gCNG® blog » Vehicles

President Supports Natural Gas for Transportation

gCNG host — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:11:07 +0000

President Obama called for more use of natural gas in transportation this Thursday while visiting a UPS facility in Las Vegas.

We commend the President for recognizing the immediate benefit of using a clean, domestic fuel such as natural gas: “A great place to start is natural gas,” stated Obama.

Based on his remarks, the President plans to support tax incentives for companies to buy more natural gas vehicles, specifically mentioning city bus fleets and the federal fleet. He also mentioned job creation in the context of using a domestic fuel and building infrastructure (it is an election year). We can only hope this support turns into legislation!

So, we’re a little biased – since the biomethane (natural gas from renewable sources) FirmGreen produces is a “drop in” fuel for a natural gas infrastructure. Obama said his administration would continue to work with the private sector to develop five natural gas corridors along major highway routes.

Click here for the White House PR.

Visit FirmGreen’s website to find out how using biomethane recovered from wasted resources can benefit your community.

Want to watch the speech? It’s here on C-Span:

Automakers to Hire U.S. Workers in 2012

gCNG host — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:05:16 +0000

Surprise —or not, automakers plan to ramp up hiring in the US for 2012. There are several reasons, the first being that auto sales are on a rebound from their historic lows during the recession, during which about 200,000 workers were laid off. Many jobs openings will recall workers who lost their jobs in previous layoffs, but it’s still good news for local economies as those workers will again have money to spend.

Industry analysts note that unfavorable currency exchange rates create a strong motivation for manufacturers to “build where you sell”.

Nissan plan to add around 1,000 workers at its existing Tennessee plant; South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are also considering major expansion of their US based manufacturing.

German automaker Audi may add a US plant at the existing Volkswagen facility in Chattanooga, Tenn. Both North and South Carolina stand to benefit as Mercedes-Benz and BMW ramp up operations at existing facilities in each state and hire workers. Domestic company Ford Motor Co. plans to add jobs at their factories in Wayne, Mich., Louisville, Ky., and Chicago. Chrysler plan to hire in Detroit, where it builds the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Viper.

Tesla Motors, Inc. and Coda Automotive, Inc. plan to ramp up employment in California as they bring new electric powered vehicles to market this year.

Of note: some new jobs will be at a significantly lower wage ($15 to $16/hr vs. $28 to $29/hr) than those for current or recalled workers that are ‘grandfathered in’ because of labor agreements.

Find out how FirmGreen is contributing to job growth by manufacturing green technology in the USA: …visit firmgreen.com

Future Fuel Economy Standards: $$ Saver?

gCNG host — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:25:52 +0000

The Obama administration says that proposed higher fuel economy standards can be expected to increase vehicle prices about $2000 but that owners will save an average of $6,600 in fuel costs over the life of the vehicle.

In order to be as realistic as possible (see figure above), we made a slightly less rosy analysis:

current purchase price of $25,000 for a vehicle with 19 MPG vs.
future cost of $27,500 (adding $2500 rather than $2000) for comparable vehicle with 36 MPG
fuel cost of $3.38 per gallon & 15,000 miles driven annually (we used the same assumptions as fueleconomy.gov)

Total 5 year fuel cost for the 19 MPG vehicle is: $13,342.10
Total 5 year fuel cost for the 36 MPG vehicle is: $ 7,041.65

So, our fuel cost savings result was $6,300.45 — very close to the government projections. After deducting the additional purchase cost for the more fuel efficient vehicle, you would save $3.800.45 over 5 years in the example above.

Some vehicle dealers are concerned that increases in vehicle costs put them out of reach for many consumers, and wonder whether there will be sufficient demand for highly fuel-efficient vehicles. (Unsurprisingly, truck dealers have expressed more concern on this issue than dealers whose current lineup primarily features more fuel efficient models.) Obviously, that depends heavily on the cost of fuel – it’s no secret that when fuels costs skyrocket, people are incentivized to replace a “gas guzzler” with a “fuel sipper”.

Automakers seem much more enthusiastic about fuel economy as they show off new fuel-efficient models at Detroit’s International Auto Show. See our previous posts for auto show highlights.

EVs and Hybrids Abound @ Detroit Auto Show

gCNG host — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:22:17 +0000

Electric cars abound; either familiar or exciting…as designers continue to figure out where to put that battery pack. Buyers were indifferent to hybrids in 201, but fuel economy regulations are creating the incentive for automakers to continue introducing new hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles (EVs). Ford, Toyota, Honda and other automakers are offering hybrid options for existing models. Below is a partial list of EVs and hybrids now showing in Detroit.

Acura ILX concept: would be an entry level model; a stylish sedan to be in showrooms later this year.

Acura NSX concept: Acura’s “halo car” sports coupe gets reintroduced with hybrid technology. The ILX and NSX are the first hybrids for Honda’s upscale Acura brand. Honda says it plans to build the NSX at a new plant they plan to build in Ohio. Hmmm, sounds like we should check back in 2-3 years and see if it happens at all.

Audi E-tron: sleek and powerful looking; wheels look like jet turbine blades

BMW Active Hybrid 3 & Active Hybrid 5 models: same look as their standard counterparts

BMW i3 concept: futuristic capsule, with windows that swoop well below the usual baseline of windows

BMW i8 concept: full frontal sports car
The BMW “i” vehicles will be built with a carbon fiber body instead of steel or aluminum, making them lighter, which extends their driving range.

Chevrolet Volt: sedan – and not just a concept
Fisker Karma: plug-in with rooftop solar panels that extend driving range
Ford electric Focus & Fusion: pretty much like other versions of the models

Lexus LF-LC concept: 2+2 hybrid sports coupe

Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec hybrid: looks much like non-hybrid diesel model; only for sale in Europe initially. We mentioned this in an earlier post.
Mercedes-Benz E400: gasoline-electric hybrid that looks no different than the non-hybrid version

Mitusbishi “i”: bean – or pod shaped? It’s your call; it’s much like their Japan market i-MiEV model

Nissan Leaf: just plain awkward looking

T.27 concept: a small car from Gordon Murray, designer of Formula One and the McLaren F1 supercar. This model has a pod-like shape that reminds one of a SmartCar & is intended to be low cost.

Tesla S: continues and updates Tesla’s traditional sports car coupe

Toyota NS4 concept: mid-size plug-in hybrid (Toyota says check back around 2015)

Volkswagen hybrid Jetta: much like the standard gasoline model
Volvo XC60 plug-in Hybrid concept: small SUV

Whew! Is that enough choices…? Most carry a significant premium over their conventionally powered counterparts, but — depending on fuel prices, the payback time period could be relatively short.

Amp is offering an electric conversion of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee; yes, it looks just like the gasoline version & should, since it’s a conversion of same. Many of the auto makers are incorporating light weight materials into the body panels, and using a mix of recycled materials with virgin materials for the interior.

We wish automakers were offering more CNG models; the Honda Civic GX remains the only production CNG vehicle for the US market. If the NAT GAS Act were to become law, that could change.

The Detroit Auto Show is January 9-22, 2012.
Interested in more info about the show? click here to visit the show site Patience may be required; the website was overwhelmed earlier on the date of this post.

China Favors Domestic Electric Vehicles With Sales Tax Policy

gCNG host — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:05:58 +0000

China will waive sales taxes on 49 domestically made electric and fuel cell cars, the finance ministry said last Saturday, in its latest initiative to shore up the country’s fledgling green car market. As an added incentive, buyers of locally made electric cars are also eligible for government subsidies of up to 120,000 yuan ($19,100) per vehicle. Demand for electric cars has remained weak in China due to higher vehicle costs, limited vehicle range and lack of charging facilities.

Beijing has declared the electric vehicle industry a top priority, earmarking $1.5 billion a year for the next 10 years to transform the country into one of the leading producers of clean vehicles.

Imported models such as GM’s Chevy Volt are excluded from this policy, however the Sale electric car developed in a joint venture with GM and two EV’s made at Volkwagen’s two Chinese based car ventures, will qualify for the sales tax exemption. Included are vehicles made by:

BYD, backed by Warren Buffett
Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. – both EV and Fuel Cell (FCEV) models
China FAW Group Corp. – both EV and Fuel Cell (FCEV) models
Geely Automobile Holdings
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. – Passat brand FCEV
…and others

Hybrids from MB to Launch at Detroit Auto Show

gCNG host — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:34:18 +0000

Today, December 21, Mercedes-Benz announced two new hybrid sedans. The E300 BlueTEC Hybrid (photo above) features a diesel-electric powertrain, while the E400 Hybrid is a more conventional gasoline-electric hybrid.

Initially the E300 will be available only in Europe, but many expect it to make a jump across the pond eventually, if for no other reason than that other BlueTEC Clean Diesel models are already available in the US. (click for more about MB hybrids) With its 201-horsepower (HP) 4-cylinder diesel engine and 27-HP electric motor, the E300 is rated at toughly 56 miles per gallon — a stop-start function and regenerative braking contribute significantly to this surprising fuel economy.

The E400 Hybrid is scheduled to arrive at dealerships in the US in the third quarter of 2012. Its powerplant combines a 302-HP direct-injection V-6 gasoline engine with a 27-HP electric motor to achieve fuel economy rated at 27 miles per gallon. The E400 also features the stop-start function and regenerative braking.

No word from Mercedes-Benz just yet on the pricing premium of these models over non-hybrids.

Both vehicles are slated for a formal debut at the Detroit auto show, January 9-22, 2012. Interested in more info about the show? click here to visit the show site

US Lags Behind Europe on Biomethane for Transportation

gCNG host — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:51:34 +0000

Under the European Union’s (EU’s) Renewable Energy Directive (RED), member states will be required to meet 10% of the energy used for road and rail transportation from renewable sources by 2020. While member states in Europe (Sweden, Finland, Germany, UK) are exploring the potential for injection of biomethane into the national grid; a recently published UK government study suggests that biomethane has the potential to replace 17% of vehicle fuel needs.

Obviously, market development is required for increased use of biomethane in the transport sector, and support in the U.S. currently lags well behind that in the EU. In an article available online, a UK Environmental Audit states that “biomethane is an almost perfect renewable transport fuel.” The audit concludes that wide adoption of CNG and biomethane for transport will deliver the greatest air quality benefits at the lowest cost, especially when compared to expensive battery powered hybrid electric vehicles.

NGV refueling stations are somewhat costly to install (though not significantly more costly than a new fossil fuel station) and are only commercially viable if they refuel a significant number of vehicles — such as a fleet. Therefore the market penetration of NGVs for personal vehicles suffers from a classic problem; fuel suppliers are reluctant to construct refueling stations until there are sufficient numbers of NGVs, and consumers are unwilling to purchase the vehicles until there are sufficient refueling stations.

How do we get past this longstanding issue? A 2011 European Commission (EC) report on smart gas grids concludes that NG fueling stations can be located near their existing natural gas grid, avoiding the need for a costly build out of new gas distribution infrastructure. A similar approach might significantly reduce the overall cost of NG fueling infrastructure development, even for geographically large countries such as the U.S. However, the U.S. would still have large NG fueling gaps in areas that are not along natural gas pipeline routes, so a focus on fueling for fleets continues to make sense economically. Locating fueling hubs near fuel feedstock supplies such as landfills and waste-water treatment facilities is likely to continue as a limiting factor for biomethane use, unless national energy policy supports NG as a transportation fuel on a long term basis.

The European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI), is a related effort underway in the EU to accelerate commercialization of advanced sustainable bioenergy. The broadest objective of this organization is to bring sustainable energy and fuel products to market at costs competitive with fossil fuels. Biomethane is one of several paths being explored to bring cost effective renewable fuels to the market; developing coherent policy that promotes a willingness for industry to invest in alternative fuels and energy is a primary task.

Find clean fuel facts about biomethane and CNG at: firmgreen.com

Links to article sources:
UK Parliament Environmental Audit Summary (opens in new window or tab)

EC Report on Smart Gas Grids – biomethane references, pp15-16 (PDF opens in new window)

European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI) (opens in new window or tab)

Biomethane for Transportation Fuel

gCNG host — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:37:01 +0000

On November 28-29th, Washington State University Energy Program and Washington Clean Cities will host a 2-part webinar on Biomethane as a Transportation Fuel.

Speakers from Argonne National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory will be featured. Topics will include discussion of technologies for producing biomethane (or renewable natural gas), costs and benefits, plus opportunities for biomethane use as a transportation fuel.

Registration and more information about the webinar series is online.
click here for registration info (PDF document opens in new tab or window)

Update on Alt Fuels/AFV Legislation

gCNG host — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:25:59 +0000

2011 has seen the introduction of several bills related to alternative fuels and alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs) in the 112th Congress. Notably, S.1001 and S.734 have been considered in committee which has recommended that each be considered by the Senate as a whole. This means that the respective bills have been placed on he Senate’s calendar of business. Majority party leadership determines the order in which legislation is considered and voted on. Only time will tell if either of these becomes law, is rejected, or if some provisions are ultimately included in bills that do become law.

S.734 was introduced 4/6/2011 and has a related House Bill: H.R.1367. Senators Carl, Levin, D-MI and Ron Wyden, D-OR are Co-sponsors, with Sen. Wyden also being the Sponsor of S.1001. The bill —currently entitled “Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2011″—seeks to accelerate development and commercial deployment of advanced vehicle technologies. Intended to improve fuel efficiency and utilize alternative fuels, S.734 has bipartisan support. In the 111th Congress, a similar bill passed the House but did not get through the Senate before adjournment December 2010.

The objectives of S.734 are to improve fuel efficiency and reduce dependence on petroleum imports, while supporting domestic research and manufacturing.

Read full text of S.734 at gpo.gov (pdf opens in new tab or window)

S.1001 was introduced 5/16/2011 and does not have a related House Bill; Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-MI – the Sponsor of S.734, is Co-sponsor of S.1001. This bill, currently entitled “Alternative Fuel Vehicles Competitiveness and Energy Security Act of 2011″ has a broader objective: to reduce oil consumption and improve energy security. The bill defines alternative vehicles broadly (electric vehicles, fuel-cell, biofuels, etc.), provided that the vehicles “reduce consumption of conventional motor fuel by 25% or more”.

It would authorize millions in funding annually from 2012-2016 to state and local governments and public-private partnerships. The funding will support activities ranging from loan guarantees for alternative fuel infrastructure to workforce training for jobs related to AFVs and fueling infrastructure.

Supporters point to the fact that this legislation avoids “picking winners and losers” prematurely, and directs the DOE to develop methodology that will calculate the actual “well-to-wheels” oil displacement of the various AFVs, and the maximum feasible deployment for each type of AFV by 2020.

Read full text of S.1001 at gpo.gov (pdf opens in new tab or window)

Are Electric Vehicles Green?

gCNG host — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:11:04 +0000

Why the push for electric vehicles? Are they clean environmentally and/or an efficient use of fossil fuel energy? Not really! A study examining the “Well to Wheels” energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of various Alternative Fuels found the following in terms of Btu per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) of consumed fuel:

electricity consumes over 280,473 Btu of fossil fuel per gge
E85 ethanol produced from corn consumes about 190,869 Btu/gge
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from landfill gas consumed zero Btu/gge of fossil energy

On emissions, CNG derived from landfill gas is by far the cleanest fuel. The results below are stated in grams per equivalent gallons of gasoline (gge) of the consumed fuel for emissions:

electricity generates 23,780 grams of emissions per gge
E85 ethanol produced from corn generates 8,009 grams of emissions per gge
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from landfill gas generates 270 grams of emissions per gge

Data Source: Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model 1.8d

Find more fuel facts at: firmgreen.com