Canada, Vancouver

Westport Innovations has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Beijing Tianhai Industry Co. Ltd. (BTIC) of the People’s Republic of China, to work together to explore business opportunities to develop and market natural gas tanks for the transportation market.

USA, Michigan

Former Retired Ford automotive engineer, Roberta Nichols, a pioneer of alternative fuels, has passed away in the US.

UAE, Adu Dhabi

Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) market to be developed in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Call for expressions of interest in participating in this exciting new project.

Brisbane Transport's expanding CNG bus fleet requires CNG refuelling at a third depot.

Brisbane Transport, wholly owned by the Brisbane City Council, is expanding its CNG bus program with a confirmed third refuelling station to be constructed in the coming months and the first of a 180 bus order about to be delivered.

Indonesia, Jakarta

Jakarta's Governor Sutiyoso has sealed the next stage of Jakarta’s NGV program, following the signing on Friday of an MOU with state owned gas supplier PT Pertamina and distributor Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN).

Canada, Vancouver

Westport Innovations Inc. has announced that it and a consortium of partners led by Sacre-Davey Innovations Inc., have been awarded approximately $6 million by the Government of Canada to develop and demonstrate hydrogen technology in energy and transportation applications.

Sweden

-    Biogas use for transport to increase eight fold by 2010
-    Biogas energy yield from wheat double ethanol yield
-    Substantial economic and greenhouse benefits

USA, Berkeley

-    More exhaust inhaled by children inside school buses than by others in the area, says study
-    More 'bang for environmental buck' to be had by supporting school bus upgrades
-    Green Bus Coalition agrees on proposed Green School Bus bill structure.

The Guardian is reporting that US scientists are investigating ways of mining ‘unlimited methane’, stored in hydrate form on the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico.

Toyota USA now offers OEM CNG forklifts and has teamed up with Fuelmaker to provide CNG refueling appliances.

Toyota in the US has highlighted the introduction of CNG forklifts among it’s environmental achievements for the past year in an environmental update released last week. 

- Industry forums establish measures to boost industry
- Action Plan puts focus on heavy vehicle segment for 2005-2007 and beyond
- NGV Industry selected amongst high tech industries to contribute to economic recovery of Argentina.

AFT CEO Sean Blythe discusses the program at the signing ceremony

Australian based Advanced Fuels Technology (AFT) has signed MOU's with stakeholders in Thailand for the conversion of diesel buses to CNG, part of a program to shift the focus of Thailand's NGV programs to heavy and commercial vehicles.

Reuters reports that the Chinese Government is considering introducing fuel taxes to curb runaway fuel demand. China is the world's second largest consumer of oil and its gasoline and diesel prices are among the lowest in the world. The story suggests a 20-50% tax and quotes a policy consultant as saying that it is likely to be introduced 'within the next year or two'.

Meetings of ISO TC22/SC25 (vehicles using gaseous fuels) and its Working Groups 1 (connectors) and 3 (components) were held February in Milan, Italy.  A CVEF sponsored delegate reported the following items of interest: 

The Clean Vehicle Education Foundation (CVEF) reports that CSA America has now decided to separate the hydrogen and CNG standards, despite earlier agreeing with industry requests to cover both CNG and compressed hydrogen in a single update to ANSI/CSA NGV2 (Basic Requirements for Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Fuel Containers).

The International Standards Organisation (ISO) has agreed to play a leading role in sponsoring and hosting a workshop to develop a process for harmonizing standards for gaseous fuels for transportation.

USA

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a way to release hydrogen from a solid compound almost 100 times faster than was previously possible furthering hopes for a viable hydrogen storage medium.

Canada, Ontario

Canada's Government has reached an agreement with North American auto manufacturers to reduce greenhouse emissions by 25% from 1995 levels before 2010.

North American Bus Industries CNG powered 60 foot articulated bus, first unveiled and used by LA Metro in late 2004

USA, Los Angeles

Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is to add six new CNG buses to its fleet at a total cost of $US4.2 million, with the buses due for delivery late next year.