USA, Washington DC
The Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, John Dingell (D-MI), unveiled his long-awaited global warming proposal. The proposal includes a tax on carbon dioxide emissions of $50 per ton (phased in over five years and then adjusted for inflation). Based on an analysis from the American Gas Association, the carbon dioxide tax would result in a 51-cents per gallon increase in the price of gasoline and a 33-cents per GGE increase in the price of CNG.
Bangkok, Thailand
November 27-29. Three days, more than 65 papers in the world’s fastest growing natural gas vehicle markets
Strong OEM presence in Conference and Exhibition
Safety and Standards forum
‘The Future is Now’ theme supported by innovations stream
Early bookings recommended to ensure accommodation and travel availability
Organizers of the upcoming ANGVA 2007 Conference and Exhibition have released a comprehensive conference program , featuring more than 65 papers over the three day event. Conference Organizer, Brett Jarman, says the program caters for the diverse needs of industry stakeholders, with content suitable for fleet operators, policy makers, regulators, and industry manufacturers and service providers alike. “We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure there is something for everyone in the program. Coupled with a three day exhibition of more than 5,000 square metres, two technical tours on the day preceding the event and a Safety Workshop on the day following, ANGVA 2007 looks set to be the largest and most comprehensive event for the industry this year.”
Pakistan, Lahore
OGRA to cover initiatives at upcoming ANGVA 2007 conference in Thailand
Authorities in Pakistan have commenced a crackdown against illegal conversions of vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG), following instructions issued by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to provincial governments. OGRA has teamed up with police and district government officials to clamp down on illegal conversions, which have resulted in unsafe installations on private vehicles.
Area: United Arab Emirates
Town: Abu Dhabi
Adnoc Distribution (www.adnoc-dist.ae ) an integrated energy company who markets and distributes petroleum products and services within the United Arab Emirates and internationally, is seeking a NGV Engineer.
Switzerland, Basel
Basel bus operator, Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (BVB), has awarded tenders for the supply of 26 biomethane powered buses to EvoBus (MercedesBenz). The order is due for delivery during 2008 and comprises 16 articulated buses and 10 standard buses for operation within the city. Local utility Industriellen Werke Basel (IWB) is working with BVB to upgrade refueling facilities already on the BVB site.
India, New Delhi
The Indian subsidiary of Italian vehicle maker Piaggio has launched a compressed natural gas (CNG) variant of their ‘Ape’ (pronounced arpay) Cargo Carrier. The Hindu reports that the vehicle will be marketed in cities where CNG is readily available and that a passenger version is to be released soon.
Australia, Sydney
LNG Supply Capacity to Triple
Project part of $AU150 million LNG investment plan
Industrial gas company, BOC Australia, has announced a major redevelopment of its Dandenong facility to provide additional liquefied natural gas LNG for the Victorian market aimed the emerging heavy vehicle fleet fuelling market. LNG is significantly cheaper than diesel for heavy haulage, however to date, limited availability has constrained its use. The environment will also benefit, as LNG releases 20% less greenhouse gases compared with diesel powered trucks.
Sweden, Stockholm
Mandates dispensing of methane at all refueling stations
Stockholm City Councillor for the Environment, Ms Ulla Hamilton, has released policy details aimed at increasing the use of natural gas vehicles, with biomethane as a primary fuel source. The wide ranging policy allows for the use of fossil sourced natural gas as a supplement when biomethane supplies are insufficient to meet demand. Under the policy, existing refueling stations will be rebuilt to accommodate methane dispensers (already under way and expected to be completed this autumn) with additional sites to be established by local gas supplier, AGA Gas.
Regional NGV Associations fulfilling important policy and industry development roles
NGVAmerica members have received yet another comprehensive update on US Federal policy and policy in the making in this week’s member newsletter. With energy policy consistently rating as a priority of law makers in the US, this is a very complex and ever changing field. Though NGV Global occasionally carries brief summaries of these items (partly to serve as examples of policy initiatives for our international audience), we heartily recommend anyone directly affected by energy and transport legislation in the US (i.e. US businesses or international companies trading in the US) to consider NGVAmerica membership as a way of keeping up to date. An analysis this week of pending tax language changes is a sterling example of the standard of information that Members receive week after week.
We couldn’t make this recommendation without making mention of the IANGV’s European and Asian affiliates also – ENGVA and ANGVA . All of these organizations are doing important work, not just in informing members of policy but actually taking a proactive role in policy formation.
Californian engine conversion system developer, Omnitek Engineering Corp has listed on over-the counter stock quotation system Pink Sheets , providing avenues for stockholders to trade stock privately. Managing Director Werner Funk says there is enough stock in existence currently to make a market but that a private placement will be registered shortly adding another 2,000,000 shares at $2 each.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued a report concluding that existing biofue technologies (i.e., corn ethanol and soy biodiesel) have limited abilities to meet global energy needs without compromising food supplies and prices and the environment. The study also concludes that the global push to develop biofuels in a bid to reduce oil dependence could "offer a cure that is worse that the disease.” The OECD, whose 30 member nations include the United States, is meeting in Paris this week to discuss the report.
USA
Automakers in the US have suffered another setback in their efforts to circumvent State based laws restricting motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. A U.S. federal district court judge has upheld Vermont’s ability to enforce regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, rejecting automaker challenges concerning the regulations’ technical feasibility and costs, and their arguments that the rules were preempted by federal fuel economy law. Vermont as well as twelve other states have adopted California’s greenhouse gas regulations for motor vehicles. Under the Clean Air Act, California is given special authority to adopt its own emission requirements for motor vehicles, and other states have the option of following these requirements in lieu of federal requirements.
Gemany, Berlin
Trip doubles as road test for BASF CNG adsorbent technology extending fuel capacity by 20%
Professional adventurer Rainer Zietlow has wasted no time coming up with a follow up to his recent global tour in a compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle. Confirmed as a speaker at ANGVA 2007 in Bangkok this November, where he will share his adventures with conference delegates, Zietlow has decided to bypass air travel to get there, opting instead to drive his CNG fuelled VW EcoFuel Caddy to the event from Berlin. The trip also doubles as an in service trial for BASF Basostor, an adsorbent designed to increase holding capacity of CNG cylinders, thus extending the driving range for CNG vehicles. BASF is presenting the technology for the first time at the ANGVA 2007 conference also (stay tuned to NGV Global for updates on this ground breaking technology).
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Weighing Up The Options
The following comment piece was written by John Baldwin, a UK based natural gas consultant and Managing Director of CNG Services. It was first printed in a Future Fuels supplement of Petroleum Review magazine.
When a German engineer named Rudolf Diesel developed an engine in 1892 he intended it to use a variety of fuels, including peanut oil. At around the same time, his fellow Germans Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz were inventing the petrol engine. Some 120 years later, 99% of cars, buses and trucks continue to run on diesel and petrol. However, as the National Petroleum Council (NPC; www.npc.org) said in its July 2007 report on global energy supplies: ‘We are facing the hard truths about energy’ – which is code for ‘Opec has got all the oil and won’t sell it cheap to us anymore’.
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