Gas supplier and fuel retailer link for first service station CNG facility in regional roll-out
Caltex and AGL have given the freight transport gas propulsion concept a boost with a refuelling facility opening near Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport.
The fuel’s industry association, Gas Energy Australia (GEA), hails the development as a strong and positive move for a fuel that is plentiful in this country.
“I believe the journey to much greater use of cleaner, cheaper and more secure Australian fuel sources is one step closer following the opening of this new facility,” GEA CEO John Griffiths says.
Lack of refueling points has been a stumbling block to greater use of CNG.
Caltex says the first major fuel supplier nationally to offer the niche fuel on a service station site and that it will be open for motorists as well as commercial transport.
“While commercial trucks, buses and machinery represent the vast majority of the 3,000 existing CNG vehicles operating nationally, building this type of refuelling infrastructure will give motorists with compatible vehicles access to the niche fuel too,” Caltex executive general manager, commercial Bruce Rosengarten says.
“There is a growing trend toward natural gas with more than 13 million vehicles powered by the fuel globally.
“In Australia, a major barrier is the lack of new vehicles designed to use the fuel and, as a result, there has not been demand for refuelling facilities.
“By opening the Tullamarine CNG facility, Caltex and AGL will ensure the alternative fuel is available to motorists if and when it is needed, while meeting the needs of existing commercial customers.”
The move comes nearly 18 months after AGL revealed International Truck, Trailer and Equipment Show (ITTES) in Melbourne that it would open a string of CNG refuelling stations across south eastern Australia.
At about the same time, it linked with Toll to press ahead with commercial use of the gas.
Toll has a relationship with CNG, trialling it since 2009 and building its gas-powered fleet of Isuzus.