The California Energy Commission has approved funding of nearly $600,000 for two compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling facilities and for buydowns of vehicles that run on propane autogas.
Southern California Gas Co. is receiving $216,000 to design, build and operate a CNG station at its facility in Lancaster in Los Angeles County. The public-access station will be open 24 hours, seven days a week, and it will support the company's own fleet of 37 natural gas vehicles (NGVs). Southern California Gas is contributing $650,000 in matching funds for the project.
CR&R Inc., a recycling and waste-collection company, will receive $300,000 to build and operate a slow-fill CNG facility at its Material Recovery and Transfer Station in Perris. The station will serve 25 CNG vehicles, including solid waste disposal trucks and street sweepers. CR&R, which is putting more than $830,000 of its own capital toward the project, has plans to convert another 100 fleet vehicles to CNG by 2020.
Also, Galpin Motors Inc. in North Hills has been awarded $66,000 to help defray the incremental cost of 11 propane vehicles in the 8,501 to 14,000 lbs. GVW category, which are usually trucks or vans. The money will go toward paying down the difference between the cost of conventional gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles and the new propane vehicles.
