Tourmaline Begins to Roll Out CNG Fuelling Station Network
Tourmaline and Clean Energy Fuels have begun to roll out their Western Canadian compressed natural-gas fuelling station network.
The companies announced that they have opened two new CNG stations in Alberta, located in Calgary and Grande Prairie. Calgary-based Tourmaline and Newport Beach, Calif.-based Clean Energy entered into a $70-million joint development agreement in 2023, with plans to build up to 20 CNG fuelling stations across Western Canada within five years.
The Calgary and Grande Prairie locations mark a significant step toward establishing a clean-energy corridor for the heavy-duty trucking industry, said the companies. The two new stations add to an initial Edmonton station that opened in 2023.
The three locations form the foundation of a key transportation route designed to encourage fleet conversions from diesel to CNG, which offers lower emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter.
“We are expanding our multi-year diesel displacement initiative by making CNG more readily available to heavy-duty trucking companies,” said Tourmaline’s chairman, president, and CEO Michael Rose. “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.”
Since undertaking the joint development agreement, Tourmaline and Clean Energy have seen customer base expand to nine companies that together have displaced two million litres of diesel by using CNG technology.
“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 Clean Energy President and CEO Andrew Littlefair.. “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.”
The Cummins X15N engine is optimized for heavy-duty trucks and has undergone rigorous testing with companies like Walmart, FedEx Freight, and UPS. It offers emissions reductions while maintaining the reliability and durability required for large fleets, according to Tourmaline and Clean Energy.
Mullen Group, the first partner to support Tourmaline and Clean Energy’s station network will deploy the new X15N as part of its goal to expand its fleet of CNG trucks in Alberta, where it already operates 19 CNG-powered vehicles.
Once completed, the 20-station network could fuel up to 3,000 natural gas-powered trucks daily, with the infrastructure in place to support renewable natural gas (RNG) when available.
Construction on the next station is set to begin in Kamloops, B.C., with Fort McMurray, Alta., and Fort St. John, B.C., outlets to follow.