Self-service fueling has slowly but steadily become the norm at general aviation airports. Pilots are now accustomed to the convenience and freedom of being able to fuel their own plane by themselves—often times at night when there is no staff to man the fueling equipment, or during the busiest hours of the day when there can be a long wait for the fuel truck.
In the last decade, many small to medium-sized airports have finally added aviation fuel cabinets to their facilities to offer these self-serve capabilities. That’s partly because of state and federal grants that help fund these types of upgrades, partly due to demand, and partly thanks to proof that the model works in the first place.
Self-service isn’t new—large, well-funded airports led the charge in testing this model and have had 25+ years to work out the kinks. Now, smaller airports with tighter budgets can reap the benefits without the same costly trial and error. What’s more, aviation fuel cabinets like the kind Acterra manufactures can be tailor made for each airport, allowing them to implement time- and cost-saving features, and eliminate expensive ones that won’t be used.
There’s never been a better time to add self-service capabilities to your airport, or upgrade your old system for added safety and security.
Why add self-service fueling with Acterra Aviation Fuel Cabinets?
Decrease delays and congestion. With easy-to-use self-service fuel cabinets, there’s no need to keep pilots waiting. Keep them moving through your facilities with 24-hour access to fuel.
Reduce staffing costs. Most pilots know how to and are comfortable fueling their planes themselves. And you can’t argue with the convenience! Adding a self-serve fueling station to your airport can reduce staff, hours, and the costs associated with training without cutting back on any of the services you offer.
Increase hours of operation. Self-service means you can stay open longer, even overnight, without the need for additional staff.
Beef up security without adding personnel. Acterra’s aviation fuel cabinets are made with security in mind. Airports can even use their self-service equipment to grant pilots fuel access through Mastercard, Visa or proprietary card systems, limiting the need for extra personnel and saving money in the process.
Make the most of small spaces. Acterra’s aviation fuel cabinets are compact, making them a good fit for airports with a limited amount of storage.
Want to learn more about how Acterra’s custom-made aviation fuel cabinets can benefit your airport? Contact Tony to start a conversation.
If your company needs an equipment overhaul
to bring your business up to speed, or if you’re getting ready for a major new investment,
now is the right time to pull the trigger thanks to this year’s updates to
Section 179.
What
Is Section 179?
Section 179 is an important part of the IRS
tax code that lets businesses deduct the full purchase price of
qualifying equipment (or software) from their gross income.
Qualifying purchases must be made during the
tax year—that means if you’re looking to take advantage of Section 179 this
year, you’ll need to purchase the equipment and get it up and running before
the end of the day on December 31, 2019.
What Kind of Equipment Qualifies
for the Deduction?
Nearly all tangible goods used by your business (at least 50% of the time) are eligible for the Section 179 Deduction. While the list is self-explanatory, there are a few exceptions, especially when it comes to items that are purchased for both business and personal use. (Find out if your equipment qualifies here.)
Qualifying equipment
must be purchased between January 1 and December 31 of the tax year to take
advantage of the deduction. If you tend to lease your equipment, you’re also in
luck—whether
the equipment is new or used, purchased, leased or financed, it still
qualifies.
Limits
and Caps
This year, the total amount you can write off
(the deduction limit) is capped at $1,000,000—but you also have spending caps
to take in mind. For the 2019 year, the maximum amount you can spend on
equipment is $2,500,000 in order to receive a full deduction. Once you surpass
this threshold, the deduction is incrementally reduced until you spend more than
$3,500,000, at which point you no longer receive a deduction.
Bonus
Depreciation
Companies who exceed the Section 179 spending
cap can still benefit this year, thanks to Bonus Depreciation—an incentive that
lets you deduct a percentage of the purchase price the year equipment is
purchased, instead of having to write it off over the spam of the equipment’s
useful life.
This year both new and used
equipment that is new to your company qualify for the Bonus Depreciation
deduction. Even better, this year’s depreciation rate is 100%.
Section 179 limits and incentives fluctuate
from year to year, and bonus depreciation is not always offered. Many years, it
is only offered at 50% or less. That makes this year an attractive time for
c-stores and gas station owners, fleets, UST operators, farmers, manufacturers
and just about business to finally upgrade to new equipment and make new
investments that position themselves to outperform their competition.
Can
My Business Take Advantage of Section 179?
Although Section 179 can help ALL businesses
invest in themselves, it was designed specifically to provide tax relief for
small and medium sized businesses. If your equipment is eligible—that means you
are eligible.
Next
Steps
Plug some numbers into Section179.org’s
Deduction Calculator to get an
idea of the savings your company will see.
Consult with your accountant or
financial advisor to discuss how Section 179 deductions will factor into your
purchasing strategy now, and in the future.
If you’ve been holding off on
making a big equipment purchase, there’s still time to take advantage of this
year’s Section 179 benefits. Contact X at
Acterra and let’s talk timelines, budget and how to make it happen.
Spills happen. Spills that occur during fuel delivery are a frustrating, yet common occurrence for underground storage tank (UST) operators.
As the owner of a UST, you are responsible for keeping your tank in good working order to mitigate any damage that might occur as a result of these spills. That means you’ll need to conduct periodic testing of your spill containment system and its individual components to keep the environment around you protected.
One part of your tank that will need routine testing is your spill bucket—the workhorse of your spill containment system.
Why your spill bucket needs your attention.
Spill buckets are an important line of defense for catching small drips and spills that happen when a fuel delivery hose connects and disconnects from your tank.
While a spare drip here or there might not seem like a major deal, the Iowa DNR estimates “Only one gallon of fuel leaking each week from a poorly maintained spill bucket can result in up to 195 tons of contaminated soil in a year.” In other words, the drips add up.
Spill buckets are frequently singled out by the DNR as being one of the most common sources of UST violations. They even go as far as saying that spill buckets are “often the weak link in the UST system leak prevention.”
Take a moment to consider the wear and tear they endure from frequent tight fill connections, and the stress that comes from exposure to rough winter weather conditions. It’s no wonder most spill buckets have such a short life span and need either significant repairs or replacement after less than 10 years in use!
Tests are mandatory—but you still have options.
New EPA regulations require you to test your spill bucket at least once every three years. Currently Iowa regulations require testing at install and when a bucket is replaced.
It is always recommended that you test your spill bucket according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. In most instances, there are two methods you can use to test your spill bucket—a “lake” or hydrostatic test, or a vacuum test.
Hydrostatic Testing
Hydrostatic or “lake” testing is the most common way of testing the integrity of your spill bucket, mostly because this method can be performed without any specialized equipment or personnel. But while lake testing is easy to perform, it can be time-intensive, and if a leak is detected in the spill bucket, a lake test won’t tell you where the problem is occurring—only that you have one. That means more likely than not, you’ll need additional testing to get to the bottom of your issue.
To perform a lake test, the spill bucket is filled with water, and the water level is noted. After a period of time (usually 1 hour or more), the water level is remeasured and compared with the original measurement. If the water level is observed to have dropped during the course of testing, the spill bucket is considered to have failed the test.
Vacuum Testing
Vacuum testing is more accurate and quicker than hydrostatic testing and is generally considered the best method. With this approach, a seal is placed over the spill bucket, and a vacuum is used to detect leaks at the source.
Since vacuum testing calls for special equipment that requires training to operate, it also requires many USTs to hire an outside service provider to conduct the testing.
While it may call for the use of outside personnel, vacuum testing your spill bucket gives you the benefit of working with experienced professionals who can sometimes make repairs on the spot, eliminating the need for follow-up visits and additional tests.
As an added benefit, an outside company can help you make sure you’re conducting your tests in accordance to the manufacturer’s guidelines, and help you determine your best course of action should your spill bucket fail the test.
Acterra can help you test, inspect and repair your spill containment system to stay on top of government regulations and industry standards. Our service contract program helps teams expand their resources, capabilities and expertise. To learn how we can help your facility, contact our Service Coordinator, Lisa Opsahl or call 800.289.7371×122.
Biodiesel has had a transformative impact on our economy—renewing tax incentives
could keep the momentum going.
On February 11, House leaders sent a letter to Congress calling for a multi-year extension of biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentives. In their letter, legislators from both sides of the aisle cited the fuel’s success in reducing toxic emissions as well as US dependence on foreign oil, calling biodiesel a “great American success story.”
So, how exactly has the environment—not to mention the economy—benefitted from
widespread embrace of biodiesel? And what’s at stake as lawmakers weigh policy
surrounding renewable fuels?
The Benefits of Biodiesel
When we think about the benefits of renewable fuels like biodiesel, we tend to first think about its environmental impact. But biodiesel’s greatest success has been its impact on the US economy—particularly in the transportation and agriculture industries. According to the February 11th letter to Congress, “US biofuel production supports more than 60,000 good paying jobs in the US and helps rural communities across the country build new economic opportunities.”
For farmers, especially Iowa’s soybean farmers who are feeling the impact of falling crop
prices and trade uncertainties, biodiesel production offers a glimmer of hope—in the
letter to congress, lawmakers said biofuel “can add roughly 63 cents of value to every
bushel of soybeans.”
For the transportation industry, switching fleets to biodiesel or biodiesel blends comes
with its own financial benefits. As online commerce continues to push fleets to their
limits, fuel prices are becoming an increasing concern for drivers and carriers. Extending
the biodiesel tax incentives would help lower the cost of fuel, passing the savings off
onto drivers, and in turn, lowering the cost of goods they’re hauling for consumers.
Is a Biodiesel Tax Incentives Extension on the Horizon?
On March 1, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and Oregon Senator
Ron Wyden, inspired by the February 11 letter to Congress,
introduced legislation calling for the renewal on several
expiring tax incentives for biodiesel, including:
Credits for installing alternative fuel (including biodiesel) vehicle refueling stations (must be up and running by 2020). The maximum credit is $30,000/location for stations installed on a business property.
The $1/gallon biodiesel mixture credit.
The 10¢/gallon small agri-biodiesel producer credit.
Acterra is closely monitoring the story–follow us on Twitter for updates and developments on this and other biodiesel news.
It was a situation the Davenport Municipal Airport could never have anticipated: a man fleeing the cops by vehicle ran his car through an airport gate, sped down the taxiway and crashed into the AVGas fueling platform, causing a fire that destroyed the pumping system.
While the crash could have been devastating on a much larger scale, three fuel dispensing safeguards Acterra had installed throughout the fueling system worked exactly as planned, preventing a worse-case scenario.
The safeguards—a thermal shutoff valve, an impact shutoff valve and a power interrupting shutoff valve—worked to prevent the release of fuel from the main storage tank. Thankfully, the main tank suffered only cosmetic damage, and was still operational.
Rebuilding
Thanks to a quick response from firefighters, the fire was extinguished within minutes, and excess water was removed within hours. Once the scene was cleared, Acterra got straight to work with the Airport to inspect and pressure check the system. Because the fueling facility needed to be completely shut down until everything was resolved, we set up a temporary dispensing system to minimize service interruptions while testing and repairs were underway.
To get their fuel station back up and running as quickly as possible, we got to work as soon as we had approval to rebuild the dispensing platform. While we anticipated a four-month build, we were able to complete the project after only three and a half months.
We don’t like to think what might have happened had the safeguards not been in place AND functioning properly. It’s a great reminder to not only take every precaution when you’re building your fleet fueling system—but to take extra care during inspections and routine maintenance.
Fleets come in all shapes and sizes—so it’s no surprise that every fleet has its own unique fueling requirements.
As technology evolves, companies are beginning to expand their fleets with electric vehicles and equipment that runs on biofuel. That means companies that once dealt only with petroleum and/or diesel now have much more varied storage, dispensing and maintenance requirements.
Thankfully, adopting new technology doesn’t need to be a headache. The right partner can help you plan for new additions to make the management of your fleet fueling systems more efficient—not needlessly complicated.
At Acterra, we can provide complete service, sales and installation of fleet fueling equipment, from storage tanks to fuel dispensers and even biofuel blending systems. Because we have extensive experience in both the petroleum and renewable fuels industries, we can help you manage your entire fleet fueling program, no matter your fleet mix.
Considering a change to your fleet mix? Contact Acterra and work with a single point of contact for ALL your fuel storage, dispensing and management needs.
A dose of prevention can help you avoid equipment damage that requires costly repairs or replacements. It can even help you avert a disaster scenario: a leak or spill that causes you to lose product, or worse‚ contaminates nearby soil and water sources—a PR nightmare that will cost your company a pretty penny.
Most tank operators take a lot of pride in their work, and do their best to maintain their facilities.
To make it easy to stay on top of your monthly tank inspection and maintenance routine, Acterra created a checklist to guide you through the steps. Fill out the form below to download the printable checklist.
Acterra can help you test, inspect and repair your tank system to stay on top of government regulations and industry standards. Our service contract program helps teams expand their resources, capabilities and expertise. To learn how we can help your facility, contact Lisa Opsahl at lopsahl@acterragroup.net or call 800.289.7371×122.
Earlier this year, the Acterra Electrical division travelled to Leer, Germany to check out two promising new wind turbines: the Lely Aircon 10 and Lely Aircon 30. We were totally surprised by how quiet and unobtrusive both turbines were and even more impressed with the engineering.
As anyone who has serviced big industrial machinery will tell you—the simpler, the better. The Lely Aircons feature no gears and minimal moving parts (all of which meet the industry’s highest standards), making them extremely user-friendly and easy to maintenance—a major benefit considering their 20+ year life expectancy.
Who is Lely?
If you’re a dairy farmer, chances are you’re already familiar with the Lely brand, known for its reliability and the famous Lely Astronaut robotic milking system. For years, Lely has led the push to automate farms to make them more self-sustainable, environmentally-friendly and future-ready. Now that the company has added the Aircons to their product offerings, more farmers will have the chance to be energy independent, and potentially, add a new source of revenue to their operations.
Automation & Self-Sufficiency
While automation has made life much easier for the modern farmer, it’s also led to an increase in energy consumption. Energy-efficient equipment has helped alleviate some of the burden, but overall demand for electricity continues to increase—along with prices. Adding one or more wind turbines (either alongside photovoltaics or on their own) produces energy that can be directly fed to your farm and used exactly where it’s needed. And depending on where you’re located, the incentives could be sizable. (To learn what incentives are available in your state, consult the DSIRE database here.)
According to Lely, the Aircon 10 produces enough electricity to power one Lely Astronaut, while the larger Aircon 30 can power three Astronaut robots plus additional equipment. Lely also makes small wind turbines, which can be used outside the farm in residential developments and industrial settings.
Lely Aircon Now Available Exclusively through Acterra
Just seeing the Aircons in person was enough to pique our interests. But looking the benefits on paper got us really excited—from the potential payback and return on investment to the low total cost of ownership—we were sold. We got to work training directly with Lely on how to plan for, install and service the entire Lely Aircon line of wind turbines. And as of May 21, 2018, Acterra became the first and only distributer in the US to carry the Lely wind turbines.
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In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated regulations surrounding underground storage tank (UST) facilities for the first time since 1988. The new rules, which affect nearly every UST facility in some way, were put in place to prevent and better detect leaks and releases. While most of the rules have been in place since 2015, a few of the major requirements included in the new regulations won’t go into effect for a majority of facilities until October 13, 2018—a deadline that is fast approaching.
What Goes Into Effect on October 13?
Operator Training – In addition to designating a Class A and Class B operator at your facility to ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of equipment, you will need at least one Class C operator on site at all times who is trained to respond to emergency spills.
Walkthrough Inspections – Once a month, you will be required to conduct a walkthrough inspection of your facility to check your release detection equipment and spill prevention equipment. Additionally, you will need to conduct an annual inspection to check sumps for damages, leaks and releases. You will also be responsible for maintaining records of each walkthrough for at least one year.
Overfill Prevention Equipment Inspections – Once at least every three years, you will be required to inspect your overfill prevention equipment to ensure that it activates at the correct level in your tank. You will need to maintain inspection records for a minimum of three years.
Spill Prevention Equipment & Containment Sump Testing – Unless you use double-walled spill containment equipment that is periodically monitored (in most cases, every 30 days), you will need to test your spill prevention equipment every three years to make sure it’s liquid-tight. Again, you’ll need to keep records of the tests for three years. If your system does not require testing because your equipment is monitored, you will be responsible for maintaining those records to prove the integrity of your system.
Release Detection Equipment Testing – All electrical and mechanical components of your release detection equipment must be tested annually. This includes automatic tank gauges, probes and sensors, leak detectors, vacuum pumps and pressure gauges, and hand-held sampling equipment. Detailed records should be kept for at least three years.
Acterra Helps You Stay Compliant
Acterra helps operators around the country inspect, test and repair their UST systems to stay compliant with the latest regulations and industry standards, in addition to other maintenance services. Our service contract program helps teams expand their resources, capabilities and expertise. To learn how we can help your facility, contact Lisa Opsahl at lopsahl@acterragroup.net or call 800.289.7371×122.
Acterra was featured in the April 2018 edition of Business View Magazine, an executive business journal covering industry trends and the latest developments in manufacturing, construction, energy and logistics.
In the article, President Tad Cooper discusses how the company has evolved since his grandfather started Acterra in 1958, and the importance of diversification and customer service in growing the business
“We’re customer driven. Why do my customers stay with me? Service—that’s the most important thing; to keep their operations up and running. If our equipment is down, we need to make sure it’s maintained. We know that in the fuel business, if they’re not pumping fuel, they’re not happy. So, we try very hard to keep repeat customers happy.”
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Spill buckets
A Wild Ride
If you’re a dairy farmer, chances are you’re already familiar with the Lely brand, known for its reliability and the famous Lely Astronaut robotic milking system. For years, Lely has led the push to automate farms to make them more self-sustainable, environmentally-friendly and future-ready. Now that the company has added the Aircons to their product offerings, more farmers will have the chance to be energy independent, and potentially, add a new source of revenue to their operations.