Linde North America Adds 20 LNG Trucks to Its Fleet

Linde North America, a global leader in the growing liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling market, is intensifying its commitment to LNG with the purchase of 20 LNG-fueled trucks.

The trucks, expected to be deployed later this year, will be integrated into Linde’s fleet of more than 700 trucks carrying cryogenic gases to customers throughout North America.

LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to liquid form to enable easier transportation and storage. For years, Linde has brought its cryogenic expertise to develop the merchant LNG market by building plants at various commercial scales to produce LNG from virtually any methane source.

Earl Lawson, vice president, energy solutions for Linde North America, said, “The Linde LNG truck project has delivered several key benefits. Not only do the trucks save money on fuel, they also reduced Linde’s carbon footprint, since natural gas burns more cleanly than diesel, yielding between 20 and 30 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions. And the natural gas used in the U.S. is produced domestically, which creates domestic jobs.”

Linde’s commitment to LNG-fueled trucks started in 2011 with the pilot program to test the effectiveness of three LNG trucks hauling liquid carbon dioxide to customers throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. After the success of this program, Linde deepened its commitment to the fuel with the purchase and deployment of 20 more tractors last year. The purchase of the new trucks represents 20 percent of Linde’s total tractor purchases in 2013.

As this program has transitioned from pilot to production, Linde is also investing in on-site fueling infrastructure to help develop the U.S. market. The company’s growing use of LNG vehicles in its own fleet illustrates both the feasibility and advantages of switching to LNG fuel.

Fred Kinkin, head of supply for Linde North America, said, “Expanding our LNG fleet also provides advantages to our customers. LNG-fueled tractors are lighter in weight, allowing Linde to increase payloads, improve service and better manage fuel costs. In addition, the LNG tractors run more smoothly and quietly – an important benefit for our drivers who spend about 10 hours on the road each day.”

Linde’s commitment to LNG trucks has gained significant external recognition. The California MSRC (Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee) awarded Linde a grant of nearly $57,000 for deployment of the initial three LNG trucks for the pilot program in southern California. And the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) recently presented Linde North America with its coveted Environmental Excellence Award in recognition of Linde’s efforts to introduce and deploy LNG powered semi-tractors into its bulk distribution fleet.