Fact: While CNG is supplied from pipeline infrastructure directly to CNG fueling stations, LNG requires bulk transport from liquefaction sites to fueling stations. There are several major natural gas liquefaction plants across the country. Peak shaving plants that once were used for meeting peak winter day demands for natural gas utilities are now providing LNG to serve the transportation market. Several purpose-built LNG plants for the transportation market are in operation, including the Clean Energy Plant in Boron, Calif., Desert Gas Services in Ehrenberg, Ariz., Applied LNG Technologies in Topock, Ariz., and The Pickens Clean Energy Plant in Willis, Texas. Combined, the four plants produce 300,000 DGEs per day.
In November 2012, Clean Energy and General Electric announced a natural gas initiative to build two additional natural gas liquefaction plants capable of producing 150,000 DGEs per day. Specific locations for the LNG plants were not announced, but company executives said they would be located in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. When online, the two plants will bring total industry production capacity of LNG to more than 600,000 DGEs per day. Clean Energy and GE said as many as 10 plants could be built as the demand for LNG increases.
