Texas plans to power government vehicles with natural gas

March 18, 2015 | By

Texas is looking to make a big investment in natural gas in the form of vehicles, infrastructure and equipment. Last week, legislators in the state introduced State Bill (SB) 12, with the goal of converting as many as 28,000 state vehicles to natural gas and establishing 20 new natural gas fueling stations each year for 10 years.

Credit: ErgoSum88/Wikimedia Commons

SB 12 is similar to the state's 2012-2014 Clean Transportation Triangle Initiative, which helped bring at least 18 natural gas stations to the highways between Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston metropolitan areas, but SB 12 would potentially bring a similar plan to the entire state.

The bill would require "the vehicle fleet of a state agency, county, or municipality that operates a fleet of more than 15 motor vehicles be converted into or replaced with motor vehicles that use compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen fuel cells, or electricity, including fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid motor vehicles."

The state of Texas would also establish a governmental alternative fuel fleet grant program to help state agencies, counties, or municipalities to purchase or lease the vehicles. Transit or school transportation providers are also eligibile to apply for the grants. The bill also said that the grant money may be used to purchase a refueling station for the purchased vehicle.

According to the American Natural Gas Association (ANGA), "The legislation may offer lessons for other states as they explore new ways to pay forward the shale boom while reducing emissions. In 2014 alone, the Texas Triangle Initiative grants created 927 jobs, financed 618 natural gas-powered vehicles and helped build 54 fueling stations."

ANGA added, "For other states, the Texas example offers an intriguing model: invest in natural gas in a big way and double the economic return."

For more:
- read the bill
- see this background article

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http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/texas-plans-power-government-vehicles-natural-gas/2015-03-18