MTU, REL Inc. Receive Grant for Light-Weight Gas Tanks

The work at Michigan Tech has caught the eye of an investor in Texas. In partnership with REL Incorporated, MTU has received a three-year, $2.1 million investment from Houston-based Southwestern Energy Company. The mission? Design, fabricate and test an adaptable, compressed natural gas tank for use in light-duty trucks. The new tanks will further expand the benefits of using natural gas as a source of fuel for motorized vehicles. SWN vice president John Gargani says since the tanks take up too much space when they sit in the bed, they want the tanks under instead. REL vice president Adam Loukus says natural gas is gaining a lot of attention in the heavy trucking industry and this design would be a great way to get away from foreign sources of oil.