Projects

South Coast Air Quality Management District Grant For Ontario 76 CNG Infrastructure Installation

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), in partnership with Earth Energy Fuels, will install a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station at an existing gas station in Ontario, California. Approximately 2,130 vehicles run on CNG in the Ontario area, and the number is expected to double within the next two years. Fuel demand in the area already exceeds availability, and the station will be built so that an additional 10 dispensers can be added later to meet increased demand. The station will serve several existing CNG fleets, including Yellow Cab Company, Bell Cab, Clean Street and Supershuttle.

Grant Amount

$300,000 from the Energy Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Transportation Program.

Match Funding

$1,447,466 from project's participants.

Project Participants

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is responsible for regulating stationary sources of air pollution for most of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside County, and all of Orange County. The area is the second most populated area in the United States and has a severe problem with smog; the SCAQMD has been a leader in the nation's efforts to reduce air pollution emissions. SCAQMD will oversee the project as the contract administrator.

Earth Energy Fuels, Inc. (EEF) is an alternative energy, retail fueling company based in Southern California. Working with both traditional and non-traditional fuel partners, the company is developing a network of retail fueling stations offering clean, cheap, domestic fuels including natural gas and hydrogen. EEF will take the lead in managing the project.

Project Benefits

This new station should displace 375,000 gallons of petroleum in its first year; within the next two years it should be able to displace 2.1 million gallons of petroleum annually, according to SCAQMD estimates. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 84,044 metric tons of CO2 over the life of the project. The station is expected to fulfill 25 percent of the existing demand in the area within 12 months of the installation, and meet 50 percent of the total demand within the area by the end of the second year. The project will generate an estimated 24 jobs within the first two years, creating additional jobs in the future for maintenance, repair, fuel handling and safety inspection.