Jan 28 2010
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has awarded a 10-year contract to Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE) to build and operate a new CNG fueling station to support the DFW Rental Car Center’s new fleet of 46 CNG-powered courtesy shuttle buses. The final contract is in process of completion.
DFW provides courtesy shuttle service between all airline terminals and the airport’s consolidated rental car center (RCC). Plans call for the replacement of the entire fleet of 46 RCC shuttle buses with CNG-powered models within four years. The new Clean Energy Rental Car Center CNG station, set to open in May 2010, will also be available 24/7 to CNG vehicles operating at the airport and in surrounding communities. When the fleet is fully deployed, it is anticipated that the station will dispense more than 500,000 gallons per year.
In a related action, DFW has awarded an extension of Clean Energy’s contract to maintain and supply the airport’s existing onsite CNG station until June 2020. The station fuels the airport’s terminal buses and operations fleets. It also fuels private fleets, including door-to-door shuttle vans and taxi cabs that were recently granted front-of-the-line privileges for using CNG. The station dispenses more than two million gallons per year.
James Harger, Clean Energy Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, said, “The new rental car center station contract, along with the airport’s decision to extend the term of our current fueling services agreement, grows our ongoing partnership with DFW, where we have been providing natural gas services since 2001."
DFW International Airport is the world's third busiest, offering nearly 1,750 flights per day and serving 57 million passengers a year. Currently, 10 major rental car service providers have concentrated their operations in the 130,000 square-foot DFW rental car center.
Rusty Hodapp, DFW Airport Vice President of Energy and Transportation Management, said, “In all of DFW’s ground transportation programs, we are committed to helping reduce our carbon footprint, our fuel costs and our dependence on imported oil. The transition of airport vehicles to clean-burning natural gas power has already contributed significantly to this goal, and will continue to do so.”
Natural gas produces up to 23 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than diesel fuel in heavy-duty vehicles and up to 30 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline fuel in light-duty and medium-duty vehicles. Department of Energy reports estimate that 98% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is sourced in the U.S. and Canada. CNG vehicle fleet operators realize significant savings in their fuel expenditures, since natural gas is typically cheaper than gasoline or diesel fuel.
Source: http://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/