Clean Energy Secures 10-Year Contract at Austin Airport
The City of Austin, Texas has awarded a 10-year contract to Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to design, build, and maintain a new public access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station located adjacent to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
The facility will operate 24/7 to support growing fleets of off-airport parking shuttle fleets operated by The Parking Spot and Airport Fast-Park; on-airport courtesy shuttle vehicles deployed by Ampco System Parking; taxicabs that serve the airport; and private CNG fleet vehicles in the area. Construction of the station, located on airport-adjacent Spirit of Texas Drive, is scheduled to begin in February 2010.
“The station adds to the airport’s ongoing effort to reduce impact on the environment,” said Patti Edwards, Operations director, City of Austin Aviation Department. “The natural gas station expands clean fuel opportunities for the airport and the region.”
James Harger, Clean Energy senior vice president and chief marketing officer, said, “The transition by the airport industry and its allied services to natural gas power for ground transportation is accelerating rapidly, in response to the need to curtail emissions and to reduce dependence on imported oil.”
Harger explained that natural gas fuel produces up to 30 percent less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in light-duty vehicles compared to gasoline and up to 23 percent lower GHG emissions in medium to heavy-duty applications compared to diesel. Department of Energy Information Administration reports estimate that 98 percent of the natural gas consumed in the United States is sourced in the U.S. and Canada.
Located in the Texas State Capital, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport serves more than 8 million passengers annually and has 36 nonstop destinations.