The first field demonstrations began Tuesday of a micro “fueling station in a box” technology for refueling compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered fleet vehicles at Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) utility, one of several public and private organizations participating in the demonstration.

The maker of the equipment, Argentina-based Galileo Natural Gas Technologies, is seeking to showcase its relatively small CNG fueling station for the first time in the United States. Beside SoCalGas, demonstrations of the compact natural gas fueling technology will include the city and county of Riverside, CA, AT&T, regional school bus and taxi companies, and individual CNG vehicle owners.

The Microbox product is one of several innovative natural gas fueling options offered by Galileo, according to its website. Everything needed for CNG refueling is housed in an enclosed facility the size of a small shipping container.

SoCalGas called the Microbox a streamlined CNG fueling approach that is part of the Sempra utility’s ongoing research/development efforts focused on ways to advance innovative technologies.

For the nation’s largest gas-only utility the modular fueling technology offers what it called “the potential for lower construction and maintenance costs, faster fueling, minimized installation time and a smaller physical footprint.”

Galileo’s equipment is described by SoCalGas as being compact and self-contained, and providing CNG at the gasoline equivalent cost of about $2/gal.

Drawing on the abundance and currently low prices for natural gas, SoCalGas’ Hal Snyder, vice president for customer solutions, said the demonstration program’s goal from the utility’s standpoint is to “advance new technology” that can also lower upfront capital costs for cities, counties and private operators.

State officials supported the effort and lauded Riverside for its leadership on this project, operating natural gas throughout its fleet of 250 vehicles, including 60 sedans, 73 pickup trucks, 39 vans and buses, 13 street sweepers, 25 refuse trucks and 39 other heavy-duty trucks.

Noting that his city values innovation, technology advancement and environmentally sound solutions, Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge called the small-size fueling station a “groundbreaking” advancement in the clean fuels sector. He called it a “positive statement for our region.” Loveridge also serves on the California Air Resources Board and is a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s business and economic development head, Joel Ayala, praised the demonstration effort, noting that advancing more clean technology use helps create new jobs in the emerging green renewable market.

Southern California now has nearly 300 CNG fueling outlets, serving more than 17,000 fleet and individually owned gas-powered vehicles.

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