With petroleum fuel prices at their lowest in recent history, the cost of being “green” has been driven higher than ever. Like any technology, green technology must pass the return-on-investment (ROI) test to justify its purchase. Altruistic or community relations have motivated some fleets to invest in the technology, but many fleets insist on a measurable ROI before investing.
Unfortunately, one of the key factors driving green tech ROI is fuel cost. When fuel costs are high, the return on many green technologies can be fairly rapid. However, the current low-fuel prices have virtually eliminated the return for many green technologies.