Lowe’s launches LNG trucking fleet in Texas

MOORSEVILLE, N.C.—Lowe’s Companies Inc. announced last week the company announced it has partnered with carrier partner NFI to launch a fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks to serve its regional distribution centre in Mount Vernon, Tex.

“The transition to a NG-powered fleet was a natural step for Lowe’s because of the economic and environmental benefits of natural gas,” said Steve Palmer, Lowe’s vice-president of transportation.

Lowe’s anticipates reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent as a result of the switch, the company said.

“Given the amount of natural gas that’s available domestically, broadly utilizing natural gas will give us an opportunity to better control our transportation fuel costs in the coming years. Our goal is to replace all of our diesel-powered dedicated fleets with natural gas trucks by the end of 2017,” Palmer noted.

The company now has two warehouses that are serviced solely by LNG vehicles. Last year it deployed LNG trucks at its distribution centre in Kissimee, Fla., and the company plans to convert its entire fleet by 2017. As such, it is working with its carrier partners to make the conversion.

Since 2005, the company has been a member of the SmartWay program—a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Defence Fund—and since then has saved has saved more than 150 million gallons of fuel, and reduced its carbon footprint by 1.7 million tons, which is equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road.

“EDF believes that natural gas can be a win-win for our country if we work to ensure that natural gas truly does live up to its environmental and economic potential ” said Elena Craft, EDF health scientist.

SmartWay is a public/private partnership initiative to help companies realize fuel savings and improve environment fleet performance