CNG Alternative Energy Source is at Your Fingertips
The fuel source for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles may be in your home already.
Yes, the same natural gas that heats the majority of homes in our area can be redirected through a “Phill” unit to fuel CNG vehicles. The units are small and efficient. They tap into existing natural gas lines and can be mounted to the wall of a garage.
The benefits for consumers driving CNG vehicles are numerous, including the savings per gallon of gasoline equivalent, the benefits to the environment, the convenience of refueling in your own home, and the tax credits currently in place.
The average cost per gallon of product is about 95 cents less than conventional gasoline. Product is delivered in a gaseous state. At $2.30 a gallon that makes CNG more than 40% more attractive than conventional gasoline.
The environmental benefits over conventional gasoline vehicles are staggering. CNG fuel contains less carbons than any other fossil fuel. That makes it the most friendly to the environment and significantly reduces emissions:
? Carbon Monoxide reduced by 70%
? Non-Methane Organic Gas reduced by 87%
? Nitrogen Oxides reduced by 87%
? Carbon Dioxide reduced by 20%
The federal government has recognized the environmental impact and allows a $4,000 tax credit for the purchase of a 2007 Honda Civic CNG, the highest vehicle credit available. The Civic CNG gets 28 miles per gallon in the city and 39 miles per gallon on the highway.
Not a Household Word Here Yet
CNG vehicles are not that well known in our area, but they are used abundantly throughout the world, with more than 5.5 million CNG vehicles on the road. We have about 130,000 CNG vehicles on the road in the US, with a large number on the west coast, and about 850 CNG stations. Some larger cities, like Los Angeles, let CNG vehicles park for free.
CNG vehicles came about because of the 1970s’ fuel crisis. Many countries are using a large number of CNG vehicles, including use as mass transit vehicles. The U.S. is currently in 7th place in the number of CNG vehicles. Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, India, Italy and Iran currently have more CNG vehicles in operation. Argentina, Brazil and Pakistan each have over a million.
Not for Everyone
CNG vehicles aren’t perfect for every driver. If you’re someone who drives hundreds of miles in a day, you may want to consider other options. CNG tanks hold just over 8 gallons of product, and Phill/CNG stations aren’t widely spread yet.
In addition to the Phill station we recently installed at Honda Motorwerks, CNG vehicles are filled in the Twin Cities and Cadott, Wisconsin. The CNG station in Cadott has been operating for about 20 years filling school buses.
Our goal in putting one in our business is to help show people what’s possible if they want to help themselves and the environment by putting a Phill station in their own home. In addition to the $4,000 tax credit for the purchase of a Civic CNG, the government is allowing a $1,000 tax credit for the purchase of a Phill station. Those credits should cover the purchase and installation of a Phill station.
What’s Next?
People concerned with the environment are always looking for a better way. We’ve been dedicated to spreading the word about hybrids since 1999, but CNG vehicles are another attractive alternative that help the environment and help to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. I predict that they will start catching on here, just as they have in other areas of the world.
Chris Schneider, Hybrid Guru, is President of Honda Motorwerks. He can be reached at chris-hybridguru@centurytel.net