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California's first large-scale liquefied natural gas plant opened for business today. Its operator is hoping to profit by supplying LNG fuel to a new generation of long-haul trucks which use the clean-burning fuel to satisfy state and local demands to slash diesel-based air pollution on major freight corridors running out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.


The plant, located 125 miles east of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert community of Boron, is owned by Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a natural gas supply firm co-founded by Texas oil billionaire-turned clean energy proponent T. Boone Pickens.


It presently can produce up to 160,000 gallons of LNG per day and has the potential to liquefy 240,000 gallons a day if demand increases.


The facility takes natural gas from a major pipeline and liquefies it for fuel. It includes a 1.5-million-gallon storage tank that will serve as a major regional source of LNG.


Clean Energy plans to use fuel from the Mojave plant at LNG truck stops it is building in the area serving the two big L.A.-area ports, the nation's busiest ocean freight facilities.


A clean truck program for the ports calls for up to 8,000 new LNG trucks, and as many clean diesel trucks, to move goods in and out of the docks.


John O'Dell, Senior Editor

Tags: Alternative Fuels, Natural Gas, Clean Energy Fuels LNG Plant, Mojave LNG Plant, Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles

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Major LNG Plant Opens in California Desert to Fuel Trucks at Nation's Busiest Ports was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.