UPS to invest $90m in natural gas vehicles and infrastructure
UPS is to make a $90m investment in natural gas vehicles in a bid to reduce its environmental footprint. The company intends to build six compressed natural gas fuelling stations and buy 50 liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles. The company has committed itself extensively to alternative fuel solutions and has already deployed more than 4,400 natural gas vehicles.
UPS has deployed more than 4,400 natural gas vehicles and a network of fueling stations, said Mark Wallace, UPS senior vice president global engineering and sustainability. In 2016, UPS used more than 61 million gallons of natural gas in its ground fleet, which included 4.6 million gallons of renewable natural gas. The resulting decrease in the use of conventional gas and diesel decreased CO 2 emissions by 100,000 metric tons, he said.

UPS plans to build an additional six compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and add 390 new CNG tractors and terminal trucks and 50 liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles to its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet. UPS further cements its leadership in the alternative fuel market while continuing to reduce its environmental footprint with this more than $90 million investment in natural gas.

The six new CNG stations will be built in Ontario, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Salina, Kan.; Louisville, Ky.; Greensboro, N.C; and Vancouver, B.C. Renewable natural gas (RNG) will be used at the station in Ontario to fuel UPS vehicles in the area with renewable compressed natural gas (RCNG).

In 2016, UPS invested $100 million in CNG fueling stations and vehicles. UPS currently operates 31 CNG fueling stations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, and West Virginia and runs CNG vehicles in 38 states in the U.S. in addition to vehicles in Germany, the Netherlands and Thailand.

The use of natural gas reduces greenhouse gas emissions six to 11 percent, according to the US Department of Energy.

RNG, also known as biomethane, can be derived from many abundant and renewable sources, including decomposing organic waste in landfills, wastewater treatment and agriculture. It is then distributed through the natural gas pipeline system, making it available for use as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG).

UPS also purchased 50 additional LNG vehicles that were deployed in Indianapolis, Ind.; Chicago, Ill.; Earth City, Mo.; and Nashville, Tenn., where UPS has existing LNG stations.

The company has driven more than one billion miles since 2000 with its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet. Through its Rolling Laboratory, UPS uses a research-based approach to determine the right alternative fuel solutions for the location, route and driving environments.

Since 2009, UPS has invested more than $750 million in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and fueling stations globally. UPS deploys the more than 8,100 vehicles in the Rolling Lab to determine what works best in each situation.