ECUA Purchasing 50 New Natural Gas Trucks; Buying Fuel From ESP

December 27, 2011

ECUA is purchasing  50 new natural gas trash trucks and partnering with Energy Service of Pensacola to provide fuel to run them.

Emerald Coast Utilities Authority recently finalized a 10-year compressed natural gas (CNG) agreement with Energy Services of Pensacola (ESP).

As part of the agreement, ESP will construct a fast-fill CNG station on ECUA property located at 3050 Godwin Lane, with station access on Pine Forest Road.

“Design and permitting will begin immediately, and construction is expected to be completed in July 2012.  ESP will provide CNG to the ECUA at a fee based on the New York commodity rate.  ESP will operate and maintain the station, which will be open to the public and third-party fleets,” Steve Sorrell, ECUA Executive director, said.

Sorrell said ECUA is projecting an annual maintenance cost savings in excess of $350,000 and over $1 million in annual fuel costs.

“While there are up-front capital costs in buying or converting to a natural gas fleet, the fuel costs are considerably lower, making NGVs much more affordable over the long run,” he said.

ECUA ordered the 50 new CNG-fueled refuse collection trucks in November with delivery expected in July 2012.

Comments

3 Responses to “ECUA Purchasing 50 New Natural Gas Trucks; Buying Fuel From ESP”

  1. David Huie Green on December 27th, 2011 11:31 pm

    REGARDING:
    “Milton tried the natural gas vehicles several years age.- – - It was a bust at best. ”

    I remember reports from the time. Police didn’t like it because police cars using compressed natural gas didn’t have the acceleration of those using gasoline. (Sometimes they need to move very quickly, unlike garbage trucks, as a general rule.) The garbage trucks continued to use if and the maintenance people mentioned they lasted much longer than those using diesel. And diesel engines are already known for longevity.

    I didn’t know they had shut the program down or the reasons stated.

    David for clean, abundant,
    domestic power sources

  2. c.w. on December 27th, 2011 1:28 pm

    Milton tried the natural gas vehicles several years age. Even opened a station to fuel cars for the public. It was a bust at best. Maybe things have improved in the last ten years, maybe!

  3. Char on December 27th, 2011 8:33 am

    OH MY GOSH, I MAY BE IN LOVE………..
    THIS IS SO SMART, I can’t believe it is happening in PENSACOLA!
    NOW IF WE CAN ALL CONVERT TO NATURAL GAS IN OUR CARS WOW!
    America sends ONE BILLION DOLLARS A DAY to the middle east for OIL.

    THAT IS A DAY PEOPLE. All we need to do is have our cars fitted and
    get more stations.

    I hope this is just the beginning. The middle east keeps getting richer
    and we keep getting poorer.