STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- September 25, 2025 -- UGI Energy Services, LLC (UGIES) and Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) are pleased to announce a partnership to use Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to fuel the 60 buses and six service vehicles in CATA’s fleet. 

CATA, a joint municipal authority of five Centre Region Municipalities, is the chief provider of public mass transportation in Centre County, Pa., and provides nearly five million bus rides a year to Penn State students and staff, commuters, senior citizens and many others in the region.

At an event today in State College, the companies extolled the environmental benefits of using RNG. Representatives David Rishel, CATA’s outgoing CEO, and Todd Horsley, CATA’s new CEO, were joined by UGI Energy Services’ Kelly Beaver, VP of Marketing & Supply.

“In 2005, CATA became the first transportation agency on the East Coast to replace its entire fleet with one that operates solely on clean compressed natural gas,” said CATA CEO, Todd Horsley. “Now, with this agreement with UGI Energy Services, we take another step forward in our ongoing commitment to a clean natural gas program, with renewable natural gas to fuel our fleet.”

By transitioning to RNG, CATA is expected to save 3,089 tons of CO2 emissions each year, achieving a remarkable 99.5% reduction in emissions. This change is projected to result in only 15 tons of CO2 emissions annually in the Centre Region. Over the next year, CATA is projected to achieve the equivalent of removing 670 gasoline-fueled cars from the road each year; eliminate the annual electricity consumption of 620 average households; and prevent the release of methane equivalent to 1,200 tons of CO2e that would escape from landfills.

“We are proud to partner with CATA to provide RNG to fuel their transportation fleet and achieve environmental benefits,” said UGI Energy Services President, Joe Hartz. “This project marks a milestone for UGI Energy Services as we are proud to help CATA and the surrounding communities in the State College area reduce emissions while lowering their carbon footprint.”

RNG is a viable and safe alternative energy source. RNG is created by capturing methane emissions that naturally occur at landfills, farms and other processing plants and are usually released to the atmosphere. The captured emissions are processed, conditioned and cleaned of impurities, to meet gas quality requirements. The resulting RNG is fully interchangeable with pipeline natural gas and used to fuel homes and businesses. Natural gas that has been converted into RNG can be compressed or liquified for transportation fuel. Like conventional natural gas, RNG can be used as transportation fuel in the form of CNG (compressed natural gas), which is the fuel that will power CATA buses.

“I am pleased to see UGI Energy Services (UGIES) and CATA partner to fuel State College buses with Renewable Natural Gas (RNG),” said U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15). “As demand for American energy continues to grow, fueling public transit with low-cost, abundant, and clean-burning natural gas is a win for the traveling public and the taxpayer. RNG also benefits American farmers by turning agriculture waste into revenue, cutting emissions, and strengthening rural economies. UGIES and CATA stand at the forefront of this effort, and I applaud both organizations for their innovative approach.”

UGI Energy Services, a subsidiary of UGI Corporation, markets natural gas, electricity, and liquid fuels to commercial, institutional and industrial customers at approximately 43,000 locations in 11 eastern states and Washington, D.C. UGI Energy Services owns and operates natural gas midstream assets such as liquefied natural gas storage and vaporization, underground storage fields, gathering, intra and interstate pipeline systems, compressor stations and renewable natural gas digesters. These assets support the retail business as well as our electric generation assets, and peaking plants. To learn more visit www.ugies.com. More information on renewable energy can be found at www.ugies.com/products-services/renewable-energy/.

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