Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (Piedmont) has introduced a new Green Fleet pilot program. The company is examining natural gas as a substitute to diesel fuel for medium to heavy-duty fleet vehicles to reduce transportation associated emissions that contribute to ground level ozone, increased respiratory problems and global climate change. The company introduced its new program by unveiling a dump truck powered by Model ISL G natural gas engine developed by Cummins Westport Inc.
Local policymakers, fleet managers and state environmental officials were in attendance at the event. The company will test the truck’s performance over the next numerous months in conjunction with a program sponsored by North Carolina Solar Center (NSCS) at North Carolina State University.
Piedmont purchased the natural gas powered truck, in part, through a grant from NCSC under its Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) Program, which is supported by funds from the N.C. Department of Transportation, State Energy Office, and Division of Air Quality to directly decrease harmful emissions and offer associated educational outreach. Additionally to the natural gas powered truck, the grant from NCSC enabled the company to expand its existing compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station. Located at the utility’s Charlotte operations center, the fueling station will soon be open to the public and can fuel all types of natural gas vehicles.
“This truck helps marry an environmentally clean and efficient energy source – natural gas – with work-truck capability and performance,” stated Michael Yount, senior vice president for Utility Operations, Piedmont. “With an expected vehicle life of 6 – 10 years, the use of natural gas in an application such as this can help promote significant reductions in a fleet’s diesel usage and related emissions such as carbon monoxide, particulates and nitrogen oxide that are harmful to the environment. More importantly, because many fleets have such vehicles in operation, this project could serve as a blueprint for both public and private fleets to adopt a more environmentally proactive approach.”
The truck, built by Peterbilt to Piedmont’s specifications, employs a Cummins Westport Model ISL G dedicated natural gas engine built at a Cummins plant in North Carolina. The engine is the cleanest alternative to diesel presently available. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, commercially-available medium and heavy duty natural gas engines reduce carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) emissions by up to 90%, reduce nitrogen oxide (NO) emissions by more than 50% and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 15 to 20% compared to diesel-powered engines.
“We are pleased to be working with Piedmont Natural Gas and to have provided funding for this important project that helps demonstrate the use of natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel and that supports transportation technology activities in North Carolina,” stated Anne Tazewell, Alternative Fuels Program Manager, NCSC. “Natural gas is a clean, safe, efficient and domestic energy resource that can play a key role in making transportation more environmentally-friendly and the air in North Carolina cleaner for generations to come.”
Natural gas has seen increasing use as an alternative transportation fuel in the medium and heavy-duty truck and bus markets over the last ten years, as a result of its lower price relative to diesel and the ability of natural gas engine manufacturers to develop technologies that can meet increasingly stringent emissions standards.
Natural gas medium and heavy-duty engine manufacturers have been able to meet the stringent emissions requirements through the use of more cost-effective emissions control strategies, positioning their products to meet the strict California Air Resources Board (CARB) and EPA 2010 emissions standards at a lower total cost than provided by new diesel technology.
About the Clean Fuel Advanced Technology Project:
A three year, $2 million initiative of the Clean Transportation Program at the NC Solar Center (NCSC) funded by the State Energy Office, Division of Air Quality and federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds administered by NCDOT to offer educational outreach and emission reductions in 24 NC counties that do not meet national ambient air quality standards. The NCSC has partnered with the Triangle Clean Cities and Centralina Clean Fuels Coalitions to conduct outreach in the Triangle and Charlotte Regions.
Piedmont is a US-based energy services company.