Calgren builds public R-CNG fueling station in California

Calgren has completed construction of its first direct-to-consumer renewable compressed natural gas (R-CNG) fueling station.

Located in Pixley, California, the new station allows drivers to fuel their compatible vehicles with locally produced R-CNG made from dairy methane, providing a clean, sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

The project enables Calgren it to deliver its carbon-negative fuel directly to the local community for the first time. The firm says renewable natural gas (RNG) is produced at the Pixley facility through its dairy digester network, which captures methane emissions from local dairy farms and converts it into transportation fuel.

“This station is about connecting the full circle of our work, producing quality feed for dairy cows, capturing methane that is traditionally released to atmosphere from dairies, processing it into renewable fuel and putting it straight into vehicles on our roads, including our own partner trucks that haul our products and co-products,” Calgren CEO Travis Lane says. “The cow is fueling the truck that hauls the feed that fuels the cow, right here in Tulare County. This system helps to manage the dairy cows’ environmental footprint, so they can continue to help feed and support our communities.”

Calgren says R-CNG compatible vehicles—including passenger cars, buses, and commercial fleets—are now able to fuel at the station.

According to the firm, drivers can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting local agriculture and renewable energy innovation by using RNG instead of gasoline or diesel. The R-CNG dispensed at Calgren’s station displaces diesel fuel, which the firm says has more than four times the greenhouse gas emissions than its R-CNG.