March welcomed several advancements spanning the local, regional, and national natural gas vehicle industry. The California Energy Commission recently awarded over $8.5M in funding to bring natural gas and propane powered cars, trucks, and shuttle buses to the thoroughfares of California. Funded by the Energy Commission's Alternative Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, this funding benefits individual consumers as well as public and private fleet operators. Elsewhere in the state, the Los Angeles Dodgers will offer its fans cleaner fuel transit service through the deployment of 40-foot state-of-the-art compressed natural gas (CNG) powered buses as of April 3, by way of a $300,000 grant from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC).
As a testament to the federal government's support of NGVs, President Obama used a recent visit to one of Daimler's natural gas truck manufacturing plant in North Carolina to extol the benefits of alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure, with an intent focus on promoting natural gas vehicles within his proposed energy agenda. Furthermore, Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu proposed widespread adoption of natural gas in fueling commercial vehicle fleets at the Green Truck Summit on March 5 in Indianapolis.
Among CNGVP member news, Honda plans to collaborate with regulators in California, currently the largest and most promising market for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, to install CNG pumps to offer the alternative fuel to customers at two or more Honda dealerships this year. In addition, Clean Energy also recently designed and built a new CNG fueling facility for Saddle Creek, the first freight company in Florida to introduce CNG to its fleet. Given the environmental and economic benefits of natural gas, we are sure to see continued momentum for its use across a wide array of industries.
Los Angeles Dodgers offer fans CNG shuttle service.
Along with Metro, the baseball team will once provide a clean fuel transit service from Union Station to the stadium this season through a $300,000 grant approved by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC). Service will begin on April 3 before the Dodgers' exhibition game against the Angels and continue throughout the season. The Dodger Stadium Express bus service will be provided by Veolia Transportation under contract to Metro, which will deploy state-of-the-art 40-foot compressed natural gas powered vehicles.
California Energy Commission Awards More Than $8.5 Million To Bring Natural Gas and Propane-Powered Vehicles To California.
The California Energy Commission approved funding of $8,554,000 to help bring natural gas and propane-powered shuttle buses, cars and trucks to California's roadways. The awards are funded by the Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. The Energy Commission already has awarded nearly $20.5 million to help buyers afford new, alternative-fueled passenger vehicles and medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks. The on-road vehicles meet all the emission requirements of the Air Resources Board and are fully warranted by the original equipment manufacturer.
President Obama visits the Daimler plant in North Carolina to promote natural gas vehicles.
President Obama used a visit to a Daimler plant in North Carolina that makes trucks that run on natural gas as a platform to promote his energy agenda, and in the process continued to push the green-vehicle envelope. Among other things, the president touted a $1 billion "Race for the Top"-type challenge for alternative vehicle infrastructure development in up to 15 cities and a boost in the electric vehicle (EV) tax credit from $7.500 to $10.000. These are ideas the President has talked about before, but they were offered with new twists this time around-an enthusiasm for including natural gas vehicles in the programs.
Honda Looks to Dealers to Boost Natural Gas Station Network.
Honda Motor Co. (7267), the only automaker selling compressed natural gas-powered cars to U.S. drivers, wants some of its dealers to also install pumps to sell the fuel as its seeks to double sales of CNG vehicles. Boosting sales of Indiana-built Civic Natural Gas sedans requires more fuel stations, Steve Center, U.S. vice president for environmental business development, said in an interview. Honda is negotiating with regulators in California, the biggest U.S. market for CNG vehicles, seeking to have pumps placed at two or more Honda dealerships this year, he said yesterday.
DOE's Chu: Natural Gas Is a "No-Brainer".
Natural gas is "no longer a debate" for fueling commercial vehicle fleets, said U.S. Dept. of Energy Secretary Steven Chu at this year's Green Truck Summit, which opened March 5 in Indianapolis. Chu likened America's fuel crisis to a beef-eater who can no longer afford to buy beef. With crude oil prices at well over $100 per barrel, producers are investing in riskier sources, Chu said. Arctic or deepwater oil wells cost as much as $5 billion each to start up, so producers want to get the highest price possible for the investment.
Florida freight company Saddle Creek unveiled new CNG-powered trucks and filling station.
The company invested about $22 million in the 40 vehicles and the fueling facility and expects to add another 80 such natural gas trucks in coming months. "It's going to take over 4 million pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere every year," said Saddle Creek President Michael DelBovo. "That's huge." According to Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields, who attended the unveiling ceremony, Saddle Creek is an example that other local companies can emulate to achieve a cleaner, safer environment. "It's a big commitment to see private companies stepping forward to do their part," he said.
American Gas Association Operations Conference; May 1-4, 2012; San Francisco, CA.
2012 ACT Expo; May 15-17, 2012; Long Beach, CA.
WGC 2012: 25th World Gas Conference; June 4-8, 2012; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
NGV 2012 Bologna: 3rd NGVA Europe International Show & Workshops; June 19-21, 2012; Bologna, Italy.
HHP Summit 2012: Natural Gas for High Horsepower Applications; September 26-28, 2012; Houston, TX.
NGV Global 2012: Mexico City; November 7-10, 2012; Mexico City, Mexico.
LNG 17: The Global Event for the Global Industry; April 16-19, 2013; Houston, Texas.
No comments:
Post a Comment