Interest in LNG as a vehicle fuel is growing rapidly around the world.  On December 3-4 in Brussels, Belgium, a conference titled LNG is HOT: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies as a Vehicle Fuel will be held on that issue.  Specifically, the conference will address the most important technology and marketing issues for liquefied natural gas vehicles (L-NGVs) and renewable biomethane.  World-wide experts will discuss the broad LNG markets and experiences in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America, and where those markets are going. Also addressed will be the development and harmonization of L-NGV standards, regulations and safety.  For more information, visit www.LNGisHOT.com

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An EVOL LNG refueller facility like the one to be built in SW Victoria

Information Session: July 14 - TAFE Campus, Warrnambool

Heavy vehicle owners in South Western Victoria could soon benefit from lower operating costs and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, as plans for Kleenheat Gas’ EVOL LNG (liquefied natural gas) refuelling station progress. In Victoria, EVOL LNG already has LNG refuelling infrastructure operating in Koroit, Leongatha and Deer Park. EVOL LNG Manager, Brad Lowson, said, “The addition of an EVOL LNG refueller in this region would benefit existing fleets while also encouraging prospective customers to trial LNG technology.”Lowson added that a commitment to an EVOL LNG refuelling station was the ideal means by which local fleets could experience the benefits of LNG before making a larger multi vehicle commitment.

Being an indigenous fuel, pricing for natural gas in Australia is considerably lower and more stable than diesel which is affected by international markets and pricing. LNG-powered trucks are quieter and can produce significantly less Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Oxides emissions than equivalent diesel trucks.

EVOL LNG is inviting heavy vehicle fleet owners and operators to attend an information session at the South West Institute of TAFE, Warrnambool Campus on the evening of Tuesday 14, July, where further details and information will be revealed.

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We still have one or two more technical kinks to iron out but in the meantime we’d love to hear what you think. Comments are welcome via the commenting facility below or emails are always welcome to news@ngvglobal.com.

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Clean Air Power's injectors installed on a Volvo e9

Clean Air Power Ltd (CAP) has released its 2008 Annual Report, with solid results buoyed up by the growing global  interest in alternative fuel technologies. Group Revenue increased 38% over 2007; the Gross Profit Margin was up 46%. 2009 is providing positive results to date. Chairman Rodney Westhead states, “The most important element of the Company’s activity in 2009 is likely to be the delivery of our obligations under the recently signed Letter of Intent with Volvo. Engineering activity on the development of products, in conjunction with Volvo, is already well under way.”

2008 Operational Highlights include:

• Development of second demonstration Dual-Fuel^TM vehicle, for the Volvo Group for exhibition in the United States.
• Delivery of £2.90m (USD 4.75m) Mitchell Corp Pty Ltd order for vehicle systems in Australia.
• £0.50m (USD 0.82m) order for further Dual-Fuel^TM vehicle systems in Australia by Mitchell Corp, delivered in 2008.
• Delivery of £0.30m (USD 0.49m) Genesis Dual-Fuel^TM order for Robert Wiseman Dairies in the UK.
• Sainsbury’s launch ‘Running on Rubbish’ campaign using Clean Air Power’s technology.

The Letter of Intent with Volvo Powertrain (Volvo) early 2009  is to incorporate Clean Air Power’s Dual-Fuel^TM technology with Volvo truck engines. The venture is acknowledged as a key milestone for the Company.

CAPs patented technologies allow an existing diesel engine to operate on a combination of diesel and natural gas with minimal change required to the base engine.

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Andrew Littlefair, Clean Energy President and CEO,  said  “We have seen demand for LNG and CNG fuel grow significantly as major trucking companies secure and deploy new natural gas-powered trucks at the ports. As demand for the environmentally-friendly fuel continues to increase, Clean Energy plans to add 50,000 gallons of fuel storage to the new station’s current capacity, as well as four more LNG/CNG fueling lanes.” He added that in its current configuration, the station is capable of refuelling several hundred natural gas Port trucks daily.

The Ports’ CAAP and Clean Truck programs call for the retirement or conversion of old diesel trucks entering the ports in favor of new diesel and alternative fuel (natural gas) trucks.

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GAO concluded that for plug-ins to realize their full potential, electricity would need to be generated from lower-emission fuels such as nuclear and renewable energy rather than the fossil fuels used most often to generate electricity today. However, new nuclear plants and renewable energy sources can be controversial and expensive. In addition, research suggests that for plug-ins to be cost-effective relative to gasoline vehicles the price of batteries must come down significantly and gasoline prices must be high relative to electricity. Limited battery manufacturing, relatively low gasoline prices, and declining vehicle sales are listed amongst a variety of factors that could delay availability and discourage consumers. The supply of lithium for batteries also has the potential to emulate oil as a resource-dependency issue.

Will EV’s become part of the US administration’s solution for ‘next-generation’ emissions reduction instrument? GAO says more guidance is required.

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The National Biomethane Summit exceeded attendance expectations in Sacramento last week with hundreds of attendees soaking up information from national and international presenters and industry stakeholders. Accolades were abundant, summed up by Fleets and Fuels’ in their event report: “a sizable role may be foreseen for biomethane, which has the lowest carbon footprint of any available alternative fuel — far better even than electricity, in the eyes of California. Such was the verdict at last week’s first-ever National Biomethane Summit in Sacramento.” Hosted by the California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership (CNGVP) — an alliance of stakeholders working to increase and strengthen the deployment of low-emission natural gas vehicles — attendees learned and discussed how this ultra-low carbon vehicle fuel can achieve significant well-to-wheel reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.

Summit sponsors Linde and Waste Management, Inc. detailed their joint-venture landfill gas-LNG project at Altamont, California, with planned capacity of 13,000 gallons of liquefied natural gas per day, promising that initial fuel would flow next month. “Biomethane is a truly renewable and readily available green source of high quality fuel. Although it is still an emerging commodity, its economic and environmental value is rapidly being recognized,” said Bryan Luftglass, manager of Linde North America’s energy segment.

Fleets and Fuels commented several speakers were lamenting the fact that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has excluded biomethane from US $800 million worth of funding for renewable fuels. “They plain overlooked an outstanding opportunity for a transportation fuel,” said Peter Ward of the California Energy Commission.

A post event press release provides more information on the Summit, and on future events,  which are expected to take place in Washington, D.C. and in Southern California.

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Xperion's X-Store type IV cng cylinder

Xperion GMBH of Germany is establishing a global network to promote a new line of robust lightweight compressed natural gas fuel cylinders, according to a Fleets & Fuels report. Xperion’s patented hybrid composite (X-Store brand) cylinders weigh from 0.25 to 0.45 kilograms per liter. Executive VP Dietmar Müller said in a statement to F&F, “Traditionally, Type III and Type IV cylinders can cost two to three times the price of Type I steel cylinders. With our hybrid design using a weight/cost optimized ratio of high strength reinforcements, we are able to significantly reduce the extra cost associated with composite tanks.”

The cylinders are both ECE110- and ISO11110/11439-certified, and Xperion’s Herford facility has ISO 9001 approval, says international sales manager Sean Ellen.

Xperion's patent drawing for the composite cylinder

The PCT patent description follows (numbers refer to patent diagram):

The invention relates to a pressure vessel (20) for a pressurized medium which is capable of flow, comprising a first reinforcement (22) composed of fibers which are applied as a winding and which are embedded in synthetic resin, wherein in addition to the first reinforcement (22), a second reinforcement (23) is provided, wherein the second reinforcement (23) has a percentage elongation at fracture which is lower than that of the first reinforcement (22), wherein the first reinforcement (22), considered alone, is sufficient to entirely absorb the forces resulting from the pressure of the medium in the pressure vessel (20), and wherein means are provided which are suitable for indicating a fracture of the second reinforcement (23).

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The Potential Gas Committee report includes estimates of what it believes to be technically recoverable natural gas. The estimate of technically recoverable gas is then combined with the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s proved natural gas reserves. Of the 2,074 Tcf of natural gas supply, 238 Tcf are proved reserves and 1,836 Tcf are technically recoverable. PGC reports that shale-gas accounts for 616 Tcf or 33 percent of technically recoverable natural gas.

John B. Curtis, a geology professor at the Colorado School of Mines and director of the Potential Gas Agency, which provides guidance and technical assistance to the PGC, commented on shale gas estimates. “Our knowledge of the geological endowment of technically recoverable gas continues to improve with each assessment,” said Curtis. “Furthermore, new and advanced exploration, well drilling and completion technologies are allowing us increasingly better access to domestic gas resources, especially unconventional gas which, not all that long ago, was considerable impractical or uneconomical to pursue,” he said.

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