Monthly Archives: January 2010

City of Burbank Solid Refuse Fleet is 100% CNG-fuelled

January 30, 2010 – 1:32 am

Immediate fuel price savings

Southern California’s City of Burbank now has a 100-percent CNG-fueled solid refuse fleet, with the addition of a solid waste rear-loader collection truck completing the transition. Reported in Government Fleet, the move to CNG required a significant capital investment, while benefits include lower fuel and maintenance costs and reduced emissions. As David Rodriguez, fleet superintendent, explained, “The City’s stance has always been that we understand the technology costs money, and it’s our responsibility to use our money wisely. We feel it’s more prudent to pay extra initial capital outlay and give our citizens and geographical area better air quality.”  The City is seeing immediate benefits from the switch to CNG, with savings from reduced fuel costs (approx. $1 gallon compared with diesel and gasoline) and lower maintenance costs.
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US Methane Hydrate Report Issued

January 29, 2010 – 10:05 pm | USA

Methane hydrate vein in sediment (NETL image)

“Naturally occurring methane hydrate may represent an enormous source of methane, the main component of natural gas, and could ultimately augment conventional natural gas supplies,” says a new congressionally mandated report from the US National Research Council. Although a number of challenges require attention before commercial production can be realized, no technical challenges have been identified as insurmountable, the report says. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Methane Hydrate Research and Development Program has made considerable progress in the past five years toward understanding and developing methane hydrate as a possible energy resource.
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Sweden’s Vehicles Use More Biogas in 2009

January 29, 2010 – 7:01 pm | Source: Swedish Gas Association | Sweden

Renewable biogas now 65% of total vehicle fuels used

At the end of 2009 there were over 23,000 gas vehicles in Sweden and 104 public filling stations, reports Gasforeningen, the Swedish Gas Association. Vehicle fuel sales during 2009 amounted to more than 67 million cubic meters, an increase of 16 percent compared to 2008. The share of biomethane in vehicles’ gas has also grown, recording an increase  over 2008 of 27 percent. Vehicle gas replaced petrol and diesel equivalent to 45 000 passenger cars in 2009,  resulting in approximately 130 000 tonnes less carbon dioxide being released.
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NaturalDrive Receives 2010 EPA Certification for CNG 6-Liter Truck Retrofits

January 29, 2010 – 6:53 pm | Source: The Auto Channel | USA, Phoenix AZ

EPA-certified CNG retrofits now available for the GM Silverado and other GM 2010 models

Laboratory-proven reductions of 51% CO, 41% NOx, and 22% of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions

NaturalDrive Partners, LLC,  a small volume manufacturer of alternative fuel retrofits for fleet and consumer applications, has obtained model year 2010 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions certification for its dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) retrofit of the General Motors 6 liter three quarter and full ton trucks. Models covered include the C25, K25, and K35 Silverado and Sierra vehicles in 2WD and 4WD configurations.
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Landi Renzo Enters US CNG Conversions Market – Forms Subsidiary

January 29, 2010 – 12:40 pm | Italy, Cavriago

Two years ago, Stefano Landi, Vice President of Italian entity Landi Renzo S.p.A., acknowledged in an interview reported by Italtrade that his company was keeping an eye on the “potential business developments” in the area of alternative fuels in the USA. Recent US policy and investment incentives and the increasing receptivity to natural gas as a vehicle fuel have clearly stimulated the international automotive CNG and LPG fuel systems company to go to the next step, with its California-based subsidiary Landi Renzo USA Corporation now commencing operational activities. The new company is headed by Mr Andrea Landi, son of Stefano Landi.


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Honda Begins Operation of New Solar Hydrogen Station

January 28, 2010 – 10:09 pm | USA, Torrance CA

Honda's Next Generation Solar Hydrogen Station Prototype

Los Angeles-based Station to Re-fuel Honda Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Honda began operation of a next generation Solar Hydrogen Station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles. Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user’s garage, the station reduces the size of the system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle.
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Greenlane Biogas – World Leaders in Biogas Upgrading

January 28, 2010 – 10:13 am
NGV GLOBAL SPONSOR’S PROFILE

Greenlane Biogas is a Flotech Group Company known as the world leader for biogas upgrading solutions.

Greenlane focuses on design and development, allowing rapid response to market and technical trends. The latest generation water scrubbing technology upgrades organic material to pure methane for vehicle refuelling or for use as pipeline quality gas: Greenlane systems use a Ro-Flo vane type compressor to supply a packed column scrubber with raw gas, which removes unwanted components. This is followed by a patented adsorber process, providing pure and bone dry gas as end product. Unlike fossil fuels which are in limited supply, biogas is extracted via processes that have previously consumed carbon dioxide, resulting in a naturally balanced cycle.
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Rio’s NGV Numbers Set to Escalate in 2010

January 27, 2010 – 5:40 pm

CEG's online promotionCEG Rio, part of the Gas Natural Group, has forecast growth of 7% of net sales of CNG in 2010, based on improved price differentials between petrol, alcohol and CNG. In Rio de Janiero, the number of conversions to natural gas increased from 2,300 per month in the first half of 2009 to 5400 in November. CNG-powered vehicles reached 7.8% of total vehicles in the state, a total of 740 thousand cars, according to CEG. With the expectation that CNG numbers will continue to escalate through 2010, the company will invest further in its public information campaign commenced in 2009, demonstrating the financial efficacy of investing in a conversion kit, for which it has provided an online tool to assist with calculations.

(Este artículo también está disponible en Espanol)

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Dual-Fuel Critical Issues Workshop in Brussels

January 27, 2010 – 5:37 pm | Source: Dr. Jeffrey M. Seisler, CEO Clean Fuels Consulting

Dual-fuel (Gaseous/Diesel) Engines – Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies to Expand the Market – the third in the series of Critical Issues Workshops – Brussels, Belgium on 30 & 31 March 2010

This forum aims to identify and explore the most important technology, marketing and regulatory issues related to gaseous fuelled (natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas – LPG) ‘dual-fuel’ diesel engines. Engine experts, fleet operators and government regulatory specialists will meet in Brussels to discuss the range of different dual-fuel technologies, operating experiences and regulatory issues that must be addressed in order to overcome the market entry challenges faced by these economic and low polluting engine technologies. Speakers and the audience will participate in an open dialogue designed to create a strategy that encourages the development of a new regulatory framework to allow the certification of dual-fuel gaseous engine systems and results in increased worldwide market penetration of dual-fuel engines and vehicles.
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Altech-Eco Gains 2010 EPA Conformity Certificate for Ford Focus CNG Conversion in US

January 26, 2010 – 10:39 pm | Source: The Auto Channel | USA, Ashville NC

Ther 2010 Ford Focus - EPA COC issued for Altech-Eco CNG conversionsThe 2010 Certificate of Conformity builds on 2008 and 2009 achievements

Altech-Eco Corporation of Asheville, North Carolina has obtained a Certificate of Conformity (COC) from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their Dedicated 2010 Ford Focus compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion system. This is the only EPA certified 2010 CNG system for the 2010 Focus worldwide, says a report by The Auto Channel. The dedicated mono-fuel system means that the vehicle uses 100% natural gas.
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Categories: Emissions, Equipment, Market Developments, Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV), Technology, Vehicles & Fuels | Tags: , , | Comments (1)

Organic Renewable Energy – Greener CNG and LNG for North America

January 25, 2010 – 5:45 pm | USA, Houston TX and Waltham MASS
Harvest Power facility

Harvest Power facility

North American company Waste Management Inc. has agreed to invest in Harvest Power to expand next generation organics recycling facilities across the United States and Canada. Harvest is developing innovative high solids aerobic and anaerobic digestion and composting technologies, which accelerate the decomposition of organic materials to produce renewable energy that offsets the use of fossil fuels. The process creates clean biogas that can be converted into electricity, liquefied natural gas, or compressed natural gas, and also generate high quality, nutrient-rich compost products.
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DFW Airport Expands CNG Fleet and Infrastructure

January 25, 2010 – 4:44 pm | USA, Seal Beach CA
Clean Energy CNG Refueling Facility

Clean Energy CNG Refueling Facility

Whole shuttle fleet to be converted to CNG

New 24/7 station opens May, 2010 – accessible by public

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has awarded a 10-year contract to Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to build and operate a new CNG fueling station to support the DFW Rental Car Center’s new fleet of 46 CNG-powered courtesy shuttle buses. The final contract is in process of completion.
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Ballast Nedam Builds CNG Bus Refuelling Station at Njimegen

January 25, 2010 – 2:26 am | Netherlands, Nijmegen
Nijmegen's new CNG bus refuelling station

7 minutes refuelling time means no delays for Novio's fleet of natural gas buses

Dutch construction and engineering company Ballast Nedam, which has interests in an array of associated industries, has built a natural gas filling station for buses in Nijmegen. The station will service 75 natural gas buses for Novio, Nijmegen’s regional transport company, with high-speed refuelling time of 7 minutes per bus. Ballast Nedam has built similar gas-bus refuelling stations in Haarlem, Velsen and The Hague. The gas filling station in Nijmegen is operated by CNG Net, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ballast Nedam, while management and maintenance functions are the responsibility of Ballast Nedam Management.
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Sweden’s First Garbage Truck to Run on Biogas and Biodiesel

January 25, 2010 – 1:04 am | Sweden
The dual-fuel Dennis Eagle garbage truck operated by Renova

Renova's biogas-converted Dennis Eagle garbage truck

Kungsbacka Municipality, in cooperation with Renova,  a major recycling company of West Sweden, has received the first of eight new dual-fuel trucks operating on biomethane (refined biogas) and biodiesel – the first in the country, according to Renova CEO, Christian Baarlid, who added,  “It is largely thanks to the municipality’s “green procurement” with clear environmental standards that we are now able to present this unique environment garbage truck. This is an important milestone for a better environment in the transport and logistics sector.
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Tanzania Govt Masterplan to Shift State-Owned Vehicles to Natural Gas

January 24, 2010 – 2:16 am | Source: The East African | Tanzania

The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) has reportedly decided to adopt natural gas as the fuel of choice for all state-owned vehicles, and has developed a masterplan to implement the project, according to an item published in The East African. The master plan, which includes considerations for infrastructure and refuelling stations, will make it mandatory for government motor vehicles to be configured so they can use natural gas. Although the move seems likely to upset oil importers the government is strongly focussed on the obvious financial and environmental benefits of switching to natural gas.
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