WM operates multiple CNG stations across the USA
New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) last week opened Ocean County, New Jersey’s first public-access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station at the Waste Management, Inc. (WM) facility in Toms River, adding further encouragement for fleets to switch to the cleaner fuel. The construction of the CNG fueling station in Toms River is part of NJNG’s unique pilot program, the NGV Advantage.
With approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, NJNG invested a total of USD 10 million to build, own and maintain the infrastructure for three public CNG fueling stations in its service territory. The station at Waste Management’s Toms River facility is the first to become operational. The other two will be located at Shore Point Distributing Company, Inc. in Freehold Township and the Township of Middletown, Department of Public Works (according to a NJNG 2014 press release).
Laurence M. Downes, chairman and CEO of New Jersey Natural Gas said: “We appreciate the opportunity to work with Waste Management to help stimulate the state’s market for compressed natural gas vehicles and the benefits they provide. CNG vehicles are a proven, energy-efficient alternative to gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, help to improve air quality in our communities and support the country’s goal of energy independence.”
“Waste Management’s natural gas conversion has allowed us to achieve important environmental goals of reducing our fleet’s emissions by 15 percent and improving efficiency by 15 percent,” Waste Management Senior District Manager Carmen Perez said. “These ambitious goals were announced in 2007 and the natural gas conversion allowed us to reach these milestones well before our 2020 deadline; and we have many more trucks to convert.
Previously, there had been only eight CNG fueling stations open to the public in New Jersey, which has been a major obstacle to increased use of natural gas vehicles (NGV). The investment in the CNG station at the Waste Management facility and other host sites is an important step in further developing the use of NGVs and, in particular, making it a viable option for area fleets to convert to a cleaner domestic fuel.
With abundant supplies of natural gas in the United States available at competitive prices, CNG compares favorably to gasoline and diesel. In fact, according to a study prepared for the California Energy Commission, natural gas-powered vehicles produce between 20 and 30 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than those powered by diesel.
(Source: New Jersey Natural Gas)
