Silver Eagle Distributors, Houston’s largest Anheuser Busch (AB) Distributor and second largest AB distributor in the United States, consistently demonstrates its passion to improve the health of its customers and communities while improving operational costs using alternative fuels. Mr. Ed Pritchard (Vice President, Fleet Operations and Purchasing) , shares the company’s experiences operating the natural gas powered Phoenix NG 7.6L engine, manufactured by Emissions Solutions Inc (ESI), in the following edited transcript of an interview with business writer William Atkinson.

0% excise and road tax rates for CNG
Monthly gas pricing reviews to ensure price advantage
1,153 natural gas vehicles but growing
17 CNG fueling stations operational - 8 more expected by year end
Prague conference scheduled for January 2009

With road transport currently growing in the Czech Republic, by 12 per cent every year, promoting natural gas vehicle use is one of the major measures intended to reduce pollutant emissions from transport. In May 2005 the Czech Government approved the Programme of Support for Alternative Fuels in Transport – Natural Gas. The programme set forth some solutions that have since helped to create a stable and attractive environment for the development of natural gas use in transport.

Legendary rocker Neil Young has made a special appearance during Salesforce.com's Dreamforce conference keynote address, where he talked about his 1959 Mark IV Lincoln Continental. Cnet reported Young has spent more than $100,000 to green his 5,000-pound "Thinkin' Lincoln" former gas hog. "It's a piece of America art," said Young, who is an avid car collector. He hopes to get the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon and take the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. "We are over halfway there (to 100 mph) with this car," he said. The original engine has been replaced with a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled 1.3 litre Mazda engine, powering a hybrid generator and battery arrangement. Provision for a hydrogen on demand setup may also be made later on as a fuel supplement. See the Lincvolt website for more details, include video footage of Neil Young and the team at work on the project.

Global bodies such as United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) are working actively  towards harmonization of standards. This is because the cost of non-harmonized standards is a considerable burden on various industries including the NGV industry. For NGVs, this is particularly a problem at the moment due to the differences  between UNECE Regulation 110* and ISO Standards 15500 (Fuel System Components)  and 15501 Road Vehicles – Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Systems, which deal with the equipment and installation of CNG in vehicles.*

On November 17, 2008 the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed two Directives which will help to expand the  national natural gas vehicle (NGV) market. Directive # 1662-R  approved the Concept of the long term socio-economic development of the Russian Federation  till 2020. Chapter 6 of the Concept "Development of the energy infrastructure and building up of energy efficiency of the economy" provides that "stimulation of the use of natural gas as a motor fuel" shall be one of the priorities. Another Directive signed a few moments after the socio-economic Concept determined priorities for the Russian government till 2012.

Among other tasks Directive # 1663-R instructs the Government to prepare a Federal energy saving program, introduce innovative energy efficient technologies and develop NGV-related incentives.

Third Generation Technology Hits the Sweet Spot for Fleet operator

In what is possibly a world first, Boral and IVECO Trucks have partnered in the development of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuelled agitators which are delivering remarkable environmental and efficiency benefits for Boral's concrete business in Sydney. In a fleet of 170 trucks most of which are IVECO Acco 2350G 8x4 diesel units, Boral has been a long time supporter of alternative fuels and has been testing five CNG powered trucks for the past six months with great success, mostly operating out of its Penrith, Preston and Liverpool sites.