The City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) announced today that it has become one of the country’s first municipal transit authorities to convert its fleet to renewable natural gas (RNG), rated 90% cleaner than diesel and is considered the cleanest transportation fuel available. Earlier this year, BBB modified its original agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp (Nasdaq: CLNE) to transition the supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for its fleet to Clean Energy’s Redeem™ renewable LNG (Redeem™), which is non-fracked methane harvested from organic waste in landfills.With the announcement, BBB unveiled a new Bus ad campaign called “Bigger, Bluer, Skies” to emphasize the lower emissions and sustainability of this type of fuel.
Big Blue Bus has been fueling its LNG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fleet of motor coaches with fuel supplied by Clean Energy since 2012. The process of harvesting and processing Redeem™ provides a product that has fewer impurities than conventional natural gas and is a cleaner burning fuel source.
“City Council has voiced its support for non-fracked, sustainable sources of fuel, and Redeem™ delivers a fuel made entirely of waste; a more sustainable product at an equal cost. This makes BBB’s partnership with Clean Energy to use the Redeem™ fuel a win-win solution,” said BBB’s Transit Director, Ed King.
The City of Santa Monica is a nationally recognized leader for its sustainability policies and actions. BBB has progressively contributed to the City’s sustainability narrative through its use of alternative fuel and ultimate phasing out of diesel-fueled motor coaches. Through this commitment, clean burning and renewable natural gas now power BBB’s entire fleet. The modification to the original agreement with Clean Energy to furnish and deliver renewable methane gas, as a replacement for traditional Liquid Natural Gas, is cost neutral to the City. The addition of Redeem™ is a next step in BBB’s and the City’s sustainability portfolio.
“Big Blue Bus is a leader in sustainability and our ability to partner with it and provide a completely recyclable natural gas fueling option helps reduce emissions locally and shows other cities the power in using Redeem™ renewable fuel,” said Peter Grace, Clean Energy’s senior vice president for sales and finance.
For more information about the BBB’s Redeem fueling success story click here.
Natural Gas Bus Fleet
Learn more about how Redeem is made by watching this short video:
