MBTA to Pilot New Vegetable Oil Fuel for Commuter Rail Trains

The MBTA is piloting a form of vegetable oil fuel to power some of its Commuter Rail trains through a testing program that explores alternative power sources for the transit system.

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) expels less carbon than the diesel fuel that powers commuter rail trains. This HVO fuel contributes to a more sustainable, earth-friendly alternative for the MBTA's Commuter Rail trains, said Keolis, the company that manages the commuter rail for the MBTA, in a statement about the pilot project shared with MassLive.

“Getting people out of their cars and onto the train is a great first step, and we need to do more if we are going to reach the commonwealth's emissions goals,” said Abdellah Chajai, CEO and general manager of Keolis.

Chajai added that carbon emissions for trains that use the vegetable oil-based fuel are approximately 70% lower than trains operating on standard fossil fuels, such as diesel. 

MassLive noted that the pilot program, developed through a partnership between Keolis and the MBTA, will use the new alternative HVO fuel for all trains with a layover at the Newburyport Commuter Rail facility.

According to the Keolis statement, the company has seen “steady” performance from trains operating with the renewable fuel source. When the pilot program concludes, the T and Keolis will decide whether the vegetable oil-based fuel can be implemented in other parts of the commuter rail system.