Renewable natural gas company signs slew of agreements to reduce emissions in trucking and transit

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced a handful of new deals last week in response to the demand for renewable natural gas (RNG) as more fleets adopt and expand their use of the low-carbon transportation fuel, Business Wire reported.

RNG represents more than 74 percent of the 26 million gallons of fuel Clean Energy will provide. The company’s goal is to provide 100 percent zero-carbon renewable fuel at its stations by 2025.

“Fleets that are looking to lower their emissions are switching to RNG because it can provide immediate and significant carbon reductions,” Clean Energy VP Chad Lindholm said in a release. “They’re finding that RNG is the easiest and most cost-effective way to meet sustainability goals.”

Clean Energy has signed agreements with multiple California jurisdictions including the cities of Pasadena, Santa Monica, Ventura County and Sacramento to provide around 18 million gallons in total. They also struck new deals in Buffalo, NY and Lincoln, NE.

“Our adoption of RNG has helped cut emissions by more than 70% over the last five years and aligns with our goal of transitioning to a clean energy fleet by 2030, as well as the City of Santa Monica’s plans for carbon neutrality by 2050,” Santa Monica Transportation Director Ed King said.

Clean Energy has been contracted by the City of Fort Smith, AR, to build a $1.8 million station for the city’s sanitation department to fuel refuse trucks and provide maintenance services at the site. Clean Energy has also signed an agreement to provide $380,000 in facility modifications for the City’s sanitation maintenance facility.

“One of our goals is to improve air quality in the city and increase compressed natural gas (CNG) use where deemed appropriate. The city’s transit department built its CNG fueling station in 2019. It’s time for solid waste to make the conversion,” Fort Smith Director of Solid Waste Services Kyle Foreman said.

The Olathe School District in Kansas has contracted with their transportation provider DS Bus Line to run 30 CNG school buses in place of 30 diesel buses for an estimated 75,000 gallons of CNG per year. The buses will be deployed and operable for the upcoming school year.

Republic Services is expanding with Clean Energy in two more California locations, allowing it to double the number of RNG-fueled trucks in Sun Valley and accommodating an additional 34 refuse trucks in Pacheco. Clean Energy currently provides RNG for Republic Services trucks in 22 states.