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The Road to Net Zero

JTA Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2023

OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN (CAP) ROUTES JTA TOWARDS NET-ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050 VIA A PORTFOLIO OF 11 INITIATIVES.

The CAP continues the work started with JTA’s 2018 Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) and recent GHG Inventory and Forecast. It determines the emissions reduction needed to meet the 2050 net-zero goal, defined as a 90% or greater reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It establishes a path to achieve this reduction through initiatives prioritized through costs benefit analysis (CBA), including environmental, social, economic and resilience benefits. Initiatives were also designed to be compatible with JTA’s Vision, Mission, and MOVES 2027 plan goals. The majority of included initiatives pay for themselves within the planning period between 2023 and 2035. Other projects costs could likely be offset with grant funding.

Click on a project to learn more

CAP 1A
Bus Revenue Vehicle Fleet Transition to BEB
CAP 2
Solar Power Purchase Agreement
cap 3
Transition from CNG to 100% RNG for CNG Buses
Cap 4
Utilize B20 Biodiesel
Cap 5
Diesel Bus Oil Cooling System
Cap 6C
Paratransit Vehicle Fleet Transition - Bio-Propane after 2025
Cap 7
Green Building Criteria for new Construction & Renovations
Cap 8
Solar PV Expansion - Floating Solar
Cap 9
Telecommuting Policy
Cap 10
Route Optimization for Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Cap 11
Multimodal Transportation Subsidy for Employees

The CAP continues the work started with JTA’s 2018 Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) and recent GHG Inventory and Forecast.

It determines the emissions reduction needed to meet the 2050 net-zero goal, defined as a 90% or greater reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It establishes a path to achieve this reduction through initiatives prioritized through costs benefit analysis (CBA), including environmental, social, economic and resilience benefits. Initiatives were also designed to be compatible with JTA’s Vision, Mission, and MOVES 2027 plan goals. The majority of included initiatives pay for themselves within the planning period between 2023 and 2035. Other projects costs could likely be offset with grant funding.

JTA’s transit fleet produces 81% of JTA’s emissions, so it’s critical to transition the vehicle fleet to alternative fuels.

In developing this plan, we studied a variety of alternative fuel technologies including:

Battery electric buses (BEBs)
Hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (HFCEBs)
Compressed natural gas and renewable natural gas
Biodiesel
Propane and bio-propane

The CAP contains the options deliver the greatest emissions reductions at the least cost, while still meeting JTA’s operational needs. The CAP also features initiatives to increase energy efficiency and utilize clean, renewable energy in JTA’s operations.

The 11 initiatives included in JTA’s CAP portfolio pay back by 2035, achieving 98% of emissions reductions needed to meet JTA’s 2035 goal and more than 100% of the 2050 goal.

An implementation plan is included in the CAP to assist in budgeting, funding, scheduling and tracking the performance of CAP initiatives during implementation.

Climate Action Report (PDF)

Projects

Bus Revenue Vehicle Fleet Transition to BEB

CAP 1A
Bus Revenue Vehicle Fleet Transition to BEB

Gradually transition the JTA bus fleet from its current fuel mix to battery- powered vehicles until 2050.

Solar Power Purchase Agreement

CAP 2
Solar Power Purchase Agreement

Establish a solar power purchase agreement with JEA or another third-party. A solar power purchase agreement (SPPA) is a financial arrangement in which a third-party developer owns, operates and maintains the photovoltaic (PV) system, and a host customer (JTA) agrees to purchase the system’s electric output from the solar services provider for a predetermined period.

Transition from CNG to 100% RNG for CNG Buses

cap 3
Transition from CNG to 100% RNG for CNG Buses

Transition from CNG to renewable natural gas (RNG) sourced from landfills and/or dairy/swine operations

Utilize B20 Biodiesel

Cap 4
Utilize B20 Biodiesel

Replace diesel with biodiesel in JTA’s diesel fleet.

Diesel Bus Oil Cooling System

Cap 5
Diesel Bus Oil Cooling System

Update the cooling systems of older model buses to improve fuel economy, lower maintenance costs, improve safety by the elimination of hydraulic leaks or fires, and improve emissions.

Paratransit Vehicle Fleet Transition - Bio-Propane after 2025

Cap 6C
Paratransit Vehicle Fleet Transition - Bio-Propane after 2025

Transition JTA’s 102 paratransit vehicles to propane vehicles running on bio- propane after 2025.

Green Building Criteria for new Construction & Renovations

Cap 7
Green Building Criteria for new Construction & Renovations

Develop and implement a policy that would require green building criteria (GBC) with a minimum performance standard for new construction and major renovations and renovate or replace 50% of JTA’s older and less efficient facilities using the GBC by 2035.

Solar PV Expansion - Floating Solar

Cap 8
Solar PV Expansion - Floating Solar

Install floating solar panels on a 17- acre pond on JTA property along A.C. Skinner Parkway to increase the amount of renewable energy supporting JTA’s energy use.

Telecommuting Policy

Cap 9
Telecommuting Policy

Establish a telecommuting protocol to give eligible employees the option to continue to telework post-pandemic to achieve energy, resource, cost, and emissions savings, support the GHG emissions reduction goal, and reducing energy use in JTA office buildings by allowing lighting and plug load demands to be reduced.

Route Optimization for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Cap 10
Route Optimization for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Optimize routes for JTA’s alternative fueled vehicles to save fuel or energy, reduce GHG emissions, and ensure that routes are matched to the range, performance characteristics, refueling or charging requirements and maintenance requirements of the revenue bus fleet.

Multimodal Transportation Subsidy for Employees

Cap 11
Multimodal Transportation Subsidy for Employees

Establish a multi-modal transportation subsidy for JTA employees to encourage them to commute using public transportation instead of single-occupancy vehicles.