NGVAmerica News Week in Review: August 15, 2016

• Clean Energy Announces Multiple Natural Gas Station Openings, Natural Gas Projects
• RRC Accepting Comments on Amendments to Regulations for CNG and LNG
• APG Supports More Than 100 Dual Fuel Conversions for VW Transport
• American Natural Gas Acquires Krug Energy CNG Station
• Republic Unveils New CNG Fueling Station in Long Beach
• Trillium CNG to Build Station for San Antonio Transit Authority
• Hexagon Composites Enters CNG-For-Rail Market with New Joint Venture
• BMT Nigel Gee Secures Contract to Design New LNG-Powered Ferries
• EVOL LNG to Bunker LNG at Fremantle Port in Australian

 

Clean Energy Announces Multiple Natural Gas Station Openings, Natural Gas Projects

August 11, 2016

Clean Energy announced that it has been selected as a supplier to provide natural gas upgrades to facilities in Cummins’ Distribution Business Unit across North America. This will allow Clean Energy to assist Cummins with their continued support to implement natural gas vehicles.

Clean Energy’s Facility Modification Services (FMS) provides natural gas facility assessments and design and build services for the natural gas industry in North America. The group works with public and private agencies to support their transition to and opportunities provided by NGVs.

Clean Energy FMS is also installing its proprietary NGV Easy Bay for a Ryder facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The NGV Easy Bay, a code-compliant industrial fabric barrier system, is scalable and can accommodate a single bay isolation project, or be used to divide a large building into multiple bays. It is retractable for easy storage and can even be relocated to another facility.

The FMS team is also providing design and build services for three McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing facilities, and anticipates beginning construction in early 2017. In addition to the expanding FMS business, Clean Energy announced the following agreements in the Trucking, Transit and Refuse sectors:

In trucking, Midway Ford Truck Center and Clean Energy held a ceremony on August 9 to open a CNG station in Kansas City, Missouri. The station is adjacent to vehicle up-fitter businesses that will provide CNG conversions and vehicle equipment for Ford Commercial Trucks equipped with CNG-prepped gasoline engines, including Transit Van and F-150 pickup trucks which are both manufactured at the nearby Ford Assembly Plant.

“For many of our commercial fleet customers, sustainability and alternative fuels has become a key component of their business plans,” said John Ruppert, Director of Commercial Vehicle Sales & Marketing for Ford Motor Company. “Having options like CNG provides them with choices in how they may choose to implement those plans.”

Baldor Specialty Foods, one of the largest distributors of fresh produce and specialty foods in the North East, has begun making the transition to natural gas for its fleet after testing a CNG truck provided by Clean Energy. Headquartered in the Bronx, New York, Baldor saw the opportunity to operate the Class 8 CNG truck as a way to explore the benefits of fueling with natural gas first hand. Baldor will be fueling at Clean Energy’s National Grid station in Everett, Massachusetts.

Clean Energy expanded its America’s Natural Gas Highway with a ribbon cutting ceremony in July to open a new CNG station in Conley, Georgia. Anchor Fleet G&P Trucking Company, and additional fleet representatives, were present to celebrate the occasion. The LNG station is expected to dispense approximately 270,000 GGEs per year.

In addition to opening new stations, Clean Energy has added Davenport Transport, a United States Postal Service carrier based out of Blairsville, Georgia, to its list of trucking customers. Additionally, existing customer Bimbo Bakeries USA has recently added additional NGVs to its fleet.

In transit, the City of Santa Clarita has extended a four year agreement with Clean Energy for the operation and maintenance of the city’s CNG fueling stations, which represents approximately 1.3 million GGEs per year. The city has continued to expand their CNG fleet of more than 70 vehicles within the Transit Department, and has also expanded its CNG fleet in the pool and Public Works departments.

Clean Energy has been awarded a construction agreement with the City of Culver City, California to replace and install new CNG equipment at the city’s Transportation Department. This project will support the continued success of their expanding CNG program of more than 100 CNG vehicles.

Atlas Refuel has contracted with Clean Energy to build, own and operate a natural gas fueling station at San Jose International Airport. The public station will support airport and other fleets and is anticipated to dispense approximately 300,000 GGEs per year.

The Sacramento County Airport System has contracted with Clean Energy for a multi-year repair and maintenance agreement for its Sacramento International Airport station. Clean Energy will perform repairs and take over maintenance at the station which will fuel an anticipated 500,000 GGEs per year to airport and municipal vehicles.

The Port of Oakland has extended Clean Energy’s ten-year operation and maintenance agreement for another five years with an additional five-year option for the Oakland International Airport station. The station provides fueling services to the port authority’s natural gas fleet, as well to vehicles which service the airport.

Clean Energy has been commissioned to construct a CNG station for the Kent School District in Kent, Washington. The station, which will also be maintained by Clean Energy, is expected to fuel 20 buses and distribute approximately 40,000 GGEs per year for the 4^th largest school district in the state.

Valley Metro, the regional public transportation agency for greater Phoenix, has extended a CNG station operations and maintenance agreement with Clean Energy for an additional 5 years. Such agreement covers Valley Metro’s Mesa facility and represents approximately 1.4 million GGEs per year. Clean Energy also operates and maintains Valley Metro’s Tempe natural gas fueling facility.

Desert Sands Unified School District has awarded Clean Energy a three-year maintenance contract for its station in La Quinta, California. The station will support the district’s 40 CNG buses, which represents as much as 90,000 GGEs per year.

In refuse, Homewood Disposal, a refuse company servicing over 12,500 commercial customers throughout Indiana and Illinois, held a ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday to unveil its new CNG fueling station in Homewood, Illinois. Clean Energy constructed, and will provide operations and maintenance services for the station, which includes 40 time-fill posts and will begin offering fueling to the general public next month.

The City of Scottsdale has renewed its operations & maintenance contract with Clean Energy for an additional year. The station, which supports the city’s natural gas refuse fleet, dispenses over 300,000 GGEs per year.

Republic Services, one of the nation’s largest refuse companies, opened a new CNG station in Wilsonville, Oregon on June 10. The station, was built and will be operated and maintained by Clean Energy.

In addition to these projects, Clean Energy Fuels announced it obtained $19.5 million in grant funding during the second quarter of 2016. The grants, awarded by multiple states, provide funding to Clean Energy and its customers for 369 NGVs and a station construction project. The award includes a $1.4 million grant by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for Ruan Transportation Management Systems to purchase 27 CNG Class 8 trucks.

 

RRC Accepting Comments on Amendments to Regulations for CNG and LNG

August 10, 2016

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is now accepting informal comments from the public on rule amendments to 16 Texas Administrative Code, Chapters 13 and 14, relating to Regulations for Compressed Natural Gas and Regulations for Liquefied Natural Gas. The RRC says the amendments regard National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) updates and other administrative changes.

To view the proposed rules amendments, visit the RRC website. To submit informal comments, email April Richardson, Director of RRC’s Alternative Fuels Safety Department, at april.richardson@rrc.texas.gov. Comments are due no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9, 2016.

 

APG Supports More Than 100 Dual Fuel Conversions for VW Transport

August 10, 2016

American Power Group (APG) announced that its largest customer, WW Transport, is now operating over one hundred APG Turbocharged Natural Gas Dual Fuel Heavy-Haul Class 8 trucks within their fleet. WW Transport is headquartered in West Burlington, Iowa, and are experts in specialized freight. In addition to normal hauling of flatbed and heavy-haul type business, WW Transport specializes in food grade bulk hauling, both liquid and dry bulk, as well as refrigerated hauling.

“We are strong believers in the long term economic and environmental benefits of using natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel as evidenced by the significant investments we have made thus far in natural gas fueling infrastructure and natural gas vehicles,” said Kyle Weuve, WW Transport’s CFO.

“There are not many fleets in the United States that have more than 100 heavy duty trucks running on some form of natural gas so APG is pleased that our field performance has achieved this customer satisfaction milestone,” Lyle Jensen, CEO of American Power Group. “APG has carved out a specialized niche where our EPA and CARB qualified dual fuel systems are the only effective natural gas solution in the 13L to 15L Class 8 truck performance range for power and torque and diesel-related emission reductions.”

 

American Natural Gas Acquires Krug Energy CNG Station

August 8, 2016

American Natural Gas (ANG) continues to expand its network of natural gas fueling stations with the acquisition of Krug Energy’s public CNG station in Searcy, Arkansas. With the acquisition of this station, ANG also signed a long-term fueling agreement with Triple Transport, an established Arkansas-based hauling and transportation company.

“With approximately 800,000 gallons fueled in 2015, this station is one of the top performing sites in the country,” said Drew West, Chief Executive Officer of ANG. “These figures, combined with the hard work put into building and maintaining the station make it a proud addition to the ANG network.”

The station features redundant compressors, over 600 PSI of inlet pressure, ample buffer storage, and three dispensers suited to fuel both personal vehicles and heavy duty commercial tractors. Service at the station will remain uninterrupted as ownership and operations responsibilities shift to ANG.

“Krug Energy welcomes ANG to Searcy and is looking forward to their expertise in bringing this CNG station to its full potential,” said Rush Krug, President of Krug Energy and Triple Transport.

In May, ANG acquired two CNG fueling stations from an affiliate of Southwestern Energy Company in Conway and Damascus, Arkansas. The Searcy station is ANG’s third station in the state. In addition, ANG recently opened a public CNG station in Saratoga, New York, located off I-87. ANG designed the station to accommodate both consumers and regional natural gas fleets, which ANG has worked with to help transition to natural gas. ANG continues to vet out a number of other natural gas station locations and opportunities and expects to make more announcements before the end of the year.

 

Republic Unveils New CNG Fueling Station in Long Beach

August 12, 2016

Republic Services unveiled its latest CNG fueling station in Long Beach, California. The new fueling station is designed to support the recent addition of 56 new CNG-powered collection trucks that serve customers throughout greater Long Beach. The additional CNG trucks have replaced older diesel-powered trucks, and bring the total number of alternative fuel vehicles operated by Republic Services of Long Beach to 147.

“Our growing fleet of alternative fuel vehicles in Long Beach enables us to offer cleaner and quieter operations,” said Heath Eddleblute, area president of Republic Services. “It also embodies our commitment, as one of the largest vocational fleet operators in the country, to doing our part to reduce carbon emissions whenever possible.”

The new fueling station is Republic’s second alternative fuels facility in Long Beach. Republic has been committed to introducing alternative fuel vehicles into its Long Beach fleet since 2008. Republic partnered with Clean Energy on this new fueling station project. More than 75 percent of Republic’s fleet of 191 collection trucks in Long Beach is now powered by clean, domestically produced natural gas.

“Republic’s CNG program is a perfect fit with our Sustainable City Action Plan,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “Climate change is indeed real and we must adapt the way we produce and use energy, supporting transportation that is not reliant on fossil fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”

Nationwide, Republic operates a fleet of nearly 2,500 CNG-powered vehicles which are supported by 38 natural gas fueling stations. Last year, Republic’s CNG fleet helped save roughly 21 million gallons of diesel fuel.

 

Trillium CNG to Build Station for San Antonio Transit Authority

August 10, 2016

Trillium CNG, a part of the Love’s Family of Companies, has been selected by VIA Metropolitan, the transit authority servicing San Antonio, to design and build a new CNG fueling facility. The facility will feature ten CNG pumps that will be added to VIA’s current private fueling facility on North Flores Street.

VIA provides public transportation services to 13 cities in the Greater San Antonio Region and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County. VIA operates seven days a week on 90 routes and provided 41 million rides across the region in 2015.  The VIA Board of Trustees recently voted to replace the agency’s fleet with CNG-fueled vehicles.

Construction on the new station is scheduled to begin this fall and open by late spring 2017. The facility will include seven 700-horsepower compressors, with a total flow rate of more than 85 GGEs per minute.

Love’s Travel Stops operates more than 50 travel stops in the state of Texas, eight of which offer Love’s Fast-Fill CNG for heavy-duty trucks and a CNG fueling option for motorists. Trillium operates an additional 13 public CNG fueling stations in the state.

 

Hexagon Composites Enters CNG-For-Rail Market with New Joint Venture

August 15, 2016

Hexagon Composites’ wholly owned subsidiary Hexagon Lincoln has entered into a joint venture agreement with Allegheny Creative Energy Solutions (ACES) and Resonance Mode to create a new entity. As the majority shareholder, Hexagon Composites will support the new entity to develop and manufacture CNG fuel solutions for the rail industry.

“As pioneer of CNG-for-rail, we are very pleased to be joining forces with world-class manufacturer Hexagon Composites and innovative engineering firm Resonance Mode,” says Ross Rowland, Chairman of ACES. “We are confident that CNG will become the railroad fuel of the future.”

ACES and Resonance Mode have extensive experience with American railroads and have designed prototype CNG tenders, fuel storage, and trackside refueling systems with Hexagon Composites’ bulk-capacity TITAN cylinders. The joint venture’s primary focus will be the US market, but it will provide CNG rail solutions worldwide.

“We see great opportunities in the global rail market, even with current oil prices,” says Frank Häberli, Vice President, Mobile Pipeline, Hexagon Lincoln. “Long-term competitive fuel pricing and meeting reduced emissions requirements, especially for railroads operating in metropolitan areas, are very important market drivers for the adoption of CNG in this segment.”

In addition to providing TITAN cylinders for tender cars carrying fuel for the largest (Class I) locomotives, Hexagon Composites provides on-board CNG cylinders for small and medium-size (Class II and III) locomotives.

 

BMT Nigel Gee Secures Contract to Design New LNG-Powered Ferries

August 10, 2015

BMT Nigel Gee (BMT), a naval architecture and marine engineering design consultant, has announced a new project to design two large LNG-powered catamaran ferries. BMT will be responsible for concept through to production design.

Both vessels, which will be built by Triyard Holdings subsidiary, Strategic Marine in Vung Tau, Vietnam, will serve the Friesland Islands connecting Harlingen, Terschelling and Vlieland in the Netherlands and enter service in April 2018.

The vessels will be fueled solely by clean-burning LNG, with both main engines and generators running off the LNG supply. The vessels will offer significantly lower emissions than conventional steel and diesel powered vessels.

With the capacity to accommodate over 60 cars and 600 passengers, the vessels will be designed to interface with existing port facilities, boast wind generators and solar panels to reinforce its environmentally friendly credentials.

 

EVOL LNG to Bunker LNG at Fremantle Port in Australian

August 15, 2016

In an Australian first, EVOL LNG has been approved by Fremantle Ports to bunker LNG, providing access to the cleaner shipping fuel alternative for LNG-powered marine vessels visiting Fremantle Port.

It comes after Woodside announced in April that it had signed a five-year charter contract with Norwegian company Siem Offshore Australia to deliver Australia’s first LNG-powered marine support vessel next year.

The availability of LNG as a bunker fuel, which will be delivered from EVOL LNG’s Kwinana LNG plant, will pave the way for LNG-fueled ships to visit the port, and provide the option for local ferries and workboats to switch to the lower-cost, lower-emission fuel.