Saint-Jérôme creates new energy-efficient hybrid street sweeper
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Transportation
Project value$320,400
Project Type
Pilot Project
Sub Sector
Fleet Management
Grant amount$160,200
Program type
GMF
Municipality
Ville de Saint-Jérôme, QC
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
80,213
Project timeline
2011 - 2013
Project number
10418
Description
With average fuel consumption of 247 L/100 km, the street sweeper truck owned by the municipality of Saint-Jérôme was one of its worst gas guzzlers, burning almost 12,000 litres of diesel fuel in 2009 alone, equivalent to 32.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The City decided to try out a hybrid electric/diesel truck and installed street-sweeping equipment on a hybrid truck purchased and operated as the main sweeper. The hybrid’s consumption was tracked throughout the 2011 sweeping season and was compared to historical data to determine the amount of fuel saved and the reduction in CO2 emissions.
A return on investment over the vehicle’s service life and a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions were used as standards to determine the project’s relevance. If the test proved to be conclusive, the City planned to test other types of municipal maintenance vehicles such as energy-guzzling spreader trucks, snow removal trucks, vehicles for hauling street furniture, etc. The project was expected to reduce Saint-Jérôme’s annual fuel consumption by 4,550 litres, saving about $4,600 per year and more than $50,000 over the vehicle’s service life. The noise generated during sweeping was also reduced, thereby improving residents’ quality of life.
This type of equipment apparently had never before been installed on hybrid trucks. The Saint-Jérôme project was a first, at least in eastern Canada. This initiative can be replicated by any municipality that owns a sweeper truck.
(Project description from original funding application)
Applicant
Ville de Saint-Jérôme, QC