GE Driving Natural Gas Vehicle Adoption in Canada; GE's CNG In A Box™ System Chosen for Canadian Natural Gas Fueling Stations

• Chelsea Natural Gas Orders 20 CNG In A Box Systems to Meet Needs of Fleet Operators
• Chelsea and GE Working to Develop Canada's Natural Gas Fueling Infrastructure
• GE's Technology Offers Cost-Effective "Plug-and-Play" Design for Fleet and Retail Fueling Stations

TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2013 /CNW/ - Seeking to meet the demand for natural gas used for fueling vehicle fleets, Chelsea Natural Gas Ltd. purchased 20 GE Oil & Gas (NYSE: GE) CNG In A Box™ fueling systems as part of the Canadian energy company's efforts to develop the country's natural gas fueling infrastructure. This order marks the first entry of GE's compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling solution into Canada.

Chelsea Natural Gas, a leader in Canada's CNG industry, specializes in expanding public use of natural gas as a transportation fuel as an abundant, reliable and cleaner-burning source of energy alternative to diesel or gasoline. The company plans to use GE's CNG fueling stations in a semi-private "card lock" format to address the need in Canada for shared fueling stations by smaller fleet owners, ensuring the conversion to natural gas vehicles makes sense economically. The first units will be delivered in December 2013 to one of Chelsea Natural Gas's new fueling stations scheduled to open in the spring of 2014.

"In Canada, where commercial fleets are smaller, it is hard for individual fleet operators to justify the expense of building their own natural gas refueling facilities," said Steve Carmichael, CEO of Chelsea Natural Gas. "GE's CNG In A Box solution allows us to offer a cost-effective way for vehicle fleet operators to take that first step in taking advantage of the economic and environmental benefits that come with using natural gas as a transportation fuel."

CNG fueling through the GE ecomagination qualified CNG In A Box solution reduces CO₂ emissions by 24 percent (2.2 metric tons per vehicle, per year as compared with gasoline), and its CO, NO_x, PM and VOC reduction benefits are even greater. A vehicle using CNG can reduce annual fuel costs by up to 40 percent.¹

GE's CNG In A Box solution is a fully integrated, modular natural gas production system that offers rapid "plug-and-play" simplicity to promote the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel for both fleet and retail fueling stations. For Chelsea Natural Gas, several of the CNG In A Box units will feature a specialized cold-weather design to withstand the harsh conditions of the Canadian climate. The solution also features commercial quality GE Wayne CNG fueling dispensers that are payment enabled and as user friendly as traditional diesel dispensers.

This flagship order is a result of a broader GE Canada initiative to work collaboratively with industry leaders to help transportation companies integrate natural gas fueled vehicles in their fleet. Combined with financing from GE Capital, customers can benefit from GE's wealth of expertise and financing options in the transportation sector to help move toward a cleaner, economic fuel for their vehicles.

"By combining the natural gas expertise of our GE Oil & Gas business with GE Capital's knowledge of the Canadian transportation industry, GE Canada brings more than just a fueling product to the market," said Keith Triginer, president & CEO of GE Oil & Gas Canada. "We believe this holistic approach to promoting natural gas vehicles will help companies capitalize on what we expect to be a major game changer in the transportation sector. Although achieving scale remains a key challenge in Canada, we are fortunate to collaborate with companies like Chelsea Natural Gas that are actively working to develop the country's natural gas fueling infrastructure."

The project is GE's first CNG In A Box system order in Canada and follows the recent order for the technology by China's Endurance Industry. GE continues to work with its customers to provide localized solutions that address regional natural gas and fueling challenges, promoting the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel around the globe.

¹ Assuming average light-duty vehicles travel 49,500 km/year at 8.08 km/ltre, with $0.37/GLE pricing differential between CNG and gasoline.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

About GE Oil & Gas

GE Oil & Gas is a world leader in advanced technologies and services with 43,000 employees in more than 100 countries supporting customers across the industry—from extraction to transportation to end use. Our unrelenting commitment to the environment, health and safety, quality and integrity defines us: it's The Way We Work.

We develop smart solutions for our customers across the oil and gas value chain delivering the innovation, customized service solutions, training programs and technology that helps them to maximize their efficiency, productivity and equipment reliability.

We partner with our customers to develop their next generation workforce; help them to fully benefit from the megatrends of natural gas, the growth of subsea and hard-to-reach reserves and the revolution in asset health management. Follow GE Oil & Gas on Twitter @GE_OilandGas.

About Chelsea Natural Gas

Chelsea Natural Gas Limited is a Vancouver based corporation that will build and operate compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations in business communities throughout Ontario and BC.  We want to help reduce the cost of fuel in fleet vehicles and to assist local communities and businesses in reducing their carbon footprint, while providing a cleaner and healthier environment for tomorrow. For more information about Chelsea, please visit www.chelseacng.com

SOURCE: General Electric Canada Inc.

Caitlin Shaw
GE Oil & Gas 
[phone]
[email protected]

Bailey Feldman or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations 
[phone] 
[email protected]
[email protected]

Rahim Ladha
GE Canada
+ 1 905 858 6130
[email protected]