QUÉBEC CITY, Nov. 19, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Gaudreau Environnement, Gaz Métro and its subsidiary Gaz Métro Transport Solutions (GMTS) today underscored a major first in Québec City with the use of a cleaner, cheaper fuel and quieter engines. Gaudreau Environnement is the first company to choose natural gas as a fuel on a permanent basis within Québec City. The two new trucks, powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), successfully passed the test drive, allowing the company to confirm its commitment today to going forward with its new natural gas fuelling strategy. Gaudreau Environnement is a key player in the collection of waste and recyclable materials sector in Québec, and joins the ranks of a growing number of Québec carriers making natural gas their fuel of choice.
The first Gaudreau Environnement trucks to use CNG are Freightliner trucks with Cummins Westport ISX12G engines, provided by Drummondville-based Freightliner. For its part, Labrie Enviroquip Group, in Saint-Nicolas, customized the vehicles by equipping them with a side loader. To make refuelling its vehicles easier, Gaudreau opted for the installation and rental of a private compression station on its Québec City property. This project was entrusted to the GMTS team, which makes the compression station available to Gaudreau Environnement. The event included a technical presentation of the compression station by GMTS specialists, followed by a fuelling demonstration of one of the new trucks.
Gaudreau Environnement took advantage of the opportunity to reaffirm its intention of going ahead with natural gas: "Our road tests with compressed natural gas were very conclusive, both environmentally and economically," states Johnny Izzi, Gaudreau Environnement General Manager. "Natural gas generated substantial savings on the cost of fuel, and the quieter engines make our service even more respectful of the community we serve. It is also very important for us to do our share in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For us, the two trucks presented today are only the beginning, and confirm our intention to gradually convert our entire fleet of vehicles in Québec City and eventually those of our Victoriaville subsidiary," concludes Mr. Izzi.
Gaz Métro has been working with many partners and road transport companies since 2010 to make sure Québec carriers benefit from the major economic and environmental advantages of switching from diesel to natural gas.
"We are proud of having Gaudreau Environnement as a client. Gaz Métro and its GMTS subsidiary are especially happy to contribute, through this project, to the implementation of natural gas as a fuel in Québec City," notes Éric Desmarais, Director, Fuel Market at Gaz Métro. "Today's announcement confirms once more how much transport companies recognize the many advantages of natural gas. Natural gas as a fuel is enjoying growing popularity in Québec and North America with companies wishing to reduce their consumption of oil products, especially in the waste and recyclable materials collection sector. Natural gas generates savings on fuel of up to 40% compared with diesel, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 25%," states Mr. Desmarais.
Fuelling station network
The Blue Road, initiated by GMTS and inaugurated in 2011, was the first natural gas fuelling station network in Canada. To date, the Blue Road comprises five liquefied natural gas fuelling stations, including three public stations in Lévis (QC), Cornwall (ON) and Sainte-Julie (QC). In response to the market's appetite for natural gas as a fuel, many public and private CNG fuel stations have also been set up over the past few years, in parallel with the Blue Road. EBI operates two public CNG stations in Montréal East and Berthierville.
Since the creation of the Blue Road, GMTS has become a Québec leader in the use of alternative fuels, both for its advisory role to businesses and for the rollout of fuelling stations.
About Gaudreau Environnement
Gaudreau Environnement is recognized as the sole integrated waste management specialist in Québec able to offer a full range of services under one roof. Gaudreau intervenes at every stage of the process from collection to transport to treatment. Gaudreau treats both recyclable and compostable materials as well as waste destined for disposal.
Since being founded in 1958, Gaudreau has expanded its activities and expertise across the province, including building ecocentres and implementing waste recovery projects. The company also acts as a consultant for other sorting plants in Québec. For more information, visit http://www.groupegaudreau.com.
About Gaz Métro Transport Solutions
Gaz Métro Transport Solutions (GMTS), a subsidiary of Gaz Métro, was created in 2010 to encourage the transportation industry to switch to natural gas, a cleaner alternative to diesel. GMTS is committed to developing a market in Québec for compressed (CNG) and liquefied (LNG) natural gas as a source of fuel. Natural gas is a more economical and environmentally friendly choice, with enormous potential for the transportation industry from a commercial standpoint. GMTS provides turnkey solutions to vehicle fleet owners to support them throughout their project for switching to natural gas as a fuel. For more details, visit http://www.gazmetrost.com/index-en.html.
About Gaz Métro
With more than $5 billion in assets, Gaz Métro is a leading energy provider. It is the largest natural gas distribution company in Québec, where its network of over 10,000 km of underground pipelines serves 300 municipalities and more than 190,000 customers. Gaz Métro is also present in Vermont, producing electricity and distributing electricity and natural gas to meet the needs of more than 305,000 customers. Gaz Métro is actively involved in the development of innovative, promising energy projects such as the production of wind power, the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel and the development of biomethane. Gaz Métro is a major energy sector player that takes the lead in responding to the needs of its customers, regions and municipalities, local organizations, and communities while also satisfying the expectations of its Partners (GMi and Valener) and employees.
SOURCE: Gaz Métro
Gaz Métro : Estelle Lacroix, Media and Public Relations, 514-598-3449, www.gazmetro.com/pressroom , Photos, videos (b-roll) and logos are available in Gaz Métro's Multimedia Library; Gaudreau Environnement: Gabrielle Lapointe-St-Pierre, Communications, 819 758-8378 # 304, www.groupegaudreau.com
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