HARRISBURG, Pa., and OKLAHOMA CITY -- On the heels of Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc.'s just-finalized purchase of Trillium CNG, the compressed natural gas (CNG) company has won an $84.5 million project that will bring 29 CNG facilities to Pennsylvania, underscoring Love’s “continued commitment to the CNG industry.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has awarded Trillium CNG a project that will nearly double the size of Love’s CNG public-access network.
Trillium and PennDOT have entered into a 20-year public-private partnership under which Trillium will design, build, operate and maintain 29 CNG facilities in Pennsylvania. The company will build the stations over the next five years and will make CNG-related upgrades to existing transit maintenance facilities.
Most of the facilities will be for private use. Seven locations will serve the motoring public, including light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, with the option to add more sites.
PennDOT will receive a 15% royalty, excluding taxes, for each gallon of fuel sold to the public, which will be used to support the cost of the project. The team has guaranteed at least $2.1 million in royalties over the term of the agreement.
Love’s customers have access to the 37 acquired Trillium stations. Love’s has 28 existing CNG locations, for a combined 65 public-access CNG facilities (see map below). Love’s operates five travel stops in Pennsylvania, while Trillium operates three CNG facilities in the state. Trillium has developed several other sites that are now operated by third parties.
“This agreement affirms Love’s continued commitment to the CNG industry,” said Bill Cashmareck, general manager of natural gas for Love’s. “Pennsylvania is one of the largest producers of natural gas and this project will help sustain one of the state’s most valuable industries. This is an expansive project that will provide cleaner-burning fuel at a stable cost for transit authorities and residents in dozens of communities.”
The fueling sites will be strategically placed throughout the state to give fleets and motorists convenient access to more CNG locations. The agreement also includes CNG-related updates to existing transit maintenance and storage facilities.
Pennsylvania has 61 CNG facilities, 35 of which are open to the public, according to the Alternative Fuels Data Center.
Chicago-based Trillium CNG became a part of Love’s earlier this month when the companies closed on the deal for Love’s to purchase the CNG company.
Trillium CNG provides fuel for thousands of natural gas vehicles daily and delivers more than 55 million gallons of CNG per year.
“Trillium CNG brings 20 years of knowledge and skill in the CNG industry to the Love’s family of companies,” said Frank Love, co-CEO of Love’s. “The addition of Trillium bolsters the CNG dimension of Love’s customer offerings and brings enhanced, fleet-focused services from the Love’s organization to CNG customers. … Together with Trillium, we can help new and existing customers extend their commitment to CNG. We will continue to make investments in the alternative fuel industry to give customers more access to a cleaner-burning fueling solution with a stable cost.”
Oklahoma City-based Love’s has more than 370 travel stops and convenience stores in 40 states.
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