Compressed Natural Gas

According to the International Energy Agency Natural Gas is “poised to enter a golden age”. It predicts that by 2035 Natural Gas will overtake coal as a primary energy source, to comprise 25% of the global energy mix. This will make it second only to crude oil.

Natural Gas is increasingly seen as an attractive fossil fuel alternative to crude oil and coal, because it is cleaner burning than either and sufficiently versatile to be used for domestic and industrial heating and power generation; as a direct fuel source for vehicles; and as industrial feedstock for liquid fuels and other chemical products. It is the fastest-growing fossil fuel, with global consumption increasing by 1.7% a year. Increasing supplies of shale gas and coal-bed methane, from which Natural Gas can be extracted, will ensure that global demand can be met.

Over 100 countries from all five continents use Compressed Natural Gas and there are currently more than 25 million natural gas vehicles worldwide (source: www.naturalgas.org). According to the NGV Journal, Natural Gas is the only abundant, eco-friendly, economically viable fuel with the infrastructure required to supply the world’s automotive fleet for the next 40 years.

Advantages of Natural Gas to industry

CNG is a renewable and clean energy source that is successfully being used by industrial and commercial entities to fuel their Boilers, Heaters, Driers and Vehicles. It is viable in kitchen functions, such as cooking and heating, as well as in Co-Generation and Tri-Generation applications.

Besides the benefit that CNG, as a “green solution”, provides for businesses to access carbon credits when converting from coal, customers enjoy the following advantages:

1. CNG is cleaner-burning, with reduced emissions (less CO, NOx, HC, and PM).

2. CNG’s quality/energy content remains consistent.

3. CNG’s storage method eliminates theft of fuel source.

4. CNG is lighter than air and therefore poses a reduced health and safety risk.

5. There is also less risk of CNG accumulating in confined spaces, such as when using LPG.

6. CNG fuel systems are sealed, which will prevent any spill and evaporation.

7. The compression, storage and dispensing system makes economic use of space, unlike coal bunkers.

8. Vehicles can be converted to run on Natural Gas and a filling point can be set up at “Daughter Stations” on a business site.

Advantages of Natural Gas to car and fleet owners

There are roughly 285 000 minibus taxis on South Africa’s roads and each one of them, with the possible exception of the very oldest models, can benefit from switching to CNG. Apart from being a cleaner fuel that costs less than traditional petrol or diesel, CNG results in reduced maintenance costs, with longer service intervals, as there is no lead or benzene content to foul the spark plugs.