Giant Eagle unveils first two compressed natural gas fueling stations

Pittsburgh — Giant Eagle on Thursday unveiled its first two compressed natural gas fueling stations in the Pittsburgh area at its Beechnut Drive retail support and distribution center, according to a report by Drug Store News.

"We are dedicated to doing business in the most sustainable manner possible across all of our business operations," said Giant Eagle executive VP and COO John Lucot. "Our efforts have been greatly advanced with the help of others, and we give thanks to the local and state officials here today, as well as to our allies at Volvo Trucks and EQT who partnered with us to make these facilities possible."

Lucot added, "This project delivers improved air quality for the region through emissions reductions, reduces dependence on traditional fuels, and serves as a regional catalyst for southwestern Pennsylvania in adopting and understanding alternative fuels and clean transportation technology."

According to data from the International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles, CNG typically is priced one-third below the cost of gasoline and diesel. In addition to cost savings, CNG reduces particulate matter emissions by 94%, carbon monoxide emissions by 75%, nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 49% and carbon dioxide emissions by 25%.

"Until now, there have been no viable alternative fuel options for heavy-duty delivery trucks with the necessary level of power required to navigate the region's hilly and mountainous terrain," said Giant Eagle VP logistics Bill Parry. "To continue evolving our environmentally friendly fleet, Giant Eagle worked closely with Volvo to design the 10 new CNG vehicles here today with an 8.9-liter Cummins engine as the first of their kind in the commercial transportation industry."