Blu. Opens Indiana’s First Public LNG Station
First public LNG station opens in Louisville area
SELLERSBURG, IND. – Indiana’s first liquefied natural gas station is a boon for both the local environment and industry, business and government leaders said at the station’s opening Tuesday.
“It’s a hope and opportunity to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and utilize resources here from our own nation,” said Kellie Walsh, Executive Director of the Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition.
The new station, located just off Interstate 65 in Sellersburg, is one piece of the network Blu. is establishing in the Midwest to support the heavy duty trucking industry. The company is also building another LNG station, this one just outside Indianapolis in Plainfield.
“This is just the beginning, folks,” said State Representative Randy Frye.
LNG is the same gas used in homes, only much colder. It is refrigerated to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit, transforming the gas into a liquid. And operating a truck on LNG produces benefits for both the environment and the companies who own the trucks.
Natural gas is the cleanest burning of all fossil fuels. Primarily methane, it emits roughly 20 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than diesel fuel.
LNG also provides relief to companies feeling the effects of the high cost of diesel fuel. LNG costs about $1.25 less per gallon equivalent. A truck travelling 100,000 miles a year and getting 6 miles per gallon can save up to $20,000 a year on fuel costs. Considering many fleets employ dozens, or even hundreds, of trucks, the savings add up quickly.
According to Blu., the time to make the switch is now.
“Here come the stations, so let’s bring on the trucks,” said Erik Johnson, Director of National Operations at Blu.
“It’s a snowball, and it’s sitting at the precipice of a hill,” Frye said. “It just needs a good shoulder into it, and let ‘er go. I’d get out of the way, because it’s really gonna go.”
To let companies experience the savings and reliability of LNG first hand, Blu. and Palmer Leasing Company are offering a demo program that allows companies to incorporate LNG-powered trucks into their fleets and run their regular routes.
Companies interested in the demo truck program should contact Drew Laing, Director of Sales and Marketing, at drew.laing@blulng.com.
About Blu. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Blu. builds and operates liquefied natural gas fueling stations and provides integrated LNG solutions for heavy-duty trucking, marine, mining and other industrial applications. It currently has 16 operational stations. By providing LNG solutions to the transportation industry, Blu. reduces fueling costs and carbon emissions and brings energy security to the United States.