Natural Gas Buses at Forefront of U.S. Public Transit Transition to Alt-Fuels

| USA
Omnitrans buses will surpass the 100 million mile mark in CNG miles traveled, April 2013

Omnitrans buses will surpass the 100 million mile mark in CNG miles traveled, April 2013

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reports more than 35 percent of U.S. public transportation buses use alternative fuels  or hybrid technology, as of January 1, 2011.  This is a striking contrast to the 1.3 percent of automobiles that used  alternative-fuels in 2010, according to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Outlook. Vehicles operating on natural gas are at the forefront. Read more »

Audi Releases More Details for A3 Sportback g-tron

| Germany
Audi A3 Sportback g-tron

Audi A3 Sportback g-tron

- A3 Sportback g-tron is powered by the CO2-neutral Audi e-gas
- CO2 emissions of 30 grams per kilometer (48.28 g/mile)
- Total range of 1300 km (807.78 miles)

Audi’s A3 Sportback g-tron, a compact five-door car, due to make its debut at the end of the year, is powered by the CO2-neutral fuel Audi e-gas. The fuel will be produced in the power-to-gas plant in Werlte, Germany. This new car innovatively combines ecological balance, economy and high-tech solutions. Read more »

ZAP Jonway Hybrid CNG SUV Targets Alt-Fuels Market

| USA, Santa Rosa CA
ZAP Jonway A380 SUV

ZAP Jonway A 380 SUV

ZAP Jonway, a new energy vehicle technologies company headquartered in Santa Rosa, California is launching its first HYBRID CNG vehicle with Jonway Auto’s A 380 SUV. This new CNG SUV, named CN 380 is focused on the accelerating growth in CNG vehicles in many developing countries and in the United States. The HYBRID CNG engine in the CN 380 seamlessly allows the driver to utilize the regular gasoline engine when the CNG fuel is depleted, and also automatically uses the gasoline as fuel to run the engine when it is in a cold start state and the engine is warming up. Read more »

Landi Renzo Broadens CNG Fuel Systems Market by Acquiring 70% Emmegas

| Italy, Cavriago

Italy-based Landi Renzo, an international producer of CNG and LPG fuel systems and related components for motor vehicles, has purchased 70% of Emmegas S.R.L., which has also been producing automotive alternative fuel solutions components for twenty years with markets in Asia and America. Read more »

Philippine Government Passes Incentives to Stimulate Alt-Fuel Vehicle Uptake

| Philippines, Manila

Philippines traffic congestion - emission levels are highAt the end of January 2013, the Philippine Senate passed Senate Bill No. 2856 entitled An Act Providing Incentives for the Manufacture, Assembly, Conversion and Importation of Electric, Hybrid and other Alternative Fuel Vehicles, and for Other Purposes. Under “Alternative Fuels”, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) is amongst the fuels specified. A number of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives are notated. Read more »

Scandinavian Conference Voices Support for Biomethane-Fueled Transportation

| Denmark | Source: Biomaster

Denmark - Gron gas til transportA Scandinanvian conference held end of January in Skive, Denmark, attracted 300 delegates keen to discuss and learn about biomethane fuel for transportation, reports the BIOMASTER project. Called Green Gas for Transport, the event’s audience heard of Denmark’s “positive attitude” toward replacing fossil fuels with biogas in the near future, and enjoyed presentations from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Read more »

EU Launches Clean Fuel Strategy to Propel Refuelling Infrastructure Development

| Europe

LNG refuelling for road transport every 400 kms

EU-wide refuelling for CNG vehicles

All 139 maritime and inland ports to have LNG refuelling

Common EU standards; binding targets

The European Commission has launched an ambitious package of measures to ensure the build-up of alternative fuel stations across Europe with common standards for their design and use. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the latter for refuelling heavy duty vehicles and marine vessels, are included. Policy initiatives so far have mostly addressed the actual fuels and vehicles, without considering fuels distribution. Efforts to provide incentives have been uncoordinated and insufficient. Read more »

Fortistar Acquires Vocational Energy

| USA, White Plains NY

US energy supplier Fortistar and its new affiliate, TruStar Energy LLC, a compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure provider, has acquired a majority interest in Vocational Energy, a company involved in CNG fuel station engineering, design and construction. TruStar Energy will continue the existing construction business of Vocational Energy and expand into offering long term fuel supply agreements to companies wishing to convert their transportation fleets to CNG. Read more »

Vos Logistics Establishes Sustainable Fleet with Econic LNG Trucks

| The Netherlands, Oss

MB Econic LNG Trucks meet sustainability requirements of Vos clients.

Independent European logistics service provider Vos Logistics has further greened its transport fleet by taking five new trucks into service that drive on liquefied natural gas (LNG). In the fourth quarter of the year the company will add another six LNG trucks to its fleet, bringing the total number of Mercedes-Benz Econic LNG trucks to 14. LNG trucks can also be driven on LBG (liquefied biomethane or biogas) and have a range of about 1,200 kilometres. They are therefore a sustainable alternative for use in national distribution such as deliveries to urban retailers. Read more »

Government can Save Billions with NGVs in USA – Clean Skies Report

| USA

This week, the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF) issued a new report that urges the federal government to switch its transportation contractors to carriers that fuel on domestic fuels such as natural gas. According to ACSF, the federal government spends nearly $150 billion annually on transportation services, and it could save as much as $7 billion annually by switching just 20 percent of its business to carriers who fuel on domestic alternative fuels. Read more »

Texas Promotes Alt-Fuel Growth with Targeted Grants

| USA, Austin TX

Texas non-attainment and near non-attainment areas

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has set up various grants to promote the use of alternative fuels in the US state. The latest of these is a grant fund of USD 5.7 million for eligible individuals, businesses, governmental entities and school districts, to replace older diesel vehicles with new alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles. Alternative fuels are limited to liquefied (LNG) and compressed (CNG) natural gas, electricity, propane (LPG) or 85%+ methanol. Read more »

CEC Funds Alternative Transportation Fuels and Natural Gas Refuelling Stations

| USA, California

The California Energy Commission has approved funding of $23,110,015 for projects that will advance the development of green fuels, and the installation of fueling stations. These investments will help California to fulfill its pioneering climate change policies, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and improve the environment. This round of grants includes allocations ranging from scientific research to the development of fuelling stations. Read more »

Clean Cities Reaches Out Via Internet Radio on Alternative Fuels

| USA

Antelope Valley (California) Clean Cities program is reaching out beyond city limits with the message on alternative fuels, launching an internet based radio show dedicated to ending oil addiction. Program coordinator Curtis Martin says the content of the one hour weekly show is aimed at national and even international audiences. “Oil addiction is a global problem so the discussions and interviews will be of interest to listeners around the world.” Programs have already gone to air featuring several natural gas vehicle programs, including Ryder System, Inc., operators of North America’s largest heavy-duty natural gas rental fleet. Read more »

Peterbilt Achieves Smartway First for Model 386 LNG

| USA, Denton TX

Truck manufacturer Peterbilt Motors Company, a Texas-based PACCAR company, has received accreditation for developing the industry’s first SmartWay designated alternative fuel vehicle. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Program has recognized Peterbilt’s Model 386 liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck as meeting the established fuel-saving, low-emission equipment requirements set for Class 8 trucks. Read more »

US Alt-Fuel Price Report Amplifies Natural Gas Advantage

| USA | Source: Clean Cities, US Department of Energy
Clean Cities: Alt-Fuel/Diesel Period Comparisons

Clean Cities chart: Alt-Fuel/Diesel Period Comparisons (natural gas in red)

The US Department of Energy has issued it’s Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April, once again demonstrating the economic advantages of utilizing compressed natural gas (CNG) as a fuel for transportation. Not surprisingly, the report notes that consumer interest in alternative fuels increases as the price differential per gallon increases for gasoline and diesel. Compared with the price report for the January period, CNG has increased 7%,  diesel rose 17% and gasoline rose 20%. Read more »