Russia Decrees Massive Natural Gas Transport Fuel Targets for 2020

| Russia, Moscow
Medvedev

Prime Minister Medvedev (right) meets with vice-premiers to discuss natural gas fuel implementation.

50% conversion planned for cities with population over 1 million

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev on 13th May signed a decree prepared by the Ministry of Energy of Russia that will change the face of transportation in his country. The decree includes an order to “develop a set of legal, economic and organizational measures of the state to support the production, release into circulation and trafficking in motor vehicles and agricultural equipment to natural gas, creating traffic fueling and service infrastructure, statistical systems and technical regulation for natural gas as a motor fuel”. Read more »

Rosneft Signs Agreements with VW and Kamaz to Boost Gas Engine Fuel Market

| Russia, Moscow

Russian oil and gas company OJSC Rosneft and LLC Volkswagen Group Russia have signed an agreement aimed at the development of the compressed natural gas (CNG) market in Russia, as well as the CNG-powered vehicles market. Rosneft has also signed an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation with vehicle manufacturer KAMAZ Truck Sp. z o.o. to expand use of natural gas as motor fuel. The agreements follow in the wake of the Russian Government’s decree to push NGV industry growth. Read more »

Ford Expands Natural Gas Range in Sweden with C-MAX CNG

| Sweden, Gothenburg / Trollhattan

Ford C-Max CNGNatural Gas Vehicle (NGV) drivers in Sweden have been presented another option with the launch of a new compact minivan. The Ford C-Max is able to operate on biomethane or natural gas and qualifies for the tougher clean car standards; operating on pure biomethane the C-Max carbon emissions will be as low as 29 g/km. Read more »

Vibrant NGV Industry in China

| China

LNG refueling (CNPC)The Chinese natural gas vehicle market has stepped up a gear according to a Kunlun Energy press release about last week’s 14th China International Natural Gas Vehicles, Filling stations and Equipment Exhibition and Forum in Beijing, with more NGVs, more filling stations and greater momentum. According to reported statistics, 446 new filling stations commenced operation in the past year, with the total reaching 2,784, an increase of 19% over the previous year. Liquefied Natural gas (LNG) stations accounted for 22.8% of that total. Read more »

Pennsylvania Approves Grants for Five Natural Gas Filling Stations

| USA, Harrisburg PA

Pennsylvania Capitol HillThe U.S. State of Pennsylvania is expanding its commitment to advance clean, alternative and renewable energy sources with the investment of more than $1.8 million in 5 projects. The grants will assist in the construction of four CNG filling stations and one LNG station which have the benefits of reducing emissions, fuel savings and utilizing the large domestic source of natural gas available in Pennsylvania. Read more »

Qatar’s Mowasalat Receives First CNG Taxi

| Qatar, Doha | Source: Gulf Times

MowasalatKarwa, the monopoly bus and taxi service operated by Mowasalat, the State-owned transport company of Qatar, has incorporated its first compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle into its fleet. The Volkswagen-manufactured VW Passat TSI EcoFuel car was received on behalf of Karwa by the government public transport firm’s director of Taxi and Limousine Abdulla Ali Bahzad, reports the Gulf Times. Read more »

Clean Energy – Mansfield Partnership Sets Up CNG Fueling Solution

| USA, Seal Beach CA and Gainsville GA

Clean Energy Refuelling at Philadelphia INternational AirportClean Energy Fuels Corp., a nationwide provider of natural gas and Mansfield Energy Corp., a national transportation fuel provider have formed a strategic partnership to deliver a comprehensive compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel solution in the U.S. Sales teams from both companies will offer Clean Energy’s natural gas fueling station construction and operational services to current and potential customers. These services will be supported by Mansfield’s large-scale fuel supply capabilities and Gas-2-Gallons fuel management system. Read more »

Scania CNG Garbage Trucks Service Warsaw

| Poland, Warsaw | Source: cng.auto.pl

Scania P310 6x2 CNGIn Warsaw, municipal waste collection and disposal company Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Oczyszczania (MPO) has taken delivery of 15 Scania garbage trucks powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). This is the first of two deliveries of Scania Model P310 for MPO, to fulfill an order for 27 trucks, reports cng.auto.pl, a CNG promotion organisation in Poland. The trucks have a CNG tank capacity of 640 litres, sufficient for approximately 400 km under normal driving conditions. The vehicles meet the city’s requirements for quiet operation with low emissions.

California Continues Funding for NGV Projects

| USA, Sacramento CA

CECThe California Energy Commission has approved funding for a number of projects that will support increased numbers of cleaner, alternative fuel vehicles on California roadways, thereby helping the state meet its climate change goals. The awards were made through the Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology (ARFVT) Program, created by Assembly Bill 118. 2013-2014 funding priorities have also been set, with both programs including support for natural gas vehicle projects. Read more »

Westport Expects “Step Change” Growth for NG Engines in 2013

| Canada, Vancouver BC

Westport in ChinaWestport Innovations Inc., developer and manufacturer of natural gas engines has delivered its 1Q Fiscal report with a clear message from David Demers, CEO of Westport. “We are expecting a step change in growth over the course of this year and remain confident the market for natural gas as a fuel in trucking is here and now – not five or ten years down the road.” The company maintains its revenue outlook for up to 30% year over year growth. Read more »

Natural Gas Storage and Fuel System Development Agreement Signed by Quantum and ZHRO

| USA, Lake Forest CA

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., developer and producer of natural gas storage systems, integration and vehicle system technologies, recently entered into a Master Development Agreement with ZHRO™ Solutions, LLC (ZHRO), based in Chandler, Arizona, to develop fully-integrated compressed natural gas storage and fuel delivery systems for robust and cost-effective aftermarket conversion of medium and heavy duty diesel fleets to run on natural gas. Read more »

GRTgaz and Swedegas Join Carbon Neutral Gas Supply Group

| Belgium
(image: GRTgaz)

(Image: GRTgaz)

During Gas Week in the European Parliament (April 23-25), gas infrastructure companies GRTgaz (France) and Swedegas (Sweden) joined the initiative by Gasunie (The Netherlands), Energinet.dk (Denmark) and Fluxys Belgium (Belgium) to deliver a carbon neutral gas supply by 2050, including gas for road and maritime transport. Read more »

Galileo Joins NGV Industry Leaders as NGV Global Sponsor

| Argentina, Buenos Aires
Galileo Gigabox at one of the Buscaracas ation-of-Buscaracas passenger stations.

Galileo Gigabox at one of the Buscaracas passenger stations.

Galileo, Argentinean developer and manufacturer of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) compressors and fuel dispensers, has joined a special group of natural gas vehicle (NGV) industry leaders as NGV Global’s latest Corporate Sponsor. The work of NGV Global, as the international association for the industry, is made possible and indeed more effective by the growing support received from such high profile companies. Read more »

GAZ Group Develops CNG Version of Intercity Bus

| Russia

GAZ Group medium-class KAVZ-4238-02Russian automotive manufacturer GAZ Group has developed a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered version of it’s medium-sized intercity bus model KAVZ-4238. Produced at GAZ Group’s Kurgan Bus Plant, the 10 metre bus is designed for suburban and long-distance routes. The bus is equipped with a Cummins gas engine certified to Euro V environmental standard and ZF transmission. Natural gas is stored in five cylinders of 123 liters, which enables a range of 400 km. Read more »

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 »