Natural Gas Vehicles
Prepare to Hit the Road
Natural gas plays a
large role in America’s green, “self-sufficient” energy plans for the future.
Using the controversial practice known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”,
water and chemical compounds are used to blast shale rock and release the gas stored
within. Cleaner and cheaper than gasoline, natural gas can be used as a fuel
for vehicles as well as for a plethora of residential uses. Consequently, more
American drivers than ever are considering an alternative to the internal
combustion engine. Yet as with gasoline powered vehicles, there are both
positive and negative elements to their use.
Natural gas originates
beneath the surface of the Earth in ancient geological formations. In 1872, a
five-mile pipeline transmitted the first recorded natural gas from Titusville
to Newton, Pennsylvania. By 1891, a pipeline over 100 miles long connected
Chicago to Indiana gas fields. Today, major natural gas-producing countries
including the United States, Canada, Russia, Iran, Indonesia, and Norway. A natural gas vehicle, or NGV, is an “alternative” fuel automobile that uses
either compressed natural gas or liquified natural gas for power. NGV’s have
been marketed in recent years as safe, environmentally friendly vehicles.
With the price
differential between natural gas and gasoline greater than ever, the interest
in natural gas vehicles by both consumers and policymakers is growing at a
record pace. From massive trucking fleets to family vehicles and city buses,
NGV’s are increasingly versatile - even branching out into the luxury market,
trying to court customers with new renditions of luxury sedans and vintage
muscle cars.
Natural gas as a fuel
for automobiles has always been an alluring alternative, if not a very
practical one. But that is poised to change: notable benefits, beyond mere
cost, are widening the NGV market. First and foremost, the environmental
benefits are hard to ignore. Clean, odorless, colorless and tasteless, natural
gas produces far fewer greenhouse gases, helping to reduce air pollution. In
addition, the cost of compressed natural gas fuel (CNG) can be as low as half
that of a gallon of gas if you use a home refueling device, and at commercial
stations, the cost is still much less than gasoline. Consisting mostly of
methane (CH4), it's extracted from natural gas wells or in conjunction with
crude oil production. Beyond an alternative vehicle fuel, natural gas is an economic and instant fuel for heating
water and homes, as well as powering furnaces, stoves and home appliances.
That said, despite being
a cleaner, cheaper alternative to diesel or gasoline powered automobiles, NGV’s
present their own set of problems to drivers as well as the environment. For
example, these cars have less horsepower than “average” vehicles, and as a
result cannot travel as fast. They also have a shorter driving range - due to
lower energy content in the natural gas - and require more frequent fueling.
Therein lies another issue: there are few
refueling stations for natural gas cars, and some are not even open to the public. The
pumps are also more difficult to use, and may be unfamiliar to many drivers.
The fracking process
also poses a threat to the success of natural gas powered vehicles. So far 100
U.S. municipalities have banned fracking due to concerns about groundwater
contamination from chemical spills or leakage, as well as air pollution and
other issues. Tests from areas around fracking sites have revealed high levels
of benzene, formaldehyde and other cancer-causing chemicals in the air. Recent
reports have also shown increases in
health problems
afflicting people who live near fracking sites.
Growth in the popularity
of NGV’s continues, however, with countries such as India, China, Thailand and
Brazil solidifying their already-robust alternative fuel vehicle markets. But
in the U.S. and Germany, where they remain a niche market, things are projected
to pick up speed soon. Navigant
Research determined
that the total number of light-duty NGVs on roads worldwide will grow to 39.8
million in 2023. Whether or not you’re a proponent of natural gas and natural
gas powered vehicles, one thing is for sure: the need for a viable, alternative-energy
vehicles is imminent.
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