San Antonio transit agency will fuel over 500 buses with renewable gas
CPS Energy and VIA Metropolitan Transit (the mass transit agency serving San Antonio, Texas) announced details about a new fuel supply partnership that will provide renewable natural gas created by landfill biogas to VIA’s fleet of over 500 buses, beginning in 2021. This unique partnership supports both companies’ efforts to be environmentally responsible by providing a negative- to low-carbon emission vehicle fuel.
VIA has a diversified active fleet portfolio consisting of 502 buses powered primarily by natural gas. VIA’s conversion to a CNG fleet began in 2017 and is designed to reduce NOx emissions by 97% from the diesel buses they replaced.
“CPS Energy thinks globally and acts locally to bring innovative solutions to our community. We are excited about this new venture with San Antonio’s long-term public transportation company,” said Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO of CPS Energy. “VIA has been a great leader and partner in many of our community’s endeavors. Now, both CPS Energy and VIA are taking this important step forward together to help improve the Environment. Importantly, renewable natural gas, a new technology, will help reduce San Antonio’s carbon footprint. For CPS Energy, it is also one more component of our creative Flexible PathSM strategy, which has been designed to leverage emerging environmental stewardship opportunities, while we keep our customers’ bills Affordable and our services Reliable.”
“This is a natural next step in our continued partnership with CPS Energy to provide a cleaner, ‘greener’ future through the use of renewable energy,” VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said. “Incorporating renewable natural gas technology is part of VIA’s ongoing commitment to offer sustainable transit options that keep San Antonio moving.”
VIA operates the nation’s largest CNG fueling station to power its bus fleet. The addition of renewable natural gas will include use of existing infrastructure while expanding VIA’s collaboration with CPS Energy.
Australian-headquartered EDL, a global producer of sustainable, distributed energy, will design, construct, own, and operate the biomethane production plant in Converse, Texas. The biofuel will be injected into CPS Energy’s natural gas system. Groundbreaking for the new facility is expected later this year with an anticipated completion timeline of fall 2021.
