Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy (R&E) and Orange EV announced Nov. 10 the deployment of an Orange EV T-Series pure electric terminal truck to the Recycling and Energy Center (R&E Center) in Newport, Minn. Replacing a diesel truck with all-electric aligns with R&E goals to enhance public health and the environment and to create vibrant, healthy communities without waste.

R&E's Orange EV electric yard truck moves material at the R&E Center, which manages more than 450,000 tons per year, processing trash from two counties to both recover recyclable metals and make fuel for producing electricity, thereby diverting material from landfills and maximizing resource recovery.

Replacing R&E's diesel yard truck with Orange EV electric will eliminate an estimated 675 tons of carbon dioxide over 10 years of operation, equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from a passenger vehicle driven more than 1.5 million miles. Removing a diesel truck also reduces material waste by eliminating diesel fuel, exhaust fluid, particulate filters, oil, glycol, and other products necessary for diesel maintenance and operation.

“Electric vehicles are consistent with our goals related to health and environment, and staff are pleased with the functionality of the truck. We hope to purchase more. If others are interested in transitioning away from diesel trucks, we’d be happy to talk with them about our experience, which has been entirely positive,” said Sam Holl, R&E Interim Co-Facility Manager. Site personnel report the Orange EV truck is quiet and easy to operate, provides immediate power, and requires less maintenance.

Partial funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant program. DERA aims to improve air quality and public health by providing funding for projects that reduce diesel emissions from older diesel engines.