U.S. CNG FUEL MARKETING PUSH ACCELERATING
The push to market compressed natural gas as an alternative motor fuel continues to gather momentum in the U.S.
Some recent developments involve programs in California, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
CNG MOBILE DELIVERY
Tren-Fuels Inc., Owensboro, Ky., has contracts to provide mobile CNG delivery systems to Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority and Capital Metro in Austin.
Its Gasmaster 2000 system compresses, transports, and offloads natural gas directly into vehicles or onsite storage facilities.
Gasmaster 2000 delivers CNG for the equivalent of less than $1/gal of gasoline, claims Texas Gas Transmission Corp., an affiliate of Tren-Fuels. According to Texas Gas, the system can fill 100 light duty vehicles and 50 minibuses simultaneously.
Meantime, Austin's city council voted to start a pilot program to convert 20 city vehicles to CNG.
Results of the program will be monitored by the city and evaluated for its economic and environmental effects.
James Hall, director of general services for the city, said the pilot program could lay the groundwork for further conversions to CNG possibly through dual fuel vehicles that give the driver a choice between CNG and gasoline via a dashboard switch.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH PROGRAM
Fina Inc., Dallas, and Lone Star Gas Co. plan to install the first public CNG refueling station in the Dallas/Fort Worth area this year.
The joint venture plans to install CNG refueling facilities at existing Fina stations in the metroplex by yearend. Plans are to identify commercial and government fleets that would use the service and install CNG outlets at Fina stations nearby.
Recent Texas legislation requires government agencies to begin converting to alternate fuels and encourages private fleets to do the same.
CALIFORNIA
Unocal Corp. and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. have opened southern California's first public CNG refueling station at Vista, San Diego County.
The new station, which also will sell gasoline, is the first jointly operated oil company/utility facility in southern California.
SDG&E will be among suppliers of CNG to fuel school buses under a program sponsored by California Air Resources Board, which last month certified a CNG powered engine as the first alternative fueled engine certified for use in California (OGJ, Apr. 15, p. 32).
Meantime, SDG&E is seeking approval of an expanded CNG development plan from the California Public Utilities Commission.
Until CNG rates are approved, CNG costs can only be estimated at 40-50% less than equivalent current prices of other fuels, the two companies said.
Unocal and SDG&E plan several CNG refueling stations in the San Diego area.
WASHINGTON
A CNG fueling station opened in Washington Apr. 18, starting a 3 year research project operated by Amoco Corp. and Washington Gas.
Use of the facility will be limited to vehicles designated by sponsors that include Tenneco Gas, Southern California Gas Co., Brooklyn Union Gas Co., Columbia Gas Distribution Companies, Consolidated Natural Gas Co., American Gas Association, and Gas Research Institute.
As many as 1 00 vehicles will participate from federal and local government agencies and private industry.
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