Representatives from FedEx Corp., Clean Energy Fuels Corp. and the state of Oklahoma joined together today to officially open a new compressed natural gas (CNG) station that will enable fueling for over 100 FedEx Freight Class 8 trucks.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Clean Energy announced that it expects to supply the station with its Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG) vehicle fuel in the near future. According to the company, this will expand the use of Redeem, which can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions up to 70% compared with diesel, to yet another state and demonstrates the growing popularity of the fuel to meet companies’ and municipalities’ sustainability goals.
Redeem is already offered in California, Oregon and Texas and used by fleets in the refuse, transit and trucking industries. RNG is available in commercial quantities today and can meet 100% of the fuel requirements of an 18-wheeler while achieving as much as a 70% greenhouse-gas reduction.
The event at the FedEx Freight Oklahoma City Service Center was attended by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, FedEx chairman and CEO Fred Smith, Clean Energy co-founder Boone Pickens, and Clean Energy president and CEO Andrew J. Littlefair, as well as many other federal, state and local, and industry officials.
“As one of the largest logistics companies in the world, FedEx does its homework when charting a new course, and their decision to open up a major CNG fueling center was no different,” said Littlefair. “Led by Fred’s vision, the company has always had a commitment to operate on the highest sustainable level. Transitioning a portion of FedEx Freight’s fleet to a fuel that will substantially reduce greenhouse-gas emissions is another example of their leadership.”
As reported, FedEx purchased more than 100 CNG-powered tractors and contracted Clean Energy to design, build and maintain the station. The FedEx Freight facility includes a four-lane, fast-fill station and a time-fill station, which has six zones and 18 hoses. The fueling station is estimated to dispense approximately 2.5 million gasoline gallon equivalents per year and uses Clean Energy’s new CleanCNG compressors.
To kick off the event, NGVAmerica President Matthew Godlewski presented the annual NGV Achievement Award to Michael Ducker, president and CEO of FedEx Freight, for his company’s leadership in alternative fuel transportation.
