USA, Georgia
US fleet operators could soon add Korean Doosan engines to their list of available natural gas engines. Fleets and Fuels reports that the company is expecting EPA and CARB certification for an 11 liter 290 hp variant next month , with a 340 hp variant in the pipeline. The engine is also reportedly capable of operating with 60% hydrogen natural gas blends. Follow the link above for more information
USA, Texas
Compressed Natural Gas Refueling Systems Use Revolutionary Ionic Liquid Pistons
Flowserve Corp. a provider of flow control products and services for global infrastructure markets, has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with gas and engineering company The Linde Group, to commercialize and deploy iKompressorTM natural gas and biogas refueling systems. Called Flowserve Compression Systems GmbH, the joint venture plans to deliver at least 70 iKompressor refueling systems by 2009 to Germany, Austria, and neighboring European Union (EU) countries. The iKompressor systems are designed to reduce energy costs by up to 20 percent at low-inlet pressures, substantially reduce maintenance costs, and deliver high system reliability.
BAF Technologies has received CARB and EPA certification, including OBD II, for their natural gas conversion systems for Ford F-Series pick-ups including the F-150, F-250 and F-350. With this product line addition, BAF says they become the only converter with dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) pick-ups meeting the stringent standards. The F-Series joins the BAF Ford E-450 shuttle, E-350 van and Crown Victoria/Town Car in achieving full certification using BAFs proprietary CalComp technology, meeting all SULEV requirements for light-duty vehicles.
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Give the industry and yourself a stronger voice in Europe and collaborate with NGVA Europe!
NGVA Europe’s will be having their next General Meeting, on September 24th in Turin/Italy, ahead of the II World Fair of NGVs and H2Vs kicks at the same venue (www.ngvworldfair.com). NGVA Europe is committed to promoting natural gas and biomethane as a transportation fuel throughout the region already has 50 signed up members from all over Europe. Contact details can be found at www.ngvaeurope.eu. NGVA Europe’s new website is still under construction and is expected to be operational this autumn.
China, Xi’an
Stations Provide Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Gasoline in Xi’an
China Natural Gas, Inc. has acquired three more CNG/gasoline filling stations located in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China. The filling stations have the necessary government permits to operate and are now selling natural gas and gasoline for CNG/gasoline powered vehicles. Today’s announcement brings the Company’s total revenue generating filling stations to 35.
UK & Thailand,
Evaluation and commercialisation of a technology which upgrades natural gas
Side-stream testing results expected by the end of 2008
UK based Oxford Catalysts, a spin off of Oxford University and catalyst innovator for clean fuels, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Thai state controlled oil and gas company, PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) collaborating on the evaluation and commercialisation of a technology for upgrading natural gas. Since the importance of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a transportation fuel is rapidly rising in Thailand and other parts of Asia, Oxford says the technology will help support the region’s drive towards cleaner, sulphur-free fuels.
USA, California
Two national truckload carriers have signed letters of intent to participate in the port of Los Angeles’ Clean Trucks Plan. The two, Swift Transportation Co. and Knight Transportation, both based in Phoenix, plan to begin drayage operations at L.A. in October, the port said in a statement late Thursday. While the number of trucks they will operate in the market is still to be determined, port officials expect that, collectively, their pool of trucks will exceed 2,000. The trucks will meet 2007 federal diesel emissions standards using a mix of clean diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled trucks, the port’s statement said. “It’s a big deal, a major breakthrough,” said John Husing, a California-based economist and a logistics and supply chain expert who was called on to evaluate the port’s truck replacement plan. Paul Bingham, managing director of trade and transportation markets for economic research firm Global Insight, said, “These are both well-known, national trucking companies. They are very serious players.”
USA
San Diego, Oct. 4-5
Book your accommodation now
Registration is open for NGVAmerica’s National NGV Conference-Summit, which will take place October 4-5 at the Omni Hotel in San Diego, California, just prior to the opening of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Annual Meeting and International Public Transportation Expo October 6-8. Themed “GEAR UP! Capture the Momentum,†this year’s Conference-Summit will bring together NGV industry stakeholders, policymakers, clean-air/clean-transportation advocates and customers to strategize on the steps necessary to capture the current market momentum for NGVs and put in place mechanisms that will generate sustained growth in the future. You can register on-line at www.ngvamerica.org.
USA, Texas
The Texas General Land Office is expanding eligibility for their Natural Gas Vehicle Initiative Grant Program to include private fleets in urban counties. “Street sweepers, forklifts, buses and garbage trucks that run on diesel are expensive and dirty,” Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson said. “This grant program helps convert these fleets to clean-burning natural gas, which is produced right here in Texas, costs less and even earns money for public education.”
USA & Canada
CleanAir Logix of Oakland, California has ordered 9 Kenworth T800 heavy-duty liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks, featuring Westport Innovations’ High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) technology, for deployment at the Port of Oakland. The Port will use the trucks for hauling containers to and from the seaport. Said Bob Cross, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of CleanAir Logix. “We specialize in environmentally responsible logistics solutions, and these Kenworth trucks featuring the Westport ISX G engine fit the bill for this application and our corporate mission to provide practical and commercially viable alternative-fuel based
solutions.”
Brazil, Rio de Janeiro
R.Fernandes, President of Latin American NGV Association (ALGNV) provides an update on the natural gas vehicle industry in Latin America. Countries featured include Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. With 48% of natural gas vehicles located in the region this is a significant part of the NGV industry. Of note is the emergence of several newer countries taking on natural gas vehicles on a large scale and the growing interest in heavy duty applications for compressed and liquefied natural gas (CNG & LNG).
USA
US oil and gas tycoon T. Boone Pickens has taken his Pickens Plan to the top, meeting with Presidential hopefuls Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. The Pickens Plan calls for widespread changes to US Energy policy, including a major shift to wind power for electricity to free up natural gas for use in vehicles. In an email letter to supporters of the plan, Pickens said that the plan is getting the attention of the candidates.
Thailand, Bangkok
Truck operators in Thailand will have easier access to natural gas engine conversions following an easing of loan conditions through PTT Plc, the country’s sole supplier of natural gas for vehicles (CNG). PTT has provided more than one-billion Thai Baht ($US30 million) budget for soft loans for truck operators through state banks, according to the company’s executive vice-president Nattachat Charuchinda. Though loans have been available previously, PTT has eased the loan criteria, allowing personal guarantees instead of requiring assets or property as collateral.
AB Volvo and Mack have set up a company called Terracastus Technologies to commercialise liquid biogas. Technology for conversion of biogas to liquid fuel was developed by Acrion in the US. Mack and Volvo have cooperated with Acrion, and now Terracastus Technologies has exclusive right to
commercialise this technology. Liquid biogas gives many benefits when compared to gaseous fuels, in the same way as
LNG. When energy density increases, less effort on transportation and distribution is needed and driving distances increase.
The first plant is expected in Lidköping in Sweden. One of Volvo’s demonstration trucks on renewable fuels is running on
liquid biogas (see AMFI October 2007). Source: MiljöRapportten, 18 June 2008. (www.miljorapporten.se).
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Forklift Trucks – A Niche Success for Natural Gas
Natural gas is a versatile low carbon fuel. The rapid growth in use of natural gas for transportation is a global success story that is increasingly attracting the attention of governments, the automotive industry, and the media. Data indicates that 85% of the 8.7 million natural gas vehicles in use today are light duty passenger vehicles, and that natural gas is increasingly being used for niche vehicles. Forklift trucks are an excellent example of niche vehicle success for natural gas.
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