Distrigas of Massachusetts LLC, a subsidiary of GDF SUEZ Energy North America, announced that it is providing LNG (liquefied natural gas) to the first LNG refueling station east of the Mississippi River.
Enviro Express Natural Gas LLC owns and operates the combination LNG and CNG (compressed natural gas) refueling station in Bridgeport CT, adjacent to Interstate 95. This represents the first time LNG has been sold as a vehicle fuel from Distrigas’s Everett Marine Terminal.
“Interest in LNG to power fleet vehicles is increasing significantly as diesel fuel and gasoline prices continue to climb,” said Joe Murphy, vice-president, sales and transportation for Distrigas. “The difference in fuel and maintenance costs and the environmental benefits make LNG an attractive vehicle fuel alternative.”
The public-access refueling station presently provides LNG to Enviro Express’ new commercial fleet of 18 Kenworth T800 semi tractor-trailers and CNG to fleet customers. Enviro Express is a waste collection and transport company that uses its fleet to haul ash and other refuse from Bridgeport to Putnam CT, a 110-mile trip.
Partially funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the $6.2 million project is part of the larger Connecticut Clean Cities Future Fuels project.
By switching to LNG, Enviro Express’ fleet is able to displace about 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually and remove hundreds of tons of particulate emissions from the air. The switch to a cleaner fuel should also lower vehicle maintenance costs and allow the trucks to travel farther between oil changes. Additional savings is realized because the price of LNG is much lower than the price of diesel fuel and gasoline.
Adding to the environmental benefit, the fueling station is a closed system that recaptures boil-off from the LNG that would otherwise vent into the atmosphere and compresses it to be stored as CNG.