HOUSTON & NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE), the largest provider of the cleanest fuel for the transportation market, has announced a new agreement with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), the region’s largest public transport provider, to build the agency’s first private compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station. The new state-of-the-art facility will be the first of its kind and will exclusively serve up to 120 of METRO’s newest natural gas-powered transit buses operating busy routes throughout Houston and beyond.
Under the new agreement, Clean Energy will design and build the new station, upgrade the current site’s bays, and provide operations and maintenance services for the station that is expected to consume 2 million gallons of CNG annually, when it is completed and fully operational.
The new station is set to play a crucial role in METRO’s efforts to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon emissions by helping the agency meet its commitment of running fleet vehicles on zero emissions fuels by 2030. By transitioning to CNG, the transit fleet will be able to achieve a 90 percent reduction in NOx and tailpipe emissions, contributing to cleaner air in areas where the buses operate.
Geographically larger than the cities of Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York – Greater Houston is home to 4.7 million residents spanning 1,285 square miles of land, which means METRO bus routes have an expansive area of ground to cover, often double the fuel usage than most other city transit agencies in the U.S. By choosing to invest in a fleet which runs on CNG instead of diesel, METRO not only ensures clean air for commuters, but also guarantees no service disruption as natural gas engines can run long distances without compromise. The new station and buses will also be able to seamlessly transition to renewable natural gas (RNG) allowing the fleet to reduce carbon emissions by over 300%.
"We are excited to be partnering with the team at METRO on their very first CNG station build," said Chad Lindholm, senior vice president at Clean Energy. "For METRO, growing their CNG-powered fleet and making the switch will truly help shift the dial in reaching their sustainability goals. This deal also demonstrates the confidence the city has in CNG as a cleaner, more efficient fuel to provide essential transport to millions of commuters daily. For Clean Energy, this represents the largest agreement we have won in the last decade, demonstrating the ongoing transition to cleaner-burning natural gas by some of the country’s largest fleets."
The new station will be located at the Hiram Clarke facility in Houston’s southwest. Once completed, it will be able to fuel 120 diesel gallon equivalent (DGEs) in under 12 minutes, a prerequisite of the build to ensure efficient, in-and-out fueling. Construction is expected to begin in early 2025.
About Clean Energy
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is the country’s largest provider of the cleanest fuel for the transportation market. Our mission is to decarbonize transportation through the development and delivery of renewable natural gas (RNG), a sustainable fuel derived by capturing methane from organic waste. Clean Energy allows thousands of vehicles, from airport shuttles to city buses to waste and heavy-duty trucks, to reduce their amount of climate-harming greenhouse gas. We operate a vast network of fueling stations across the U.S. and Canada as well as RNG production facilities at dairy farms. Visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com and follow @ce_renewables on X and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including without limitation statements about: the amounts and timing of natural gas expected to be consumed; the timing and scope of construction, maintenance, and other projects; the numbers and timing of vehicles expected to be deployed, fueled, maintained, or financed; the characteristics and performance of natural gas engines and trucks; environmental and other benefits of Clean Energy’s fuels; and the availability of environmental, tax and other government regulations, programs and incentives. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless otherwise required by law, Clean Energy undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Additionally, the reports and other documents Clean Energy files with the SEC (available at www.sec.gov) contain risk factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release.
