By Richard Nemec, NGI's Daily Gas Price Index.

Soon to host an annual national alternative transportation fuels meeting, the City of Long Beach, CA is expanding its use of renewable fuels -- liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel -- for powering 393 of its 2,185-vehicle municipal fleet.

The city is getting renewable natural gas (RNG) from Applied LNG, and the clean diesel from locally based Merrimac Energy, which buys it from Neste Oil's Singapore refinery.

Renewable LNG is being used by the city's street sweepers, which have been fueling with LNG since 2003. It was the first city in the nation to do so. It became bio-based LNG last October, city officials said.