Renewable natural gas gaining momentum with fleets

From Commercial Carrier Journal.

At a time when pressure is building for fleets to reduce emissions and lessen their carbon footprint, natural gas trucks are getting more attention thanks largely to renewable natural gas (RNG).

RNG comes from methane that’s been processed for vehicle use, and according to the California Air Resources Board, it has the lowest carbon intensity score among all transportation fuels, including electric.

That and the cheaper price tag over electric is attracting more fleets eager for a greener profile as the Biden administration aims hard at emissions and watchdog groups stand at the ready with carbon assessments that can shake investor confidence and chip away at valuation, particularly at larger fleets.

“I think consumers are requiring it and I think investors are requiring it,” Dan Gage, president of Natural Gas Vehicles of America, said of carbon scoring. “People are more aware of their environmental footprint and companies have to be more aware of it because their brand depends on being seen as part of the solution and not part of the problem. So we’re seeing a lot of fleets that are making proactive investments in that.”

Amazon has battled tough headlines the last few years after a carbon watchdog group, the Carbon Disclosure Project, gave it failing grades on environmental stewardship. Investment groups have also green-shamed the massive e-commerce giant, which according to Forbes, enjoyed explosive growth during the pandemic. Building up their fleet to accommodate huge growth has meant embracing a more green approach.

“We are seeing a great deal of interest from very large fleets like Amazon,” Gage said. “According to media reports, it is deploying thousands of new Class 8 CNG trucks on American highways in 2021, and its intent is to run as many miles as possible using RNG.”

See the complete article online at Commercial Carrier Journal.