Canada’s largest pure fuel producer is partnering with a California-based clear power firm to construct and function a community of compressed pure fuel (CNG) fueling stations to assist heavy-duty vans transition off diesel.
Calgary-based Tourmaline Oil Corp. made the announcement Tuesday with Clear Vitality Fuels Corp. made, an American firm that’s the largest provider south of the border of low-carbon gasoline for the transport market.
Collectively, the 2 corporations say they plan to speculate $70 million to function as much as 20 CNG stations over the subsequent 5 years. The stations will probably be branded Clear Vitality and use Tourmaline’s pure fuel, giving truck fleets an opportunity to enhance their environmental efficiency.
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“There are a variety of trucking fleets which have already proven curiosity, so we really feel excellent about our plan,” Clear Vitality Fuels CEO Andrew Littlefair advised reporters in Calgary.
“A lot of the truck producers taking a look at prospects . . . their prospects need them to be sustainable.”
Though nonetheless a fossil gasoline, pure fuel is extra environmentally pleasant than diesel, with a 20 % decrease C02 emission profile. Changing one semi-truck to CNG from diesel is the equal of taking as much as 5 passenger autos off the street.
There are different choices the long-haul trucking sector is taking a look at to scale back its greenhouse fuel footprint. Within the US, Clear Vitality operates a community of 590 fuel stations for the 25,000 heavy-duty vans, buses and huge autos within the nation that run on renewable pure fuel, or RNG.
RNG isn’t a fossil gasoline – it’s made out of natural waste. Switching from diesel to RNG drastically reduces carbon emissions by a mean of 300 %, Littlefair mentioned.
In Canada, nevertheless, RNG provides stay restricted, though Littlefair mentioned the fueling station infrastructure required for RNG is identical as for CNG, which means it may simply be added to the stations because it comes on stream.
Electrical semi-trucks may be an possibility someday, though they presently lack the vary or energy that trucking corporations are searching for.
In the meantime, pure fuel is considerable, simply distributed and inexpensive.
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“We should cut back emissions now. It isn’t about what we are able to do three a long time from now,” mentioned Tourmaline CEO Mike Rose. “Pure fuel is right here now.”
The primary station below the settlement is situated north of Edmonton and is already operational, and extra stations in Calgary, Grande Prairie, Alta. and Kamloops, BC, are anticipated to be up and operating by the tip of subsequent 12 months, the businesses mentioned.
Certainly one of North America’s largest logistics corporations, Mullen Group Ltd., has already indicated it plans to make use of the community of stations for its rising fleet of CNG-powered vans.
CEO Murray Mullen mentioned his firm has been working CNG vans in Alberta for greater than 18 months. He mentioned that whereas the pure gas-powered engines are about 30 % dearer than a standard diesel engine, the CNG itself is cheaper than retail diesel.
“CNG is the longer term. It makes enterprise sense,” Mullen mentioned.
At the moment, solely about two % of recent Class A heavy-duty vans bought in North America are pure fuel powered. However Mullen mentioned it’s anticipated to develop quickly because the sustainability motion gathers steam.
“We have now many (pure fuel vans) on order, however I am unable to get them as a result of the inventory is low. And the reason being as a result of the business throughout North America is shifting in the identical route as me,” Mullen mentioned.
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“The change is going on so shortly that it’s creating bottlenecks within the provide chain.”
Mullen mentioned by the tip of the last decade, 50 % of the autos he buys for his fleet will doubtless be powered by pure fuel, RNG or one thing else that is not diesel.
“I can really feel it after I speak to my friends within the business. There’s a variety of change taking place,” Mullen mentioned.
“I do not see anybody denying it.”
© 2023 The Canadian Press
