REL Inc. in Calumet is getting a contract to develop a new way to use compressed natural gas as a fuel for industrial trucks.
The $2.1 million deal comes through Michigan Technological University, which will help with the research end, and REL will take care of the development. The contract is with Southwestern Energy Company of Houston, Texas, and lasts for three years.
The researchers and engineers will collaborate to design, build and test a conformable, compressed natural gas tank for light-duty trucks. Instead of current designs, Southwestern wants a design that will locate the gas tank under the beds of the trucks.
"Tanks today sit in the bed and take up a lot of the space, which is a drawback to the consumer," says John Gargani, SWN vice president and general manager of strategy, performance and innovation.
Writer: Kim Eggleston
Source: Michigan Technological University
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