Sustainable Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) has signed an agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Clean Energy) for an estimated 47.5 million gallons of renewable natural gas (RNG). This agreement marks the completion of LA Metro’s five-year goal to transition its diesel fleet to cleaner, low-carbon fuel, with 2400 buses now running on RNG.
“LA Metro is committed to ensuring a seamless path toward a carbon neutral future,” said Cris Liban, chief sustainability officer at LA Metro. “Our use of RNG alongside our ultra-low NOx engines on our existing CNG [compressed natural gas] fleet provides the most cost-effective, equitable, and clean air strategy as we continue to transition to a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2030 and a net zero-emissions agency by 2050.”
The fueling contract resulted from a competitive bidding process, with LA Metro awarding Clean Energy three fueling depots for a five-year term, with an option to extend up to three additional years. Clean Energy already delivers RNG to five additional LA Metro fueling depots under a previously awarded RNG agreement.
Over the five-year period, the transition to RNG will further reduce LA Metro’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly compared to the use of conventional natural gas.
Clean Energy’s RNG is derived from capturing the biogenic methane produced by the decomposition of organic waste from dairies, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants.
“LA Metro continues to lead public transportation as one of the cleanest fleets in the United States, with nearly 22 million gallons of RNG delivered to Metro since 2017,” said Nate Jensen, senior vice president at Clean Energy. “With this additional commitment to fuel with RNG, LA Metro is accelerating its path to net zero carbon emissions through RNG and other alternative fuels.”
