SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego officials Tuesday showed off progress in building a compressed natural gas fueling station for garbage collection vehicles in the Miramar area.
The city is converting its fleet of trash and recyling collection trucks to CNG, which is cheaper and cleaner-burning. The initiative is part of the city's plan to address climate change.
The fueling station can now accommodate 26 vehicles at a time. Drivers can plug them in and leave them at the station overnight, when they refuel automatically.
"We all know that vehicle emissions are the leading cause of air pollution, so the city is leading by example," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said.
"By transitioning to compressed natural gas, we're making our fleet greener and saving money at the same time," he said. "This is a win-win for San Diegans and will help us reach our climate action goals."
The city's 20 CNG trucks reduce emissions by 90 percent over diesel-powered vehicles, according to the Environmental Services Department.
The city hopes to replace its entire 131-truck fleet within five years.
Once completed, the city expects to save more than $1 million in fuel expenses.
"The city's new compressed natural gas fueling station will truly benefit all San Diegans," Councilman Chris Cate said. "The collection trucks that residents see picking up their refuse and recycling bins will now be powered by cleaner fuel."
Mario Sierra, the Environmental Services director, said another benefit is that the CNG-powered trucks will be much quieter while picking up trash and recyclables.