Freightliner Cascadia CNG Completes Trans-America Test

| USA, National Harbor MD

The Freightliner Cascadia 113 CNG on tour

A natural gas-fueled Freightliner Cascadia from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has completed a tour from San Diego, California, to Washington D.C. (approximately 2,700 miles – 4,340 kms). The compressed natural gas (CNG)-fuelled truck only used public gas stations to refuel, thus demonstrating that alternative drive technologies represent a real alternative even today. In light of this success, DTNA CEO Martin Daum promised that DTNA will keep pushing forward in the field of alternative drive systems and continue to cooperate closely with government agencies and form strategic alliances with other economic sectors. “We want to live up to our leadership position by promoting environmentally friendly, resource-conserving, and sustainable transportation solutions,” he said. Read more »

Italy Regulates Fair Competition – Opportunity for NGV Industry

| Italy

Mr Mario Monti, Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance and Governor of the European Investment Bank for the Italian Republic, recently signed into law measures to advance issues of fair competition, including measures to deregulate fuel distribution in Italy. NGV System Italia, the Italian natural gas vehicle association, has summarised the sections pertaining to clauses that currently impose limiting conditions upon the NGV industry in Italy.

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Wärtsilä Dual-Fuel Engine Bound for 100th LNG Carrier

| Finland, Helsinki
Wärtsilä Corporation, a marine industry solutions provider, has been contracted to supply its 100th Wartsila 50DF dual-fuel propulsion engine for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Carrier vessels. This notable milestone was recently passed with the supply of a LNG carrier in a South Korean shipyard. The 100 LNG Carriers represent approximately one quarter of the current global fleet.

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ARRA Funding Brings CNG and Cleaner Air to Oyster Bay NY

| USA, Oyster Bay NY

The Town of Oyster Bay in New York State has received a total of more than USD 5.6 million in grants via American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding through the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles Pilot Program. The latest tranche, being reallocated funds of USD 408,000 will assist the town complete its compressed natural gas (CNG) project, which includes the construction of a CNG fueling station, the conversion of trucks to CNG and the purchase of CNG-ready vehicles. Read more »

Atlanta Gas Light Facilitates CNG Infrastructure Expansion in Georgia USA

| USA, Atlanta GA

Atlanta Gas Light aims to establish Georgia as a CNG investment hub.

In the US State of Georgia, Atlanta Gas Light Company has received qualified proposals from the City of Atlanta and seven commercial operators to open as many as nine new compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations throughout the State. The Georgia Public Service Commission-approved program could more than double the public’s access to natural gas for vehicle fueling. The first stations could be open by mid-2013. Read more »

The Netherlands Subsidizes Euro VI Trucks and Buses

| The Netherlands

The government of The Netherlands has introduced a subsidy for trucks and buses whose emissions meet Euro VI standard, this year and next, up to 4500 euros (approx. USD 6000) per vehicle. The subsidy is to help offset the incremental cost of Euro VI vehicles over Euro V models. The State Secretary Atsma (Infrastructure and Environment) says, ‘The gains this new generation of engines has made toward air quality is very large. I also hope that the urban distribution transport and bus companies move quickly to invest in Euro VI engines; they can make a huge difference in inner city environments. “

(This article compiled using information from a Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment press release)

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MHI and Imabari Shipbuilding Collaboration will include LNG-fuelled Container Carriers

| Japan, Tokyo

Heavy machinery manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. have signed a technological collaboration agreement on container carriers that includes liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled ships. The initiative aims to combine MHI’s technological capabilities, as in the development of energy-saving vessels, and Imabari’s strong cost competitiveness, in order to establish an advantageous framework for competing in the international shipbuilding market. Read more »

NZ Biomethane Project Highly Commended

| New Zealand

NZ Transpacific truck converted to biomethane operation

A provider of waste and environmental services in New Zealand, Transpacific Industries Group (NZ) Ltd owns and operates Redvale landfill, where it captures methane gas. While most of the gas is utilised for electricity generation, a portion is cleaned to a standard suitable for use as a transportation fuel. A dual-fuel rubbish truck powered with this biomethane caught the eye of the judges at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Awards in Auckland recently, reports the New Zealand Herald. The project was highly commended by the judges.  Read more »

VW Golf 2013 to include Natural Gas Variant

| Germany

Volkswagen's MQB component design

Volkswagen is expanding its range of gas-powered vehicles with the introduction of compressed natural gas variant for the high-selling VW Golf; 2013 will see a bi-fuel compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered Golf coming to market. The Golf VII will be part of Volkswagen’s new generation of vehicles utilising its MQB (trans. Modular Transverse Matrix) technology, which allows for a variety of transverse, front-engined, front-wheel drive models to be designed using the same set of components.

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Israel Prepares for NGVs

| Israel

Israel is making plans to harness the opportunities afforded by its recent discoveries of natural gas, by developing a standard covering the propulsion of vehicles using this fuel, reports The Jerusalem Post. Although there are already a small number of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in the country, Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau said the standard aims to make possible a more regulated and broader uptake of NGVs. Concurrently, the Ministry is also developing a standard to cover natural gas refuelling stations. Read more »

Landi Renzo Moves to Acquire SAFE

| Italy, Cavriago (Reggio Emilia)

Alternative fuel systems provider Landi Renzo has forwarded to Agave s.r.l., a company in liquidation about to submit an application for composition with creditors, an irrevocable proposal for temporary rental and subsequent acquisition of the SAFE business branch. Through the trademark SAFE, Agave has been operating for more than 35 years in the production of compressors for gas processing for a wide range of applications. Its main business areas include compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling stations for vehicles and plant for the processing of biomethane, hydrogen and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Read more »

Waste Industries Launches Waste Collection Fleet

| USA, Raleigh NC | Source: Herald Sun

Waste Industries LLC, a Raleigh-based company that does curbside trash pickup in Durham County, North Carolina, is spending about USD 8 million on a project to launch a new fleet of garbage trucks that run on compressed natural gas (CNG). The company is updating its fleet with 19 garbage trucks and one service truck and will construct a private refuelling station for the trucks, reports the Herald Sun. Lower emissions, reduced maintenance costs and lower fuel costs will help offset the additional cost of purchasing alternative fuel trucks.

DSME LNG Tank Technology Approved by Lloyd’s Register

| United Kingdom and South Korea

Lloyd’s Register has approved new prismatic IMO Type B independent cargo tanks, so called ACTIB (Aluminium Cargo Tank Independent Type B), for transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The new design, developed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and constructed of insulated aluminium 5083, is also suitable for LNG-as-fuel tanks where partial fill is a critical operational issue. DSME also plans to apply the ACTIB system to the fuel tank design of LNG-fuelled ships such as DSME’s next-generation ‘green ship’ powered by LNG.

(This article compiled using information from a Lloyd’s Register press release)

ITM Power and Hardstaff to Develop HCNG Fuel System for Heavy Goods Vehicles

| United Kingdom

ITM Power, a clean fuel and energy storage company, and transport industry innovator The Hardstaff Group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and market a Hydrogen Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) fuel system for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). Natural Gas or Bio Methane may be combined at various ratios with hydrogen to produce HCNG, which, when burned, offers significant benefits in the emissions performance and efficiency of engines. These improvements in combustion not only reduce the tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide, NOx, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons but also allow for increased engine speed operation, enabling the downsizing of engines. Engine downsizing results in improved operational efficiency and reduced weight. Read more »

Niyato Enters US NGV Market with N150 Ford Conversion

| USA, Las Vegas NV

Niyato N150, CNG powered

Niyato Industries, a compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicle manufacturing company, has completed its first compressed natural gas conversion “N150″, a light duty truck based on the Ford F-150 platform. The company says truck was converted using Ford approved components and warranty conditions are honoured. The V8 N150 meets or exceeds all United States Department of Transportation and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and has received an EPA Certificate of Conformity. Read more »