Sacramento County’s Waste Management and Recycling Department is saving time, money and improving air quality now that its new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station is open. By substituting just one petroleum truck with a CNG truck, the County will reduce fossil fuel use by 270 barrels of oil per year.
Federal and local officials gathered at the station on August 5, 2015 to celebrate its grand opening and demonstrate the station’s capabilities. Congressman Ami Bera, Supervisor Don Nottoli, Supervisor Phil Serna and Executive Director Larry Greene from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality District all spoke about the benefits of the new facility.
“As an elected official for Sacramento County, and a board member on the California Air Resources Board and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, I know that measures to improve air quality and reduce the effects of climate change must start at the local level,” said Supervisor Phil Serna, Chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.
"This new CNG station is the first combination time-fill/fast-fill station in the region," said Bradley J. Hudson, County Executive. Before it opened, drivers waited up to 45 minutes to fill their trucks at the end of each day and it was a slow, laborious process. The new CNG station allows multiple vehicles to fill up at the same time without waiting. "Now, drivers simply pull up to the station, plug in the nozzle and the vehicle fills overnight," Hudson added. During the day, CNG vehicles from other County departments can use the fast-fill capabilities.
The Department of Waste Management and Recycling has been using Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) since 2004. Many of its heavy-duty trucks run on LNG and the department has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 17%. With two County garbage truck dispatch facilities depending on only one LNG station, the county was forced to fuel a large bulk tanker, affectionately called ‘Orca’, to transport LNG to the second location. Switching to CNG vehicles using the new station will save $150,000 a year.
By fueling overnight, the County saves energy costs because electricity is less expensive at night. In addition, the County will now be able to tap directly into a PG&E pipeline, gaining constant access to the fuel.