The Environment Committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament has voted on various suggested amendments in a report on the Future of Transport, to which NGVA Europe was contributing as a stakeholder. During the meeting the majority of the ENVI Committee members also voted in favour of Amendment ‘32’, which…
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
Ashok Leyland Ltd, India’s second largest commercial vehicle maker, has unveiled the HYBUS, the country’s first electric plug-in CNG hybrid bus, at New Delhi’s Auto Expo 2010. The series-hybrid HYBUS concept vehicle combines a conventional CNG engine with an electric propulsion system. The engine is operated at optimal efficiency to drive the generator for charging the on-board battery. The Lithium-Ion battery that powers the electrical drive system provides the propulsion. Compared to a conventional bus, the HYBUS promises to offer fuel savings of 20-30 percent.
Read More
One of Volvo Trucks' vehicles that carried out alternative fuel testing in 2007
“Methane gas is by far the most accessible fuel as an alternative to diesel.” – Lars Mårtensson, Environmental Director Volvo Trucks
80% methane replacement expected after engine refinement and testing
Volvo Trucks is staking a claim in the heavy-duty natural gas vehicle arena, announcing it will be the first manufacturer with an ‘efficient’ natural gas diesel dual-fuel engine meeting Euro V exhaust emission standards (introduced in 2009). Field testing will start in Sweden and the UK in 2010. “This unique technology allows us to combine the advantages of gas with the diesel engine’s high efficiency rating, which is about 30-40 percent superior to that of the spark plug engine,” comments Lars Mårtensson, Environmental Director Volvo Trucks. “As a result, this truck consumes considerably less energy than traditional gas trucks do.”
Read More
TNT Swiss Post CNG Iveco Daily Vans
TNT Swiss Post, a company jointly established by TNT Express and Swiss Post International, has increased the natural gas vehicle (NGV) count in the Geneva region, adding ten new compressed natural gas (CNG) powered Iveco Daily Turbo vans last month to their fleet. Erdgasfahren reports the CNG Iveco performs as well as the diesel equivalent Thus, the Iveco Daily CNG Turbo performs on a par with the diesel equivalent model but has attained Environmentally Enhanced Vehicle (EEV) status under Euro 5 emissions norms due to its low emissions. With Switzerland being a significant user of biogas in its distribution networks, the 10 Ivecos are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by around 5 tonnes per annum relative to diesel equivalents.
Electric and plug-in electric vehicles worse than gasoline on emissions pollutants
Last month, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a report that attempts to evaluate the externalities associated with energy production and use in the U.S. The report, entitled Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use, was prepared at the request of the U.S. Congress. It analyzes different energy sectors and develops cost estimates for damages associated with criteria pollution as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The report did not quantify costs associated with energy security. For transportation, the results are presented in terms of the cost per vehicle mile traveled. Supporting data is presented in terms of grams of pollution per mile largely using the Argonne Laboratories GREET model. The assessment includes a review of the full fuel cycle emissions of different transportation fuels as well as the energy and fuel use associated with manufacturing different vehicle types.
Read More
CNG and bio-diesel dual-fuel engines will be introduced onto railways in India after a successful laboratory trial, according to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report. Minister of State for Railways, K H Muniyappa, said trials have been completed on trains and one power car of a DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) train. An earlier trial run has also been carried out successfully by Northern Railway on engines hauling local trains.
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has examined and reported (GAO-09-493) on the implications of implementing the government’s goal for federal agencies to use plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs) when available, casting doubt on their suitability for carbon emissions reduction. Two weeks after the GAO report was released, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced loans of US$8 billion in a government-industry partnership, that will be primarily invested by recipients Ford, Nissan and Tesla toward hybrid EVs and battery development. Although there may be unreported alternative fuel initiatives yet to be considered by DOE, such as for compressed natural gas and liquified natural gas, the GAO report suggests the government’s emphasis on EVs to meet the target of 35 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2016 could leave some disappointed.
IANGV SPONSORS
PDF 