To power the new trucks, Trillium CNG(TM) built and will operate a fast-fill CNG station at the grocery distributor’s center. The shift to NGVs will reduce the fleet’s annual oil consumption by more than 1 million gallons and result in 1,300 fewer tons of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the environmental benefits, the new fleet and station is expected to reduce SUPERVALU’s operating costs given the lower cost of natural gas.
“Our decision to transition to natural-gas-powered trucks is in keeping with our long-standing commitment to do business in a sustainable manner,” said Mike Lech, vice president of logistics for SUPERVALU’s Eastern Region.
Utilizing Trillium’s high-performance fast-fill hydraulic intensifier, the new station can fuel trucks at a rate of 8-to-10 gallons per minute and is the first of two Trillium stations planned in the Richmond area. The second is under construction at GRTC Transit System.
SUPERVALU’s Mechanicsville distribution center has a total of 105 tractors in its fleet, and has set a goal of converting approximately 65 percent of its total fleet to natural gas by 2015.
Source: SUPERVALU INC.
