Shifting gears to compressed natural gas
IMW Industries Ltd. (dba Clean Energy Compression) unlocks cost
and emissions savings through compressed natural gas.
It’s a movement that is hard to miss: major transportation companies are investing billions of dollars to incorporate natural gas vehicles into their fleets. Huge names like UPS Canada and FortisBC, Walmart, Lowe’s, and P&G are converting to their system to reduce both their operational costs and environmental impact.
Widely available and less expensive than diesel, natural gas has become a vital component for the greening of the transportation industry, which contributes 30 to 40 per cent less GHG compared with gasoline or diesel.
Clean Energy Fuels are leading the charge in natural gas. As leading providers of natural gas fuel and renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel for transportation in North America, the BC-based company enables clients to “unlock the benefits of Natural gas by building and operating compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas stations,” according to their website.
In 2017, Landi Renzo S.p.a. and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. combined their compressor manufacturing subsidiaries (Clean Energy Compression and SAFE) to form a new standalone company, which became one of the leading suppliers of natural gas compressors and other related products across the entire globe. With over 30 years of experience, Clean Energy Compression has supplied over 1,800 CNG fueling systems to over 30 countries worldwide with a strong focus on North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Clients include gas utilities, fleet operators, CNG station owners and off-grid natural gas customers.
“Natural gas is a key element for our clients in their goals for reducing CO2 emissions associated with diesel,” says Colm Murphy, General Manager at Clean Energy Compression. “The cost of natural gas is a factor companies cannot afford to ignore. At 40 per cent more efficient than diesel engines, not only do companies save money on the running cost of equipment, but also a significant reduction in noxious emissions.”
A Huge Step Forward
Infrastructure for natural gas is growing steadily. Heavy-duty truck fleets will be able now access compressed natural gas along some of the most heavily trafficked truck routes in Ontario. A recent partnership between Clean Energy Fuel and Union Energy Solutions Limited Partnership has produced a network of three compressed natural gas fueling stations at Flying J and Husky travel centers along Ontario’s Highway 401. These CNG stations are amongst the first along the Hwy. 401 corridor and will provide a more affordable and cleaner-burning fuel alternative, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Through significant industry and government collaboration, trucking fleets have greater access to public refueling stations that offer lower cost and lower emission natural gas refueling,” said Bruce Winchester, Executive Director of the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance. “Union Energy Solutions and Clean Energy Fuels are helping to unlock cost and emissions savings in Ontario and for Canadians. These three stations are a huge step forward.”
Expansion
Leaders in CNG fuelling station equipment, Clean Energy Compression has amassed an impressive market share in North America and South America. Hossein Shokouhi, Business Development Manager at Clean Energy Compression, says the company is established in North America, LATAM, Asia, and Europe. The team is also in talks with major industry players in the Middle East (Gulf countries).
“We enjoy a good presence in those markets, and are focused on continuing our strong customer service in new regions,” says Shokouhi. “Natural Gas is a readily available source and we still see a lot of growth especially as other countries start to tap into its potential.”
Shokouhi adds that customers think compressed natural gas is a good business decision; with Clean Energy’s capability for construction of CNG stations, customers are able to run their operations with less impact on the environment and greater financial value.
