GE teams up with Clean Energy to expand natural gas fueling infrastructure

The new system will help reduce a fleet operator’s fuel costs by more than 25 percent compared to diesel. LNG produced with the MicroLNG can be used to fuel approximately 28,000 heavy trucks, replacing diesel-powered trucks with equivalent fuel economy. This could enable fleet operators to avoid more than 139,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 27,000 cars using gasoline.

Clean Energy expects to complete approximately 70 LNG stations by the end of 2012, with more planned for next year to serve the movement of goods along major transportation corridors throughout the U.S. “As the long-haul trucking industry begins its transition to natural gas, it will be critical to have a reliable supply of LNG. The agreement announced with GE is one of the most significant milestones in Clean Energy’s history,” said Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy.

These first two MicroLNG plants, which are targeted to begin operation in 2015, will produce up to 250,000 gallons per day, but the plant is designed to be expanded up to 1 million gallons per day as adoption and demand increases. The LNG produced will be used primarily at Pilot-Flying J truck stops that serve truckers across the country. The two companies are currently assessing the best locations for these first two LNG plants.

Source: General Electric