DALLAS--pril 20, 2012: BAF, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clean Energy Fuels Corp. , staged Open House ceremonies yesterday at its new Dallas production facility to mark the company's 20th Anniversary and the completion of its 20,000th compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle conversion.
Located at 2176 French Settlement Road in Dallas, the new 91,000-square-foot BAF headquarters site houses the company's R&D, vehicle conversion, and service operations.
On hand for the Open House event, Douglas R. Clark, President of the Omaha, NE Metropolitan Utilities District, officially took possession of BAF's 20,000th CNG conversion, a dedicated Ford F-250 pickup truck for use in the District's service fleet.
BAF President John Bacon told event guests, "This is a landmark day in the history of BAF. We're celebrating 20 years in the business. We have opened the doors of our new facility, and we are commemorating these events with the delivery of our 20,000th natural gas vehicle conversion. Our industry has grown from just an idea 20 years ago to today, when hundreds of natural gas-powered vehicle fleets are deployed across the nation every day."
Bacon added, "Just this year, BAF expects to convert more than 5,000 vehicles to CNG power, and we are very excited about our prospects for continuing growth in the next 20 years."
Special guests at the anniversary celebration included Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Clean Energy Co-Founders T. Boone Pickens and Andrew Littlefair, who serves as Clean Energy's CEO.
BAF is the first CNG converter recognized as a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) for gaseous fuel. Further, the company uses Ford-accredited QCM (Quality Calibrations Modifier) calibrations and all vehicles converted by BAF are registered through Ford QFC (Quality Fleet Care) for all warranty and service work through Ford dealerships. Finally, BAF takes the extra step of crash testing its light-duty vehicle products to achieve federal compliance. It has a network of 65 dealers across the country certified to install BAF's CNG conversions.
BAF is the only Ford QVM with a full product line up including the F250 through the F550 trucks along with the F53 and 59 package vehicles, the E 250-450 series, the Transit Connect, and the bifuel CNG E-250/350 vans and F-250/350 pickups.
Currently priced up to $1.50 or more per gallon lower than diesel or gasoline (depending upon local markets), the use of natural gas fuels reduces greenhouse gas emissions up to 30% in light-duty vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that 98% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is sourced in the U.S. and Canada, making natural gas a secure North American energy choice.
BAF Technologies is the leading provider of natural gas vehicle systems and conversions in the United States and supports clients with alternative fuel systems. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, BAF was acquired by Clean Energy in October 2009. BAF's alternative fuel vehicle up-fitting capabilities include aftermarket compressed natural gas (CNG) conversions of Ford-manufactured vans, cutaway shuttles, taxis, pick-ups and light-duty trucks. www.BAFtechnologies.com
Clean Energy is the largest provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America and a global leader in the expanding natural gas vehicle fueling market. We have operations in compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicle fueling; construction and operation of natural gas fueling stations; compressor equipment and technology; biomethane production; and vehicle conversion. We fuel over 530 fleet customers and 25,000 vehicles daily at more than 273 strategic locations across the country with a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, trucking, shuttle, taxi, airport and municipal fleet markets.
We are building America's Natural Gas Highway, a network of LNG truck fueling stations connecting major freight trucking corridors across the country for coast-to-coast and border-to-border natural gas truck fueling.
