Tourmaline Oil and Clean Energy Fuels recently opened two compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations in Alberta, marking a key milestone in their efforts to build Western Canada’s first commercial-grade public CNG fueling network.
The new locations in Calgary and Grande Prairie, along with the Edmonton station that opened in April 2023, establish a “crucial” transportation corridor for trucking companies converting their fleets from diesel to CNG, the partners reported.
Powering long-haul trucks and other fleets with CNG results in lower emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter compared to traditional diesel-powered vehicles.
“We are expanding our multi-year diesel displacement initiative by making CNG more readily available to heavy-duty trucking companies,” Michael Rose, Tourmaline chairman, president, and CEO, said in a news release. “Right here in Alberta, we have the technology, an abundance of natural gas, and now the infrastructure to help facilitate a transformative shift in the transportation sector.”
The $70 million joint development agreement between Tourmaline and Clean Energy was announced in April 2023, along with their commitment to build up to 20 CNG fueling stations across Western Canada in the next five years. In just over a year, their customer base has grown to nine companies that have already collectively displaced 2 million liters of diesel by utilizing CNG technology, according to the release.
“The adoption of CNG has continued to accelerate over the last year, as more companies recognize the benefits of displacing diesel with a reliable fuel that is easy to use and extremely cost competitive for fleets,” said Andrew Littlefair, Clean Energy president and CEO. “The development of this critical infrastructure is perfectly timed as the important new X15N natural gas engine from Cummins is being introduced to the trucking industry to rave reviews. We expect that the combination of more fueling locations and the new engine technology, which is perfectly suited for the Canadian market, will pave the way for continued growth of CNG.”
Cummins recently introduced its X15N natural gas engine into the Canadian and U.S. heavy-duty truck markets. Trucks with pre-production models of the X15N were tested by several large fleet operators over the last year, including Walmart, Werner, Knight Swift, FedEx Freight, and UPS. They found it delivers diesel-like ratings, as well as durability and reliability, allowing fleets to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, without sacrificing capability.
Mullen Group, the first company to support the Tourmaline and Clean Energy initiative, plans to leverage the new X15N engine as it prepares to nearly double its fleet of CNG-fueled trucks, the company said.
“As one of North America’s largest logistics providers, the Mullen Group is committed to being a leader in sustainability,” said Murray Mullen, Mullen chair, SEO, and president. “Today we operate one of the largest CNG-powered truck fleets in the Province of Alberta, now having 19 fully operational, with plans to deploy another 15 units as soon as they become available. Our CNG fleet continues to perform well, and now with the opening of these additional fueling stations, we can position the CNG units in additional markets, providing an ESG alternative to a broader scope of customers.”