Enterprise Holdings, owner and operator of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, is piloting a program with Mansfield Oil Co. to use renewable synthetic diesel fuel in its airport shuttle buses at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans and Houston Hobby Airport in Texas. The fuel will be used in shuttle buses of all three brands.

Renewable diesel is a sustainable, ultra-clean burning, high cetane fuel that reduces carbon emissions up to 70% and reduces particulates and NOx when combusted in existing diesel engines, according to Doug Haugh, president of Mansfield Oil Co.

“We like to say ‘it’s just diesel,’” Haugh said, adding that it is a completely different product from biodiesel since synthetic diesel can use traditional transportation, storage and dispensing infrastructure. Mansfield’s partner, Dynamic Fuels, produces it in Geismar, La., while Mansfield acts as the marketing and distribution arm.

According to the Southwest Research Institute, benefits of synthetic diesel compared to petroleum-based diesel include:

• 16% reduction in particulate matter;

• 68% reduction in non-methane emissions;

• 33% reduction in NOx gases; and

• 23% reduction in carbon monoxide.

“By using synthetic diesel and embracing alternative fuels, we are following our ongoing commitment to help grow the clean fuel market and increasing opportunities for alternatives to become commercially viable,” said Lee Broughton, head of corporate sustainability for Enterprise Holdings.