Following extensive truck and engine testing, Mack Trucks signed off on the use of renewable diesel fuel in all Mack engines. Renewable diesel fuel delivers performance similar to diesel refined from petroleum, but with several additional customer benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas and particulate emissions, as well as decreased maintenance costs.

“As the availability and customer requests for renewable diesel fuel increase, we worked to ensure its compatibility with our engines,” said Stu Russoli, Mack highway and powertrain products marketing manager. “This approval gives Mack customers who seek to reduce their environmental footprint an additional choice when it comes to alternative fuels.”

Similar to conventional biodiesel, renewable diesel fuel is derived from biomass feedstocks, including animal fats and oils. However, unlike biodiesel, renewable diesel fuel is produced using a different process and maintains physical properties and performance similar to petroleum diesel, meeting the same ASTM D975 standard.

Renewable diesel fuel offers several environmental benefits to customers, including reducing particulate matter. A life cycle analysis of renewable diesel fuel conducted by the California Air Resources Board also demonstrated reductions in greenhouse gases by 15 to 80 percent, depending on feedstock source used.

Customers also can save money with renewable diesel fuel, as it requires fewer maintenance costs compared to other alternative fuels.

The addition of renewable diesel fuel adds to Mack's alternative fuel offerings. The Cummins-Westport ISX12 G natural gas-powered engine is currently available in Mack Pinnacle DayCab model. The Mack LR and Mack TerraPro cabover models also offer natural gas options with the availability of the Cummins-Westport ISL G engine.

For more information, visit www.macktrucks.com.

This story also appears on Truck and Trailer Guide.