PAULSBORO, N.J. –Wawa is readying its first compressed-natural-gas (CNG) fueling site for a grand opening this February.
According to NJ.com, the Wawa, Pa.-based chain’s new convenience-store, under construction in Paulsboro, N.J., will be its first to offer CNG. Wawa has partnered with South Jersey Gas on the CNG fueling site, which is located next to I-295.
"We are excited to provide our fuel customers with an alternative to the traditional liquid fuels, through the first Wawa location in our chain to provide CNG," Lori Bruce, public relations manager for Wawa, told the news website.
Folsom, N.J.-based South Jersey Gas said CNG-fueled vehicles are 90% quieter than diesel and produce fewer greenhouse gases and other pollutants. The utility and Wawa expect to see the number of natural-gas vehicles (NGVs) in the United States rise, even as low gasoline and diesel prices create competitive headwinds for the alternative fuel. There are currently about 250,000 NGVs in the United States.
"We know that use of CNG vehicles is increasing," said Bruce. "We see the opportunity to provide clean-burning natural gas, which historically offers much more stable pricing than liquid fuels."
Dan Lockwood, manager of stakeholder relations at South Jersey Gas, told NJ.com that building more CNG fueling infrastructure will spur growth in NGV adoption.
"Projects like this one with Wawa are helping to expand the CNG fueling network throughout South Jersey, which will help to further increase use," said Lockwood. He noted that the Paulsboro Wawa CNG site—the first is the area—is ideally located next to major highways.
Based on this location’s performance, Wawa will determine whether to add more CNG fueling sites to its more than 700-store network, which stretches across six Mid-Atlantic states.
Other retailers recently added to their existing CNG fueling site count. They include:
- Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc., Oklahoma City, is opening its sixth “fast-fill” CNG site along I-40, at a new travel center in Albuquerque, N.M. The site joins five others along 1,000 miles of the interstate, connecting Albuquerque to West Memphis, Ark. This is Love’s 16th CNG fueling site overall, and its first in New Mexico. Other Love’s CNG fueling sites on I-40 are located in West Memphis, Ark., Webbers Falls, Okla., Oklahoma City, and Amarillo, Texas. An existing Love’s in Williams, Ariz., will add CNG later in 2016.
- Spire, a St. Louis, Mo.-based natural-gas fueling solutions provider and business division of The Laclede Group Inc., has opened its first CNG fueling site in South Carolina. The CNG fueling island, off of I-85 in Greer, S.C., is situated behind a new QuikTrip travel center.
- Sapp Bros., Omaha, Neb., has opened its fourth CNG fueling site in partnership with Lincoln, Neb.-based Stirk CNG. This site, located at the intersection of I-70 and I-270 in Commerce City, Colo., joins other CNG fueling locations at Sapp Bros. travel centers in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Lincoln and Columbus, Neb.
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