Natural Gas Vehicles

Proof-of-concept Freightliner Cascadia tractor with 11.9-liter methane engine by Cummins Westport at ACT Expo 2011

Natural gas vehicles are inherently cleaner than gasoline and diesel and natural gas – methane – is a domestic fuel in the U.S. Prices for the domestic fuel are separating from global oil prices, and supplies are increasing due in part to exploitation of large shale gas deposits.

Biomethane, which can be made from animal waste (manure), human waste (municipal sewage) and landfills, and even cellulosic sources, is the cleanest fuel of all from a standpoint of greenhouse gas.

NGVs continue to enjoy great success internationally, with vehicles by the millions on the roads of Argentina, Brazil, Iran and Pakistan. Studies call for continued robust growth.

NGVs’ inherent inconveniences of bulky heavy fuel tanks and the need for a dedicated fueling infrastructure have impeded their general market acceptance in North America and Europe, where most growth is in fleet vehicles, especially buses.

Most natural gas is stored on vehicles as compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas. CNG requires high pressure fuel tanks and LNG, which allows for greater energy density and hence greater vehicle range, requires sophisticated cryogenic hardware. ANG, adsorbed natural gas, is an emerging technology.

An aggressive, multimillion-dollar campaign by the prominent oil man T. Boone Pickens has greatly increased awareness of NGVs in the U.S.

The next world NGVs conclave will be held October 8-12, 2012 in Korea.

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