NGVAmerica News Week in Review: February 19, 2018

• Fort Worth Transportation Authority Expanding Natural Gas Fleet with New Flyer
• NGVAmerica Highlights Achievements in 2017 Annual Report
• Ohio EPA Extends Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Grants Application Date
• Orange County Expands Bravo! Low-Emissions Fleet with CNG Buses from New Flyer
• Lynn Lyon Appointed Vice President Strategic Marketing at Hexagon Composites
• Hexagon Composites to Supply CNG Titan Tanks for Marine Application
• Xebec and SAPIO Group Partner to Expand RNG Market in Italy
• Gazprom to Refuel New Natural Gas Locomotives on Sverdlovsk Railway

Fort Worth Transportation Authority Expanding Natural Gas Fleet with New Flyer

February 15, 2018

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA) has awarded New Flyer with a new contract for up to 46 Xcelsior CNG-powered sixty-foot, heavy duty transit buses. The contract includes six firm orders with options to purchase an additional 40 CNG transit buses, which will support Fort Worth’s growing population with efficient, reliable, and affordable transportation.

“We are proud to help the FWTA expand its fleet and operation in the Dallas/Fort Worth area,” said Wayne Joseph, President, New Flyer of America. “As one of America’s fastest-growing regions, it has illustrated leadership in developing efficient, reliable transit infrastructure alongside a vibrant and growing community. Our CNG buses will help deliver on FWTA’s Master Plan, while also providing a sustainable solution for public transportation.”

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority is a regional transportation authority of the State of Texas, providing public transportation in Tarrant County and the North Central Texas region. It provides more than 10 million passenger trips annually.

NGVAmerica Highlights Achievements in 2017 Annual Report

February 19, 2018

NGVAmerica has released its 2017 Annual Report, highlighting how NGVAmerica is leading on initiatives to grow the natural gas vehicle industry and helping its members accomplish their business goals.

The 2017 Annual Report shows how NGVAmerica continues to lead efforts to advance the industry. Several crucial policy wins were achieved in the Congress and state capitols, and NGVAmerica also took on new efforts to advance critical safety and technology issues and strengthened programs to communicate the strong value of natural gas as a transportation fuel.

To view a full copy of NGVAmerica’s 2017 Annual Report, click here.

Ohio EPA Extends Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Grants Application Date

February 12, 2018

Ohio EPA is announcing a new application submittal date of March 20, 2018 for grant proposals to the new Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Grants program. The extended time line will allow applicants and vendors additional time to prepare their proposals.

The grant from Ohio EPA will assist owners of heavy duty diesel- or gasoline-powered vehicles to convert or replace engines to use CNG or LNG fuel. Grants also may be used for bi-fueled or dual-fueled vehicles that can run on both on natural gas and gasoline or diesel fuel.

The program is supported with $5 million allocated by the Ohio General Assembly from the Alternative Fuel Transportation Fund of the Ohio Developmental Services Agency. Eligible alternative fuel vehicles must be registered in Ohio for operation on public highways and be used in business. In addition, more than half the miles driven must be within Ohio. The limit on the total grant award to applicants seeking to replace or convert multiple vehicles is $400,000.

Ohio EPA is offering a conference call on February 27 to answer questions from prospective grant applicants. It is not necessary to pre-register to participate. Dial in information for the conference call is included in the grant application guidelines.

Ohio EPA has posted the grant application for alternative fuel vehicle conversion grants and guidelines on the Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education webpage. Applications may be emailed to derg@epa.ohio.gov beginning no earlier than 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 20. Eligible applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis and the application opportunity will remain open until all available funds have been allocated.

Orange County Expands Bravo! Low-Emissions Fleet with CNG Buses from New Flyer

February 16, 2018

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has awarded New Flyer a contract for six Xcelsior CNG-powered forty-foot, heavy duty transit buses that will be converted from New Flyer’s option backlog to the firm order backlog.

The buses will be used on OCTA’s Bravo! 529 Rapid Bus Service, which is Orange County’s rapid bus service that skips stops to decrease commute time. OCTA is using Low Carbon Transit Operations Program funds and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program funds to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote ridership growth by enhancing service along these routes using low-emission CNG buses on the Bravo! express service schedule.

“New Flyer is thrilled to support Orange County Transportation Authority with expanding its low-emission transit on the Bravo! service,” said Wayne Joseph, President, New Flyer of America. “As OCTA works toward its 2021 vision that focuses on sustainability, reliability, operational excellence, value, and innovative leadership in transportation, New Flyer will be there every step of the way to help build a stronger community and protecting the surrounding environment.”

Orange County Transportation Authority serves 34 cities and unincorporated areas of Orange County, covering transportation within the state’s third-largest county. OCTA operates 62 different bus routes with 5,500 stops, supporting over 40 million passengers per year.

Lynn Lyon Appointed Vice President Strategic Marketing at Hexagon Composites

February 16, 2018

Hexagon Composites ASA has appointed Lynn Lyon as Vice President Strategic Marketing. In her new position, Lynn will be responsible for developing and implementing the Company’s marketing strategy.

Ms. Lyon comes from SWS Environmental Services where she held the position of Vice President of Marketing. Prior to that, Lynn spent more than ten years with Pioneer Natural Resources, where she had responsibility for Pioneer’s strategic natural gas initiatives. Lynn holds a Bachelor’s degree from Shepherd University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.

“Lynn brings great talent and skills to this role,” said Jack Schimenti, President of Hexagon Lincoln. “ In Lynn’s prior duties, she was effective at developing a clear message of compressed natural gas advantages. She possesses a personal positivity, a strategic mind capable of quickly turning thoughts into actions, and a great blend of relationship building and courage as she works initiatives.”

Hexagon Composites to Supply CNG Titan Tanks for Marine Application

February 16, 2018

Hexagon Composites’ subsidiary Hexagon Lincoln has been awarded to supply high-pressure CNG TITAN tanks for fuel storage onboard an LNG gas supply vessel (GSV) being built for Babcock Schulte Energy. The TITAN cylinders will store compressed boil-off-gas from the LNG tanks and flash gas from cargo operations and supply the CNG as fuel to the ship’s dual-fuel propulsion engines.

The boil-off-gas recovery system is designed by the UK based company, Babcock LGE Process. The TITAN cylinders are an integral part of the ship’s patent pending FGSV0 system, developed by Babcock LGE Process, to enable the LNG bunker vessel to meet the emission limits of the IMO Emission Control Areas (ECA) regulations.

“By compressing the boil-off and flash gas and supplying it as fuel to the ship’s engines, our clients will save distillate fuel costs and at the same time reduce the vessel’s emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter (PM),” said Andrew Scott, General Manager at Babcock LGE Process. “In addition, we eliminate fugitive emissions of LNG from the cargo systems, providing a true zero emissions solution.”

“This order marks our expansion of our Mobile Pipeline solutions into high-horsepower fuel systems and the maritime application, which we see as a great future market opportunity,” said Jack Schimenti, President of Hexagon Lincoln.

Xebec and SAPIO Group Partner to Expand RNG Market in Italy

February 15, 2018

Xebec Adsorption has entered into a Letter of Intent to establish a three year partnership with SAPIO, Italy’s largest distributor of technical gases, to help develop Italy’s renewable natural gas (RNG) upgrading infrastructure from biogas facilities such as landfills, digesters and waste water treatment plants.

Xebec will be responsible for designing, building, installing and servicing SAPIO’s biogas upgrading projects, from landfills, agri-waste and dairy digesters, and waste water treatment facilities, using Xebec’s adsorption technology solution.

Xebec says this partnership agreement with SAPIO is a reflection of the success Xebec has already experienced with its partner in France where Xebec is now the leading supplier of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) systems.

“Although Xebec has been involved globally in renewable natural gas projects for over a decade, it is just within the last few years that RNG has become recognized as a viable, ultra-clean, ultra-low carbon natural gas alternative,” said Prabhu Rao, Chief Operating Officer, Xebec Adsorption. “Our building order book and partnerships are clear indicators that we are in the right space in the right time.”

Gazprom to Refuel New Natural Gas Locomotives on Sverdlovsk Railway

February 15, 2018

Gazprom announced that an Implementation Program under the Agreement of Cooperation in the NGV sector was recently signed at the Russian Investment Forum in Sochi. Under the agreement, Gazprom will provide fuel for new LNG locomotives to be deployed by Russian Railways.

Russian Railways plans to increase the fleet of mainline gas turbine locomotives and gas turbine shunters powered by LNG from 3 to 22 units by 2023. The locomotives will operate on the Sverdlovsk Railway.

For refueling purposes, Gazprom intends to build two small-scale LNG production facilities at the gas distribution stations in Tobolsk and Surgut, as well as platforms for mobile refuelers at the Voynovka and Surgut stations.