The Advantages of Natural Gas Vehicles
What is natural gas?
Natural gas is a combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases that gives off a great deal of energy when burned. Found in reservoirs underneath the earth, natural gas is commonly associated with oil deposits. Production companies search for evidence of these reservoirs by using technology that helps to find the location of the natural gas, and drill wells in the earth where it is likely to be found. Once brought from underground, the natural gas is refined to remove impurities. After refining, the clean natural gas is transmitted through a network of pipelines , thousands of miles of which exist in the United States. From these pipelines, natural gas is delivered to its point of use. It can also be a renewable fuel when biogas, swamp gas, or marsh gas is produced by the fermentation of organic matter including manure, wastewater sludge, municipal solid waste, or any other biodegradable feedstock.
What are the advantages of using natural gas in vehicles?
1. Environmental Advantages:
Emissions from cars, trucks and buses are one of the biggest sources of pollution. Highway vehicles account for roughly one-third of all carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions and half of all carbon monoxide emissions. Using natural gas rather than gasoline can cause major reductions in a number of vehicular emissions. Unlike other fossil fuels, natural gas is clean burning and emits lower levels of potentially harmful byproducts into the air. The inherent cleanliness of natural gas when compared with other fuels, means that substituting gas for the other fuels can help reduce the emission of the air pollutants that could exacerbate the greenhouse effect.
2. Safety Advantages:
Natural gas is also a safer fuel to use. It's non toxic and lighter than air. If it leaks, it disperses rapidly upwards and dissipates into the atmosphere. When gasoline leaks, it pools on the ground creating a fire hazard and potential pollution to waterways. Natural gas fuel systems are sealed, which prevents any spills or evaporative losses. Natural gas combustion produces no significant aldehydes or other air toxins, which are a concern in gasoline and some other alternative fuels. Another safety feature is that the fuel storage cylinders used for compressed natural gas are much stronger than petrol tanks. The systems are also fitted with valves and other safety devices to prevent leakage and eliminate the risk of an explosion. The natural gas delivery system has an excellent safety record.
3. Economical Advantages:
Natural gas is also a more economical fuel choice. Natural gas vehicles have been around 30 percent cheaper than gasoline vehicles to refuel, and in many cases the maintenance costs for natural gas vehicles is lower than traditional gasoline vehicles. There are also tax credits of up to $4,000 available both for buying a natural gas vehicle and for converting a vehicle to natural gas.
Natural gas is a highly reliable North American energy source. Approximately 85 percent of the natural gas consumed in the United States is produced domestically. In comparison, close to 60 percent of the oil used in the United States is imported from foreign countries. Natural gas is a reliable source of fuel not only because most of the supply is domestic, but also because the pipeline delivery system is underground and protected from weather-related disruptions.
While there are only about 130,000 natural gas vehicles in the U.S., there are nearly 4.5 million alternative fuel vehicles worldwide. Acceptance by American drivers is sure to grow if gasoline price remain high.
Published on Friday, December 05, 2008 - Email to a friend
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