Austin Airport Transitions To Renewable Natural Gas

AUSTIN, TX — The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport rang in the new year by transitioning to renewable natural gas with the help of Clean Energy — the leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America and a longtime partner — officials said Thursday.

The partnership launched on Jan. 1 calls for Clean Energy to provide the airport with its Redeem™ brand of renewable natural gas, the first commercially available vehicle fuel made entirely from 100 percent organic waste. The Austin-Bergstrom shuttle bus fleet has historically utilized alternative fuels, airport officials noted.

To ensure continued operation, half of the fleet utilizes propane, and the other half is compressed natural gas, according to airport officials. As of Jan. 1, officials said, the Austin airport started fueling half of its shuttle bus fleet with renewable natural gas (RNG) — an ultra-low carbon fuel that is cleaner than traditional compressed natural gas. This change will reduce the airport's carbon footprint by approximately 20 percent at no extra cost to the airport, officials said.

“We’re very excited to partner with our provider Clean Energy to switch over to RNG," B.J. Carpenter, the airport's sustainability program coordinator, said in a prepared statement. "This will have a significant impact on our carbon footprint and is a major step toward achieving our sustainability goals."

Natural gas-powered vehicles have been playing an active role at U.S. airports for more than two decades, local airport officials noted, with more than 40 airports across the country running their ground transportation fleets on compressed natural gas. Austin-Bergstrom officials said the benefits of fueling airport transportation vehicles with natural gas are clear: Lower fuel costs compared to diesel, improved public health and air quality, reduced environmental impact from greenhouse gas, and increased U.S. energy independence.

“Switching to vehicles fueled with RNG supports AUS’ commitment to sustainable and responsible transportation and we’re proud to be part of this initiative,” Chad Lindholm, vice president of Clean Energy, said in a prepared statement. “This is a prime example of an airport taking action to lessen the environmental impact of their shuttle fleet.”

Last year, Austin-Bergstrom attained level 2 Carbon Accreditation in the Airports Council International’s program. This multi-step international program independently assesses and recognizes airports efforts to manage and reduce CO2 emissions. Austin-Bergstrom’s goal is to reach carbon neutrality this year, officials said.

About Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Owned and operated by the City of Austin, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the second-fastest growing airport in the United States. Austin-Bergstrom is also an economic engine in Central Texas, supplying over 74,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Central Texas region. Its reflection of local food, music, art, and customer service has earned Austin-Bergstrom recognition—including Runner-Up for the Wall Street Journal’s Best U.S. Airport in 2019. For the latest news, real-time flight information, parking availability, and more visit AustinTexas.gov/Airport. Follow Austin-Bergstrom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Clean Energy

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is the leading provider of natural gas fuel and renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel for transportation in the United States and Canada, with a network of approximately 540 stations across North America that it owns or operates. Clean Energy builds and operates compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) stations and delivers more CNG, LNG and RNG vehicle fuel than any other company in the United States. For more information, visit www.CleanEnergyFuels.com.