Ryder to fuel natural gas fleets in California with 100% biomethane from Clean Energy Fuels

Ryder System, Inc. and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced an agreement for Ryder to switch the fuel at their stations in Orange and Fontana, CA, to Clean Energy’s Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG)—i.e., biomethane. The fuel at the two stations will be available in both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to individual and public fleet vehicles.

Clean Energy’s renewable natural gas vehicle fuel is derived from biogenic methane or biogas—methane that is naturally generated by the decomposition of organic waste. The methane gas is then processed, purified and sent into the interstate natural gas pipeline and made available exclusively to Clean Energy customers.

Clean Energy Fuels has filed nine separate application packages overs the past few years with the California Air Resources Board (ARB) for pathways under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program.

According to the packages, the carbon intensity (CI) of the various types of biomethane fuel (CNG, L-CNG and LNG) ranges from a low of 13.29 gCO₂e/MJ for a landfill gas to CNG pathway to 45.95 gCO₂e/MJ for a L-CNG pathway. CI values vary depending upon the location and energy sources used for processing.

ARB’s base CI for North American natural gas delivered via pipeline (and compressed in California) is 68.00 gCO₂e/MJ. The 2014 baseline CIs for gasoline and diesel are 96.48 and 95.58 gCO₂e/MJ, respectively.

By making the switch to Redeem, Ryder is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 6,300 metric tons per year using current fuel volumes. This would be the equivalent of removing approximately 1,319 passenger cars from the road annually.

As part of the fuel agreement, Clean Energy also will be providing fuel station maintenance services at Ryder’s natural gas fueling stations in Fontana and Orange, CA. Ryder has a history of innovation and customer service and is the first and only truck leasing and logistics company to have on-site CNG and LNG fuels available to the public. Ryder selected Clean Energy for its experience maintaining its own network of public access stations as well the “behind the fence” fueling operations at more than 34 customer stations.

Ryder is a leader in natural gas vehicle solutions for the commercial transportation industry, with more than 40 million miles of experience, 18 strategic natural gas vehicle maintenance markets, and more than 4,000 natural gas vehicle trained personnel. Ryder has been the pioneer in transitioning their fleets to cleaner fuels and today operates both CNG and LNG vehicles supported by 34 Clean Energy locations.

Redeem biomethane vehicle fuel is procured from more than 15 biomethane production facilities, including two owned and operated by Clean Energy. Clean Energy is on track to deliver 40 million gallons of Redeem in 2015.