[IMAGE]Oklahoma-State-U-CNG-station-dedication-2.jpg[/IMAGE]Last week, Oklahoma State University (OSU) officials celebrated the dedication of a new compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station, which will fuel the campus fleet.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, along with OSU benefactor and alternative fuel advocate T. Boone Pickens, OSU President Burns Hargis and Clean Energy officials were on hand to dedicate the station located north of the main OSU campus.

The station, which is the second Clean Energy fueling station in the state, opened in January and has two functions. Not only does it serve as a fueling and housing station for OSU transit buses but it also is a public fueling station open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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“This is a great example of how a large public entity like Oklahoma State University can make a real difference and be both fiscally and environmentally responsible,” said Gov. Fallin. “By converting their vehicles to natural gas, OSU is saving the state money through lower fuel costs while promoting the use of a fuel that is abundant in the state of Oklahoma.”

“I am so proud of Oklahoma State for demonstrating such leadership in addressing an issue so important to the future of our country,” added Pickens. “It is imperative that America reduce our dependence on OPEC oil and find ways to use energy resources we have in North America.”

The university, which converted all its transit/community buses to CNG, has 18 CNG buses and is in the process of converting its fleet cars to CNG. By the end of 2011, the university plans to have 90 fleet CNG vehicles. OSU estimates that the current CNG conversion has already saved the university more than $40,000 in fuel costs.

“Converting the university’s fleet to CNG is no small task. For one thing, it required having convenient CNG fueling available. So, we turned to the leader in that area, Clean Energy,” said Hargis. “We are delighted to partner with Clean Energy in building this state-of-the-art station, which serves OSU and the public.”