NGVAmerica News Week in Review: February 12, 2018

• New Flyer to Supply San Diego MTS with Additional 50 CNG Buses
• NGVAmerica Applauds Congress on Passage of Alternative Fuel Tax Credit Extension
• Apply Soon for Upcoming 2018 Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum
• AMP Americas Constructing Country’s Largest On-Farm Dairy RNG Project
• Canadian Natural Gas Innovation Fund Accepting Applications
• Bennett Pump Company Appoints Spencer Hines as New President
• Cenergy Solutions Signs Agreement to Develop and Distribute ANG Products in India

New Flyer to Supply San Diego MTS with Additional 50 CNG Buses

February 9, 2018

The San Diego Metropolitan System (MTS) has awarded New Flyer with a new contract for up to 50 CNG-powered Xcelsior sixty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses. MTS currently has 220 forty-foot CNG New Flyer buses and 70 sixty-foot CNG articulated New Flyer buses in operation. The 50 new buses will replace existing buses in the fleet over the next five years.

MTS plans to use 17 of the articulated buses currently in production for its new South Bay bus rapid transit service expected to open later this year. South Bay Rapid is a new $128 million project that includes 12 stations along a 26-mile route from the U.S.-Mexico border to Downtown San Diego, connecting employment and activity centers in Downtown San Diego and South County.

The contract includes 30 firm orders with options to purchase an additional 20 CNG sixty-foot, heavy-duty transit buses. The order will support MTS’ state-of-good-repair efforts, commitment to clean fuels for its bus fleet, and its growing BRT system called Rapid.

“As San Diego and its surrounding regions continue to invest in the development of a compact urban core, the need for efficient transportation will increase,” said Wayne Joseph, President, New Flyer of America. “MTS has recognized this and is proactively leading the evolution to sustainable public transit. We commend MTS on its industry leadership in low-emission transit, and are proud to again provide New Flyer buses to support a growing San Diego.”

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) provides public transportation for Central, South, Northeast and Southeast San Diego County in California, generating 88 million annual passenger trips with approximately 800 buses in a service territory spanning 570 square miles.

NGVAmerica Applauds Congress on Passage of Alternative Fuel Tax Credit Extension

February 9, 2018

NGVAmerica applauded the U.S. Senate and House for passing, and President Trump for quickly signing into law, legislation that extends the natural gas fuel and infrastructure tax credits retroactively for 2017.

“The bipartisan budget agreement wisely includes provisions aimed to promote the use of clean, domestic natural gas in transportation,” said NGVAmerica President Daniel Gage. “By extending the Alternative Fuels Tax Credit for natural gas vehicles and the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit for natural gas refueling stations retroactively for 2017, Congress signals how important clean technology natural gas vehicles are to growing our economy, improving our air quality, and enhancing our energy security while reducing our carbon footprint.”

The legislation includes the Alternative Fuels Tax Credit, which extends the $0.50 per gallon fuel credit for the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel, and the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit, which extends the 30 percent/$30,000 investment tax credit for alternative vehicle refueling property.

Natural gas vehicles are powered by American fuel, American technology, and American innovation. No commercially-available heavy-duty powertrain solution runs cleaner than natural gas, and the cleanest heavy-duty truck engine in the world is powered by natural gas.

The natural gas vehicle industry needs certainty and deserves parity with other zero emissions equivalent technologies. NGVAmerica will continue working with Congressional leaders to extend these proven clean air investment incentives for 2018 and beyond.

Apply Soon for Upcoming 2018 Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum

February 8, 2018

Registration is open for the upcoming 2018 Natural Gas Vehicle Technology Forum being held at the Southern California Gas Company Energy Resource Center in Downey, California, February 21–22. Registering for the event is free but must be completed by February 14.

The NGVTF annual meeting is a free event for stakeholders to share information and identify technology targets and gaps. The meeting also provides an opportunity for participants to discuss regulations, market barriers, research feedback and opportunities for NGV technologies. Find the agenda and more meeting information on the NGVTF website.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is hosting this meeting in partnership with the California Energy Commission, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Gas Company, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office, and NGV America. For more information, contact John Gonzales.

To register, visit the event website.

AMP Americas Constructing Country’s Largest On-Farm Dairy RNG Project

February 6, 2018

Renewable Dairy Fuels (RDF), a business unit of AMP Americas, announced at the 2018 Rethink Methane Symposium, that construction is underway on the country’s largest on-farm anaerobic digester-to-vehicle fuel operation. Located in Fair Oaks, Indiana, the dairy project will be the company’s second biogas facility producing renewable natural gas from dairy waste for transportation fuel.

Amp Americas received the first dairy waste-to-vehicle fuel pathway certified by California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) for its first RNG project at Fair Oaks Farms in northwest Indiana. The project was also awarded a Carbon Intensity (CI) score of -254.94 gCO2e/MJ, the lowest ever issued by CARB. In addition to generating renewable American energy, on-farm anaerobic digester operations improve sustainability, environmental stewardship and energy independence.

The new facility will be 50 percent larger than RDF’s operation at Fair Oaks Farms and will be operational this summer. The site is located in Jasper County, Indiana, just a few miles from Fair Oaks Farms. Every day, three digesters located at three dairy farms will convert 950 tons of dairy waste from 16,000 head of milking cows into 100 percent renewable transportation fuel. The RNG will then be injected into the NIPSCO pipeline. Each of the digesters is a DVO, Inc. designed and built Mixed Plug Flow digester.

“Transportation is now the largest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S., and a major source of smog-causing pollution. It is more important than ever to drive further adoption of clean and efficient domestic RNG within the trucking industry,” said Grant Zimmerman, CEO at AMP Americas. “There isn’t enough RNG being produced to meet customer demand. Our new project will help make strong headway toward closing the supply gap.”

AMP Americas is participating at the Rethink Methane Conference in Sacramento, where CEO Grant Zimmerman will moderate the “Encouraging Private Investment in RNG” panel on February 7.

Canadian Natural Gas Innovation Fund Accepting Applications

February 8, 2017

The Natural Gas Innovation Fund (NGIF) is accepting submissions for funding to support natural gas cleantech research, demonstration and deployment innovation projects in Canada. NGIF, created by the Canadian Gas Association (CGA), supports the funding of cleantech innovation in the natural gas value chain. It seeks to fill a technology development gap in the sector and invest in innovation enabling natural gas solutions for current and emerging challenges facing Canada’s energy system. This call is for applications to NGIF’s Round 4 funding cycle.

The natural gas industry selects and advances cleantech projects led by startups and organizations with the right innovation for market uptake and commercial viability. NGIF’s Investment Committee includes CGA, ATCO, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc., Énergir, FortisBC, Pacific Northern Gas Ltd., SaskEnergy and Union Gas Ltd.

For more information and to apply, visit the NGIF website.

Bennett Pump Company Appoints Spencer Hines as New President

February 8, 2018

Bennett Pump Company announced that Spencer Hines will lead global operations for Bennett, including wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Bennett located in Shanghai, China. Spencer served in several capacities at Bennett between 2010 and 2014, including Vice President of Operations, and for the past four years as the Vice President of Bennett’s parent company, Hines Corporation.

Spencer takes the helm at Bennett following the retirement of long-time President Tom Thompson.

“We appreciate Tom’s many years of service and wish him well in his retirement,” said Larry Hines, Founder & CEO, Hines Corporation.

Cenergy Solutions Signs Agreement to Develop and Distribute ANG Products in India

February 1, 2018

Cenergy Solutions has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with APPL Industries Ltd to form APPL- Cenergy Solutions, India to develop and distribute adsorbed natural and biogas (ANG) products throughout India and Asia.

Adsorbent Natural Gas or ANG has many game changing applications, including to fuel natural gas vehicles to replace gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. Cenergy says the future of natural and biogas capture and storage will be with ANG, which will store natural gas at low pressures (200 to 900 psi) instead of high pressure (3,000 to 5,000 psi), substantially reducing energy costs.

The technology to use adsorbents has been in development for the last 25 years but Cenergy Solutions has made some significant technological advancements over the last four years to allow them to bring their proprietary ANG technology to market. APPL Industries has 6 manufacturing plants in India which will provide a reliable and cost-effective way to manufacture and distribute ANG products in Asia.

“This partnership will allow Cenergy Solutions to focus on improving ANG technology while APPL – Cenergy Solutions, India will focus on manufacturing and distributing ANG equipment in Asian countries,” said Gary Fanger the COO/CTO of Cenergy Solutions.