Vehicle

British Columbia’s (BC) largest gas distributor has taken a lead position in a program allowing utilities and their customers to fund incentives for natural gas vehicle (NGV) use, thereby boosting the market for the province’s production.

The natural gas vehicle (NGV) fueling kit manufacturer at Clean Energy Fuels Corp., BAF, has received approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for its compression natural gas (CNG) conversion kits used on 2012 Ford F-Series 250/350 pickup trucks and E-Series 250/350 vans. CARB’s OK means the NGVs can now be sold in California. BAF is the first CNG converter in the nation to receive CARB’s certification for F-Series pickups. CNG-powered BAF E-250/350 van are already in wide use among service providers such as AT&T and Super Shuttle, and have been certified by CARB since 2007; now the certification is extended to include 2012 models. The latest NGV certification adds to permits BAF already has from CARB for several other Ford models, and it has federal Environmental Protection Agency certification for all of the models.

Addressing opposite ends of the value chain in natural gas transportation, Cummins Inc. and separately, GP Strategies Corp. on Wednesday announced advancements in natural gas vehicle (NGV) engines and fueling infrastructure.

Pennsylvania is on its way to officially charging a fee for Marcellus Shale drilling. Gov. Tom Corbett signed House Bill 1950 on Monday evening, giving shale gas-rich counties in the state the ability to impose a 15-year impact fee on unconventional gas wells; now it’s up to the locals.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said up to $4.5 million in grants is being made available to support development of a network of natural gas vehicle (NGV) fueling stations in Texas. The TCEQ Clean Transportation Triangle grants are part of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan and are offered to entities that intend to build natural gas fueling stations along interstate highways connecting Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth (see Daily GPI, Jan. 17). The stations must be located no more than three miles from the interstate highways and must be made available to the public. A preference will be given to stations providing both liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas at a single location and to stations located not more than one mile for an interstate highway system. The application deadline is April 16. For information visit www.terpgrants.org, or call (800) 919-8377.

AGL Resources Inc. unit Pivotal LNG said it is buying a 60,000 gal/d natural gas liquefaction facility in Trussville, AL, in support of its plans to market liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the wholesale vehicle fuels market.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. will construct and operate two compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle fueling stations in the New York City area, the company said. The first station will be in Queens, and the second will open adjacent to Newark, NJ’s Liberty International Airport. Designed to support growing fleets of CNG taxis, limousines and paratransit vehicles, the Queens and Newark Airport stations will also be available 24 hours a day for public access. The Queens facility is to be built on property owned by New York City’s largest taxi fleet owner. Construction is set to begin in May with a targeted opening slated for fall. The Newark Airport station is to be co-located with a new convenience store. The Clean Energy/Newark Airport Plaza CNG station is scheduled to open in June. Clean Energy has a CNG station at LaGuardia Airport and has assumed management of four of National Grid’s CNG stations in the New York metropolitan area, including the station at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The Seal Beach, CA-based company recently struck a fleet deal with AT&T (see Daily GPI, April 5).

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. will construct and operate two compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle fueling stations in the New York City area, the company said. The first station will be in Queens, and the second will open adjacent to Newark, NJ’s Liberty International Airport. Designed to support growing fleets of CNG taxis, limousines and paratransit vehicles, the Queens and Newark Airport stations will also be available 24 hours a day for public access. The Queens facility is to be built on property owned by New York City’s largest taxi fleet owner. Construction is set to begin in May with a targeted opening slated for fall. The Newark Airport station is to be co-located with a new convenience store. The Clean Energy/Newark Airport Plaza CNG station is scheduled to open in June. Clean Energy has a CNG station at LaGuardia Airport and has assumed management of four of National Grid’s CNG stations in the New York metropolitan area, including the station at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The Seal Beach, CA-based company recently struck a fleet deal with AT&T (see Daily GPI, April 5).

PNG Ventures Inc. has agreed to purchase a 100% ownership interest in Earth Biofuels subsidiary Earth LNG Inc., which includes an Arizona plant that is one of only five vehicle-quality liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facilities in the United States, the company said Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.