Ameren Illinois unveiled its new compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station in Maryville on Wednesday, along with seven new trucks that run on the fuel, illustrating the company’s commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship.

The CNG station is used to fuel Ameren Illinois trucks that run on compressed natural gas. The facility also provides fuel to CNG trailers used by Ameren Illinois for emergency response operations and system maintenance.

Compressed natural gas burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel, reducing engine maintenance costs. On average, Ameren Illinois vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas can drive 200-400 miles before refueling, reducing fuel costs by about $2 per gallon compared to diesel. The deployment of CNG vehicles is expected to save Ameren Illinois approximately $1,000-$2,000 per vehicle in annual fuel costs.

Ameren Illinois recently increased its investment in cleaner-burning, environmentally-friendly alternative fuel technologies, including compressed natural gas, which emits approximately 30 percent less greenhouse gas than trucks with conventional engines. This year, the company committed five percent of its vehicle replacement budget to investments in alternative fuel technologies, such as natural gas, biodiesel and electric.

The new CNG-powered trucks on display at the unveiling event included six Ford F-350s that run on both gasoline and CNG, as well as a gas compressor truck that runs on CNG only. Ameren Illinois currently operates a total of nine CNG trucks.

In addition to opening the Maryville CNG station, Ameren Illinois has also committed to quadrupling the amount of biodiesel fuel utilized in its fleet this year.