Mar 18 2015
TruStar Energy, one of the nation's largest designers and builders of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling infrastructure, has been awarded the contract to design and build a large public-access fueling station for CNG Energy LLC, to support Liberal, Kansas and the surrounding Southwest Kansas area and Oklahoma Panhandle.
One of 12 new CNG Energy, LLC Kenworth tractors powered by domestic compressed natural gas. These tractors are powered by the Cummins-Westport 12 L spark-ignited CNG engine. These tractors will fuel at CNG Energy's new public fast-fill CNG fueling station that is being designed and built by TruStar Energy.
CNG Energy Vice President Rocky Ormiston, who has been associated with CNG fuel for several years, looked to CNG to power their 12 Kenworth tractors, which are scheduled to haul ethanol co-products from the local ethanol plant as well as corn and sorghum into the plant.
"It all started with our family farm. We have been using CNG to power our irrigation engines for 20 years," said Ormiston, adding that the advent of the 12-liter Cummins Westport engine made the decision to move to CNG-powered tractors relatively easy.
"Two things that we immediately appreciated with natural gas were the cost per MCF and its price stability over time," said Ormiston. "You can do a lot of projections as far as budgeting is concerned without the threat of price spikes. We're also using a domestic fuel source instead of something coming in on a tanker from overseas." CNG has been considerably cheaper on a gallon equivalent when compared to diesel, ultimately resulting in a dramatic savings in fuel.
The CNG Energy station will feature two public fast-fill dispensers with volume that will support not only their own 12 tractors, but other commercial fleets and private vehicles as well. This was something that went into the planning of the station from the very beginning.
"Our first thought was to develop a private station to support our transport operation," said Ormiston, "but we realized that other fleets would just go somewhere else – when we had the capacity to provide fuel to them. We felt that it was important to provide the public with a place to fuel as well."
Public fueling infrastructure is one of the most critical elements needed to ensure the future of alternative fuel and CNG Energy's station provides another fueling point in a critical part of the country.
"We're very excited to have partnered with CNG Energy to design and build this station," said TruStar Energy Vice President Scott Edelbach. "This is a win-win situation for CNG Energy – as the fuel is being used to support one of their core businesses, as well as provide needed fuel to other fleets in the area."
Ormiston said the station is scheduled to be online in late June.