Natural Gas vehicle fleet wins E3 Gold award at national forum

Jun 2nd, 2008 9:24 AM

For Immediate Release Natural Gas vehicle fleet wins E3 Gold award at national forum Fleet demonstrates how technology can reduce vehicle carbon emissions by as much as 30% (RICHMOND, BC, June 2, 2008) Canada’s largest natural gas vehicle fleet was recognized today with an E3 Gold fleet award at the annual Canadian Utility Fleet Forum. Enbridge Gas Distribution’s fleet is the first commercial fleet in Canada to be recognized for excellence in fleet management through the E3 ranking system. Use of natural gas for three-quarters of the company’s 825 vehicle fleet contributed to its gold level award achievement. Natural gas is a low carbon fuel that is available at 80 refuelling stations across Canada at prices 40% below gasoline. Vehicles that operate on natural gas have demonstrated a 20-30% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Enbridge Gas Distribution estimates a CO2 emissions reduction 695 tonnes per year from its use of natural gas for vehicles instead of conventional fuel. In addition, the company estimates using natural gas results in fuel savings of about $1,400 per vehicle per year. Evelyn Thompson, Enbridge Gas Distribution’s Manager of Fleet and Equipment, received the award on behalf of the company. According to Thompson, “We’re proud to be the first commercial fleet to receive an E3 Fleet award. We knew that that our use of natural gas vehicles was ‘greener’ and we’ve experienced marked improvement in the reliability and performance of converted natural gas vehicles. It’s great to be recognized for effective fleet management and to know that our use of low carbon natural gas contributed to our success.” E3 Fleet is an innovative Canada-wide program that assists public and private sector fleet vehicles meet green standards for performance. The E3 Fleet program, launched in 2006, recognizes achievements in green fleet performance through a rating system, the first of its kind for fleet in North America. Fleets are rated through a third-party fleet audit, and awarded an overall rating of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Fleets are rated on several criteria including their fleet action plan, training and awareness, trip and route planning, utilization management, fuel efficiency, and greenhouse gas performance. E3 Fleet is a program initiative of the Fraser Basin Council. -30- The Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance is the national trade association that advocates for the sustainable growth of natural gas vehicles, refuelling infrastructure, and renewable gaseous fuels for the benefit of Canada’s economy and environment. Natural gas vehicles reduce greenhouse gas as well as air quality emissions. Fully renewable natural gas made from upgraded biogas can be used in conventional natural gas vehicles. The Fraser Basin Council is the non-profit society established in 1997 to bring people together to find solutions to long-standing BC issues and conflicts, and take advantage of opportunities to advance sustainability in the Fraser River Basin, the geographical area drained by the Fraser River and its 13 main watersheds. The Fraser Basin Council advocates for a sustainable Basin in an impartial, transpartisan, independent and non-political way to ensure the decisions British Columbians make about the Basin today will protect and advance its economic, environmental and social sustainability into the future. Enbridge Gas Distribution has a 160-year history and is Canada’s largest natural gas distribution company. Enbridge Gas Distribution is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates distribution services in Ontario, which distributes natural gas to more than 1.8 million customers in Ontario, New York State, New Brunswick and southwestern Quebec. For further information, please contact: Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance Alicia Milner Phone: 613-564-0181 E-mail: alicia.milner@cngva.org Web: www.cngva.org E3 Fleet Terry Robert Phone: 604-488-5360 E-mail: trobert@fraserbasin.bc.ca Web: www.e3fleet.com Enbridge Gas Distribution Debbie Boukydis Phone: 416-495-5682 E-mail: debbie.boukydis@enbridge.com Web: www.enbridge.com/gas

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Natural Gas vehicle fleet wins E3 Gold award at national forum

Jun 2nd, 2008 9:24 AM