Peterbilt Motors Co. on Monday, July 18, hosted Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a bill signing ceremony and tour of Peterbilt’s truck manufacturing plant in Denton, Texas. Accompanied by Sen. Jane Nelson, Commissioner Bryan Shaw and Reps. James Keffer and Tan Parker, Perry signed three Texas bills supporting the development of natural gas initiatives in Texas.
“Peterbilt is honored to have been asked by Governor Perry’s office to host the bill signing ceremony at our Denton manufacturing facility and are committed to supporting the natural gas development efforts,” says Bill Jackson, Peterbilt general manager and Paccar vice president. “These initiatives will promote the use of alternative fuel technologies and create a stronger sense of environmental stewardship through Texas and North America.”
At the bill signing ceremony, Perry signed three bills:
Senate Bill 20 establishes a NG transportation corridor in the rapidly expanding Texas Triangle, which encompasses Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, by increasing the number of NG refuelling stations supporting the use of NG-powered trucks;
Senate Bill 527 provides funds through the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan for 20 new air monitors in the 16-county Barnett Shale region, which includes Denton; and
House Bill 3328 requires hydraulic fracturing operators to disclose the chemical constituents of fluids used in the fracturing process on a well-by-well basis.
“The 82nd Legislature passed several bills that will help Texas continue to lead the nation in energy production and expand our use of alternative sources of power in an area in which we’re already a national leader,” Perry says. “Senate Bill 20 will create a new ‘clean transportation triangle’ helping add the infrastructure necessary to allow natural gas-fueled trucks, such as the ones produced here, to expand their range across our state. This [Peterbilt] factory stands as yet another example of what’s possible when innovative minds are given the freedom to explore, to try new approaches and meet challenges in unique and exciting ways.”
Peterbilt offers a full range of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) power platforms. Equipped with the Cummins Westport ISL-G engine, Models 384, 365 and 320 can be spec’d with CNG or LNG offering 320 hp and 1,000 ft-lbs of torque, suitable for short-haul, regional, refuse and dump trucks with GCW/GVW ratings up to 66,000 lbs. In addition, Models 386 LNG and 367 LNG are powered by the Westport GX engine and offer up to 475 hp and 1,750 ft-lbs of torque.
The 15-liter Westport GX engine uses high-pressure direct injection, proprietary fuel injectors, (HPDI) fuel system, specialized cryogenic fuel tanks and associated electronic components to facilitate robust performance and reliable operation. This technology uses a low-cost cleaner-burning fuel with no compromises on engine torque, power, fuel economy or drivability, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent.
