Tourmaline, Clean Energy open two new natural gas fuelling stations in Alberta

Commercial vehicle drivers wait to refuel at a compressed natural gas fuelling station in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Two new compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelling stations have opened in Alberta to help heavy-haul trucks get off diesel.

The new stations in Calgary and Grande Prairie join an Edmonton station that opened last year and together form the start of what is intended to be Western Canada's first commercial-grade public CNG fuelling network.

Tourmaline Oil Corp., Canada's largest natural gas producer, and California-based Clean Energy Fuels Corp. signed a $70 million joint agreement last year to build up to 20 CNG fuelling stations across Western Canada.

Once complete, the 20-station network could fuel up to 3,000 natural gas-powered trucks daily.

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While still a fossil fuel, natural gas is more environmentally friendly than diesel, with a 20 per cent lower CO2 emissions profile. Converting one semi-truck to CNG from diesel is the equivalent of taking up to five passenger vehicles off the road.

Cummins, one of the world’s leading engine manufacturers, has recently introduced its X15N natural gas engine into the Canadian and U.S. heavy-duty truck market.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.