Natural gas vehicles (NGVS) are about to make the headlines in the U.K.
British Gas plc is to announce contracts that will make NGVs a practical proposition for U.K. vehicle fleet operators for the first time. This will coincide with a London conference next week to promote NGVs as a route to a cleaner environment.
British Gas already runs 20 vans that have conventional gasoline engines converted to run on gasoline or natural gas. Besides extra piping, regulators, mixers and so on, the conversions have been equipped with combinations of 70 and 90 l. gas cylinders. A single 70 l. cylinder on a small van allows a 180 mile range, as does a 90 l. cylinder on a larger one.
Despite the extra weight of equipment and fuel tanks and the fact that conversions cannot achieve the performance of a specifically designed engine, British Gas has reported no loss of driveability in comparison with conventional vehicles.
CONTRACTS
The first contract will be for conversion of new vans for dual fuel operation, with the intention of having 100 NGVs in use next year.
The other will be for installation of four natural gas refueling stations, which will complement four existing stations, giving the company a small-but nationwide-refueling network.
Then British Gas will be able to offer other fleet operators interested in testing NGVs the chance to conduct field trials without having to install their own fueling stations.
Keith Nelson, national marketing manager for NGVs at British Gas, anticipates a number of potential customers will be conducting field trials during 1993. He hopes this will lead to installation of their own fueling stations to give some impetus to NGV use in Britain.
VISIONARY
Next week's NGV conference will take place at the Church House Conference Centre in Westminster, London, Oct. 13. The Combustion Engineering Association, based in Aberdare, South Wales, organized the conference to let British fleet operators hear of NGV fleet experiences in Netherlands and Germany and to explain technical aspects.
The benefits of NGVs in this age of environmental consciousness should mean a few of the conference delegates will be on the telephone to Nelson, adding to his list of potential users. But the one who intrigues me recently asked Nelson about converting his motorcycle to natural gas. I have this mental picture of a rider in helmet and goggles astride a torpedo on two wheels. He may be a visionary. On the other hand...
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