Canada: Calgary opens largest CNG bus fuelling complex in North America

The new facility will house more then 450 buses as it transitions from diesel-powered vehicles to CNG over the next six years.

The City of Calgary, in Canadian state of Alberta, has opened what it claims to be the largest indoor compressed natural gas (CNG) bus fuelling complex in North America.

The new Stoney Transit Facility will provide storage and maintenance space for Calgary Transit’s new fleet of CNG buses as well as diesel buses that are currently stored outside the City’s other bus garages.

The n 44,300 square metre facility will be capable of housing in excess of 450 40-foot buses, with 36 maintenance bays, including two cleaning bays, and on-site compressed natural gas fuelling infrastructure, and associated staff facilities. It will also provide diesel bus fuelling and operations, recognizing the transition period needed to introduce CNG buses into Transit’s fleet.

“I’m so pleased that our fleet of CNG buses are now part of our Calgary Transit fleet,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “Investments in transit are among the best investments any city can make — they are investments in the environment, reducing congestion and improving mobility.”

Benefits of CNG buses

Use of CNG as fuel will result in three important benefits for Calgarians. First, these buses will generate savings of approximately $3.9 million annually by 2021 as a result of the lower fuel cost of natural gas. Second, a CNG bus produces approximately 17 per cent less GHG emissions (C02e kg/km) on a well-to-wheel basis compared to diesel. Third, these buses will reduce air and noise pollution. Natural gas engines are much cleaner burning and the Cummins Westport L9N engine has 90 per cent fewer NOx emissions than the current North American EPA standard. When idling, CNG buses are also approximately 10 times quieter than diesel buses.