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PRCC and National Fuel Team Up on Natural Gas Informational Workshops

The Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities and National Fuel teamed up on July 21, 2016 to hold a compressed natural gas workshop at the “O” Ring/GAIN training facility in Brookville, PA. Scott Swartfager (National Fuel) welcomed everyone and set the stage for Why CNG? and Why Now? The informational workshop was to provide information about National Fuels and CNG as well as the DOE Clean Cities and Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PRCC) Programs as well to acquire information about the PA Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant Program, PA-AFIG). Presenters included Rick Price, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities who talked about the benefits of alternative fuels, training and assistance PRCC and DOE has available, and some of the projects and programs PRCC has or is involved in.

Geoff Bristow (PA-DEP) spoke about the PA DEP AFIG and the Alternative Clean Energy (ACE) Programs. He spoke about the changes this year in the AFIG program and how it could help folks interested in alternative fuels that in the past could possibly not qualifier or justify applying for a grant. He stated one of the main changes was the program was open all year long as has not been the case in the past. Geoff also stated that the ACE Program has awarded close to 50 awards for natural gas stations under this program.

Barry Carr (Landi Renzo, USA and a Clean Cities Coordinator of Central New York) was a presenter about options available from OEMs and after market that Landi Renzo, USA serves as well as some of the platforms and models they support. Barry who’s area includes Western Pennsylvania also talked about the continued need for service of these vehicles and location to fuel his and many other CNG vehicles.

Bob Beatty (“O” Ring CNG Fueling Systems) spoke about the many CNG stations in the state that he has built and operate some of his own stations as well have built many of the stations in Pennsylvania. Bob talked about the need to work with the local utilities as well as local building inspectors before engaging in building a CNG station and the ability to keep it maintained. He gave a tour of the facility at the end of the workshop.

national fuelThe next day July 22nd, another workshop was held in Erie, PA at the Shiners location on W. 38th St. Most of the same speakers spoke at that workshop except for the Fueling Option portion Dan Hackett (IGS) spoke about what his company is doing about CNG Infrastructure. IGS has a station in Youngstown, OH and other locations. He told folks that the company has many options for them and their business is here to stay, in fact Dan was able to tell the group that IGS had just been awarded an ACE Grant for a CNG station in the Erie area and hopes to have it completed by the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2017. Note! This will fill in a critical link in western PA for CNG infrastructure.