This might be a good thread to occasionally report news about fleets, etc. buying CNG vehicles or converting existing vehicles to NG.

A few I've noticed recently . . .

In Huntington, WV . . .
>>> Huntington to fuel trucks with natural gas <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he Huntington Town Board moved Tuesday night toward converting some of the town’s garbage collection fleet to compressed natural gas, helping to reduce the town’s reliance on foreign oil and help preserve the environment.

The board approved a resolution authorizing Supervisor Frank P. Petrone to apply for $260,000 in federal stimulus funds administered by the Long Island Clean Cities Coalition to help purchase two new compressed natural gas garbage trucks and to retrofit two existing trucks to run on compressed natural gas. The total cost of the project is $574,000; the application is for the maximum reimbursable amount.

[...]

[Upstream Lady]

NG is great for fuel consumption, a cleaner burn and less emissions.

Trouble is, it burns a bit too efficiently particularly if the container is ruptured.

It is a lot more expensive to transport.
It needs a highly specialized supply chain.
Great! a LNG fuel economy is no longer beholden to OPEC.
But, the LNG supplying nations don’t look a bunch of nice guys either!

NG is not the solution. It’s just a lazy way out. Combustion engine technology is easily altered to run NG. The PO issue is no different with NG – in fact the situation is worse because the typical gas field depletion curve is even steeper than oil.

[Maddog78]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Upstream Lady', '
')But, the LNG supplying nations don’t look a bunch of nice guys either!

[Gerben]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Upstream Lady', 'I')t is a lot more expensive to transport.
It needs a highly specialized supply chain.
Great! a LNG fuel economy is no longer beholden to OPEC.
But, the LNG supplying nations don’t look a bunch of nice guys either!

NG is not the solution. It’s just a lazy way out. Combustion engine technology is easily altered to run NG. The PO issue is no different with NG – in fact the situation is worse because the typical gas field depletion curve is even steeper than oil.

[copious.abundance]

>>> CNG Cars to Take on the Markets in India <<<

[copious.abundance]

^
India isn't the only county in south Asia doing CNG big-time. Check out Pakistan.

>>> LINK <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]764 new CNG stations set up during last FY
Updated at: 1455 PST, Tuesday, May 26, 2009

ISLAMABAD: The Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector has witnessed unprecedented growth during the corresponding fiscal year 2007-08 with setting up of 764 new CNG stations across the country.

"Operational CNG stations across the country in the year were 2,214 as compared to the previous year's 1,450, which shows unprecedented growth of 53 percent," official sources told here.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has so far granted more than 6,115 licences to construct CNG stations indifferent parts of the country. Almost 80 percent vehicles in the country have been converted into CNG since introduction of this cheaper fuel in 1992.

[copious.abundance]

Now that the Fiat-Chrysler buyout is on, it will be interesting to see what Fiat does in the American market.

>>> LINK <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]Fiat Commits to CNG Power Now! Offers 6 New Models

TURIN, Italy - April 29, 2009: Methane is the most ecological fuel currently available, which is why methane (CNG) powered cars can be driven in city centres, in areas of restricted traffic and even in situations where most cars are completely prohibited. Methane also costs up to 50% less than gasoline/petrol. Fiat has gradually been introducing methane technology throughout its range with methane versions of the Grande Punto, Panda, Punto, as well as the Multipla and Doblò.

FIAT'S POSITION ON CNG
Methane (CNG - compressed natural gas) is the most ecological fuel currently available, which is why methane fuelled car can be driven in city centres, in areas of restricted traffic and even in situations where most cars are completely prohibited. Methane also costs up to 50% less than petrol. Fiat has gradually been introducing methane technology throughout its range with methane versions of the Grande Punto, Panda, Punto, as well as the Multipla and Doblò.

Fiat is one of the international automotive brands responding most effectively to the need to limit the impact of transport on the environment. Fiat is proposing specific solutions that are within the reach of everyone and are available today to achieve this significant goal. This is borne out by the products present on the market; research and development plans; sustainable mobility initiatives promoted in conjunction with governments - and investments in new product development.

[...]

Whoa, Mack trucks. We're going big-time here.

>>> Ze Link <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]Natural gas-powered Mack refuse truck unveiled at WasteExpo

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Mack Trucks has introduced a natural gas-powered version of its TerraPro Low Entry model truck targeted towards refuse applications.

The engine is supplied by Cummins Westport and a cabover version of the truck will be introduced later, Mack announced at the WasteExpo trade show this week.

The 9-litre Cummins Westport ISL G engine is rated at 320 hp and can use either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). It is equipped with a three-way catalytic converter to comply with EPA2010 emissions standards, Mack says.



“We’re bringing the Mack tradition of application excellence to alternative fuel vehicles,” announced Dennis Slagle, Mack president and CEO. “The natural gas products we’ve now brought to market will extend our position of leadership in refuse into this emerging segment.”

[...]

[Starvid]

And if you don't have any gas pipes close to you, you can use biogas. In my city we run about 2/3 of our local buses on biogas, though that's pretty much as much as the local area can supply in terms of biowaste (=gas feedstock). An additional benefit is that you get less noise and pollution than from diesel buses.


The fuel is stored in the bulge on the roof.


Charging batteries, heating the engines and stuff like that.

[Gerben]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'C')harging batteries, heating the engines and stuff like that.

[copious.abundance]

Here's something to keep an eye on.

>>> LINK <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]T. Boone Pickens bets on a new American carmaker
By Nicolas Van Praet and Carrie Tait, Financial Post
June 17, 2009

A group of California venture capitalists unveiled plans for a new American carmaker Wednesday called V-Vehicle Co. as investors place more bets that small startups can steal share from the old-guard manufacturers in the years ahead.

V-Vehicle founder and chief executive Frank Varasano, who was executive vice-president of software developer Oracle Corp. until 2001, sketched out the rough details of his plan to build high-mileage cars at an abandoned auto factory in Monroe, Louisiana.

His investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a Silicon Valley firm with a history of backing entepreneurs in ventures like Google and Amazon, and Texas oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens. His chief designer is Tom Matano, the architect of Mazda Motor Corp.’s Miata model.

[...]

“The reason I invested is to make money,” Mr. Pickens told reporters at a separate event in Calgary Wednesday. “When I got in... they were going to use gasoline [to power the new cars]. We’re looking at it now, if it works out, which I think it will, we’ll go to natural gas at some point.”

[...]

[copious.abundance]

Bump for pstarr.

Notice they've even got a natural gas-powered cement truck!!!

Just think of all the shopping centers you could build with all that natural gas!! Combine that with the natural gas-powered UPS trucks, and Christmas is saved!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

[Gerben]

Iranian CNG revolution continues: 1.5 M NGVs and growing
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'D')espite political uncertainties in Iran, one good news story [...] is the continued success of the country’s extensive natural gas vehicle (NGV) program.
...
Natural gas vehicle numbers have increased from 315,000 at the end of 2007 to 1,000,000 at the end of 2008.
...
The latest official numbers, as at May 11 2009 indicate 1,411,324 NGVs on the road. Government officials [...] confidently agreed that figure is now well in excess of 1.5 million.

[Maddog78]

But that is Iran. The U.S. could never duplicate this technology.


pstarr is done with this thread I think.
He doesn't want to look anymore because it goes against his religion.
I like the last paragraph.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')erhaps the biggest lesson for NGV stakeholders is just what can be achieved when policy is in place to support industry growth. Lack of infrastructure is often touted as a ‘reason’ not to pursue natural gas as a transport fuel yet Iran is proving that this is merely an excuse, that lack of infrastructure is solved simply by putting mechanisms in place that allow it to be created.

[Blacksmith]

The county in which I live used to run all its vehicles on a natural gas and gasoline alternative. You could drive on natural gas for about 230 km and then when the natural gas ran out you could switch to gasoline. The cost for natural gas was much less than gasoline, there was no road tax and there was a $1500 grant for each vehicle converted.

I asked them why they did not continue the program and was told that maintence became too expensive. The trucks when run on natural gas lacked power and had to be switched to gasoline when pulling heavy loads. Additionally, the cost of installing and running a pressurized natural gas station became too expensive for the number of vehicles in the program.

I fear that natural gas vehicles may be in the same category as ethanol powered vehicle, something devoutly to be wished.

This topic even made it in this week's Barron's.

>>> LINK <<<
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')ONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2009
ELECTRONIC INVESTOR
Time for Natural-Gas Autos?
By Mike Hogan

AS "CASH FOR CLUNKERS" DEMONSTRATED, AMERICANS love a deal. And Congress may have yet another for you when it returns from summer recess.

The plan is to offer tax credits worth up to $12,500 on the purchase of new cars and trucks. The catch is that your new vehicle must run on natural gas -- compressed natural gas, or CNG, to be precise. A Senate bill, the counterpart to the House's NAT GAS Act, also would offer up to $64,000 in tax credits on fleet vehicles, and up to $100,000 to anyone opening a CNG filling station.

[...]

[Maddog78]

I'll be waiting to see if Congress passes this.
That could be quite a big kick in the pants for these kind of vehicles.

[timmac]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')ne project, for instance, will help finance a 700-mile LNG corridor from California to Utah “along one of the nation’s most heavily traveled truck routes.” T. Boone Pickens must be smiling today.

[Tanada]

The website HERE was advertising on my local news radio station this evening, I never heard of them before. Anyone know how real they are?

[Maddog78]

Seem pretty "real" to me.
Not sure what you mean exactly.
Some natural gas producers got together to promote their industry. Seems like a logical thing to do.