CleanFUEL USA, a supplier of propane autogas
infrastructure and engine systems, has installed 37 propane autogas fueling
stations at Menards home improvement stores.
Thirty-six Menards locations throughout Illinois, as well
as its Eau Claire West store in Wisconsin, will now offer publicly accessible
propane refueling.
The new autogas fueling stations are a collaborative
effort between CleanFUEL USA and Ferrellgas, a nationwide propane provider;
CleanFUEL USA provided the PRO2110 dispenser and 1,000-gallon tanks,
and Ferrellgas provided installation services and propane for each location.
The Menards retail sites will be open during regular
business hours to provide fuel for propane-powered vehicles and cylinders used
on gas grills and recreational vehicles.
The autogas station project was funded through a $12 million
grant from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Texas State Technical College (TSTC) serves
as the lead grantee of the funds, which support the development of a national
propane Autogas refueling network, incentives to convert school buses and other
fleet vehicles to alternative fuels, and training for green jobs.
The DOE estimates that the initiative will help displace
millions of gallons of petroleum annually and retrain U.S. veterans, fleet
mechanics, and service technicians for work in the alternative fuel and
advanced vehicle technology industries.
In addition to installing the autogas fueling stations,
Menards partnered with Icom North America to convert 140 new Ford pick-up
trucks to propane autogas for store operation use at these 37 Menards
locations.
Propane autogas is the third most widely used
transportation fuel globally, behind gasoline and diesel, and is proven to be a
more attractive option from an economic and environmental standpoint.
As the lowest greenhouse gas emitting fuel, propane
autogas averages 40 to 50 percent less than gasoline and diesel per gallon.
There are more than 52,000 propane autogas refueling stations and 17 million
propane-powered vehicles worldwide.