislation.”

“Autogas for America applauds the efforts of ROUSH in urging legislators to give fair and equitable consideration of each alternative fuel that has a proven track record of safety, reliability and emissions reductions,” Weidie said. “Autogas is the world’s most widely used alternative fuel, and it deserves proper recognition.”

Autogas for America is encouraging stakeholders and any other interested organizations or individuals to submit a letter their U.S. Senators encouraging the inclusion of propane Autogas in U.S. Senate Bills S. 3815 and S. 3495. The resources to do so are available at www.autogasforamerica.org.

As the unified voice of the U.S. Autogas market, Autogas for America is working toward a clean break from foreign oil. To learn more about Autogas for America and help drive energy independence, visit www.autogasforamerica.org.

Click here to view Roush Press Release.