Clean Energy Announces Completion of First Stage of Its Nationwide Network of Natural Gas LNG Fueling Stations for Long-Haul, Heavy-Duty Freight Trucking

America’s Natural Gas Highway® Will Support Goods Movement Along Major Interstate Trucking Corridors Coast-to-Coast & Border-to-Border —

Clean Energy's America's Natural Gas Highway(R), a network of liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck fueling stations to support long-haul, heavy-duty goods movement along major interstate corridors throughout the United States. (Photo: Business Wire)

SEAL BEACH, Calif.--()--With the completion of its LNG truck fueling station in Matthews, Missouri this month, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE) concludes the first stage of America’s Natural Gas Highway® (ANGH), a network of liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck fueling stations to support long-haul, heavy-duty goods movement along major interstate corridors throughout the United States.

Speaking at last week’s American Trucking Associations Summit on Natural Gas in Trucking, Andrew Littlefair, Clean Energy President and CEO, said, “We have created America’s Natural Gas Highway® to support the growing number of long-haul truckers and shippers who are deploying factory-built, heavy-duty trucks powered by natural gas fuel. LNG-fueled trucks can now travel the country and reap the benefits of fuel cost savings, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and the lower emissions profile that characterizes this abundant American resource.”

By the end of 2012, Clean Energy will have completed 70 new LNG truck fuel stations along highways that link major U.S. metropolitan areas. Many of these stations are located at existing Pilot-Flying J truck stops. Pilot is the nation's largest truck-stop operator with more than 550 retail properties in 47 states. In 2013, Clean Energy plans to build 70 to 80 additional LNG fuel stations adjacent to long-haul trucking routes and around major warehouse distribution centers in North America. Major highway segments now completed include, among others, those linking the Southwest Corridor, Los Angeles to Atlanta, The Texas Triangle, Atlanta to Chicago to Texas, and major corridors in the Midwest and Northeast. (See below for the list of stations.)

Clean Energy noted that an iPhone app station locator will be available by the end of the year to complement its web-based locator at http://www.cnglngstations.com.

The LNG fueling stations coincide with the arrival of new natural gas truck engines well suited for heavy-duty, over-the-road trucking. At the ATA Summit, executives from engine manufacturers and original equipment truck manufacturers such as Cummins-Westport, Kenworth, Peterbilt, Navistar, Freightliner and Volvo presented their plans to rollout a variety of Class-8 trucks and engine sizes allowing for varied road and driving requirements. Jim Arthurs, President of Cummins Westport Inc., reiterated the scheduled launch of the much-anticipated ISX 12 G natural gas engine to begin in Spring 2013 with full production and delivery by Fall 2013.

Presenting at the Natural Gas Summit were executives from all segments of the trucking industry including the CEOs of the three largest truck stop chains, natural gas producers ConocoPhillips and Exxon and representatives from some of the largest shippers and truckers who are already benefiting from transitioning a portion of their fleets to natural gas. Governor Bill Graves, President and CEO of the ATA, called the trucking industry’s transition to natural gas “historic” and compared it to two other major milestones in the industry – deregulation and the formation of the ATA. ATA Chairman Michael Card, who is also president of Combined Transport Inc., said, “We are truly at the cusp of a potential revolutionary change in the trucking industry” as it moves toward more use of natural gas as a transport fuel.

Clean Energy’s ANGH stations are in addition to the ongoing CNG station building planned for the company's traditional markets in transit, refuse, airport/taxi/shuttle and local/regional trucking, which activity accounts for 60 station projects in 2012 and is expected to account for approximately the same number in 2013.

Currently priced up to $1.50 a gallon lower than gasoline or diesel depending on local markets, the use of natural gas fuel reduces operating costs for vehicles and reduces greenhouse gas emissions up to 30% in light-duty vehicles and 23% in medium to heavy-duty vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that 98% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is sourced in the U.S. and Canada, making natural gas a secure North American energy choice.

Clean Energy (Nasdaq: CLNE) is the largest provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America and a global leader in the expanding natural gas vehicle fueling market. We have operations in compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicle fueling and construction and operation of natural gas fueling stations. Wholly-owned subsidiaries include IMW Industries, Ltd., which supplies CNG equipment for vehicle fueling and industrial applications worldwide; NorthStar, which supplies LNG and liquefied to compressed natural gas fueling system technologies and equipment, station construction and operations; BAF Technologies, which provides natural gas vehicle systems and conversions for taxis, vans, pick-up trucks and shuttle buses; and Clean Energy Renewable Fuels (CERF), which develops renewable natural gas (RNG), or biomethane, production facilities in the U.S. For more information, visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com.

Forward-Looking Statements — This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including statements about the availability of natural gas truck engines and the deployment of natural gas vehicles, the amount of natural gas fuel expected to be consumed by new and existing customers, the number and location of stations to be included in America's Natural Gas Highway®, the timing for the completion of construction of these stations, the benefits of natural gas relative to diesel fuel, and expectations about the future adoption of natural gas as a vehicle fuel. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including, but not limited to, the performance, availability and benefits of natural gas trucks relative to gasoline and diesel trucks, the number of natural gas trucks deployed by our customers, permitting or other delays encountered during the identification of locations for, and the construction of, natural gas fueling stations, including those stations planned for America's Natural Gas Highway®, and the price per gallon of natural gas fuel relative to diesel and gasoline. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless otherwise required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Additionally, the reports and other documents the Company files with the SEC (available at www.sec.gov) contain risk factors, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this news release.

 

America’s Natural Gas Highway® 2012

 
Birmingham AL Flying J                

North Platte NE Flying J

Hope Hull (Tyson) AL Flying J Albuquerque NM Flying J
Mobile (Theodore) AL Pilot Travel Center Las Vegas NV Clean Energy
West Memphis AR Flying J Lordsburg NM Flying J
Lake Havasu City AZ Pilot Travel Center Wells NV Flying J
Phoenix AZ Flying J London OH Pilot Travel Center
Winslow AZ Flying J Perrysburg (Lake Township) OH Flying J
Carson CA Clean Energy Seville OH Pilot Travel Center
Coachella (Indio) CA Clean Energy Oklahoma City OK Flying J
Commerce CA City of Commerce Roland OK Pilot Travel Center
Otay Mesa CA Flying J Central Point OR Pilot Travel Center
Los Angeles CA Ports of LA & Long Beach Stanfield OR Pilot Travel Center
Riverside CA Riverside Cty Sanitation District Mill Hall PA Flying J
Temecula CA Down’s Truckstop Smithton PA Flying J
Tulare CA Clean Energy Blacksburg SC Flying J
Whittier CA Los Angeles Cty Sanitation District Latta (Dillon) SC Flying J
Jacksonville FL Lewis Petroleum Knoxville (Watt Rd) TN Flying J
Midway (Quincy) FL Flying J Lebanon TN Pilot Travel Center
Atlanta (Conley) GA Clean Energy Amarillo TX Pilot Travel Center
Dalton GA Pilot Travel Center Baytown TX Flying J
Tifton GA Pilot Travel Center Brookshire TX Flying J
Altoona IA Flying J Dallas TX Clean Energy
Caldwell ID Flying J El Paso TX Flying J
La Salle IL Flying J Fort Worth TX Pilot Travel Center
Pontoon Beach IL Flying J Fort Worth TX Clean Energy
Fremont IN Pilot Travel Center Houston TX Flying J
Indianapolis IN Flying J Laredo TX Flying J
Lake Station IN Flying J Mesquite TX Petro City
Colby KS Pilot Travel Center Midland TX Midland Petroleum
Salina KS Flying J San Antonio TX Flying J
Scott (Lafayette) LA Clean Energy Waco TX Flying J
Shreveport (Greenwood) LA Flying J Weatherford TX Pilot Travel Center
North East (Elkton) MD Flying J Beaver UT Flying J
Joplin MO Flying J Fort Chiswell VA Flying J
Matthews MO Flying J* Ruther Glenn (Carmel Church) VA Flying J
Pearl (Jackson) MS Flying J Oak Creek WI Pilot Travel Center*
Graham NC Flying J Cheyenne WY Flying J
Gretna (Omaha) NE Flying J Rawlins WY Flying J

*Stations anticipated for December 2012 completion.

Contacts

Clean Energy Fuels Corp.
News Media
Bruce Russell, 310-559-4955 x101
brussell@cleanenergyfuels.com
or
Investors
Tony Kritzer, 562-936-7120
tkritzer@cleanenergyfuels.com

Release Summary

Clean Energy is building America's Natural Gas Highway® providing LNG truck fueling for goods movement from coast to coast and border to border.

Contacts

Clean Energy Fuels Corp.
News Media
Bruce Russell, 310-559-4955 x101
brussell@cleanenergyfuels.com
or
Investors
Tony Kritzer, 562-936-7120
tkritzer@cleanenergyfuels.com