US brewer Anheuser-Busch switching 180 trucks to RNG

US firm Anheuser-Busch, a wholly-owned subsidiary of global brewer AB InBev, is transitioning more than 180 trucks to renewable natural gas (RNG).

In 2014 and 2015, the firm converted 160 diesel-fuelled trucks in Houston and St Louis to fleets powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) engines. As the next step to achieve its 2025 sustainability goal of reducing carbon emissions across its value chain by 25% by 2025, the brewer will be expanding its fleet and investing in technology to transition to cleaner-burning RNG.

The two fleets are expected to travel more than 8.5 million miles annually. By converting the trucks to run on RNG provided by American Natural Gas and U.S. Gain, the brewer expects to reduce its emissions by 70% compared to conventional diesel, equivalent to taking around 66,000 passenger cars off the road or planting 8 million new trees.

Ingrid De Ryck, vice-president of procurement and sustainability at Anheuser-Busch, said: “We are incredibly fortunate to work hand-in-hand with our suppliers to identify new solutions, like RNG, to improve the sustainability of our fleet and reduce carbon emissions across our entire value chain.

“Innovation in the transportation sector is a massive opportunity for companies like ours and we continuously strive to lead the industry by transporting every beer in the most sustainable way possible.”

“We’ve had the pleasure of working with Anheuser-Busch since 2015, supplying clean natural gas, and fuelling infrastructure in support of their alternative fuel journey,” said Ross Finlan, business development manager with U.S. Gain.

“Now, we’re excited to bring them RNG, further boosting emission reductions as part of their overall decarbonisation strategy.

“RNG is an affordable, clean, and widely available alternative fuel. And – because it’s produced from waste, RNG reduces reliance on fossil fuels. As a vertically integrated sustainable energy solutions provider U.S. Gain continues to expand its portfolio of 20+ RNG development projects, offering fleets like Anheuser-Busch some of the cleanest fuel at the best value.”

The firm has placed an order with Agility Fuel Solutions, a global provider of clean fuel solutions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, to expand its existing CNG fleet by equipping over 180 new class-8 trucks with Agility’s ProCab 175 CNG Fuel Systems, the latest in clean energy technology.

Seung Baik, president of Agility Fuel Solutions, said: “RNG or biomethane is a pipeline-quality gas fully interchangeable with CNG and is one of the cleanest burning fuels available.

“We are pleased to see that our systems continue to enable Anheuser-Busch to opt for lower emission solutions in their fleet. The performance, durability, and price stability of CNG-powered trucks make it a great value for distribution fleets like Anheuser-Busch.”