Growing up, I learned early to go with the best I had until something else better came along. It has served me well and I suggest here that it would also serve our country today.
There are many polarized groups pushing different agendas on the alternative fuel debate, but herein I would recommend the proposition sited above; why not use the best fuel sources we have now until we develop something better? At this point hydrogen power, cold fusion and some other proposed fuel sources rank up there with Santa Claus for me. I want to believe, but before we stake all our hopes on these possibilities, shouldn’t we use the best options we have available now? In economics decision-making, this process is called satisficing. It explains the tendency to select the first option that meets a given need, or select the option that addresses most of the needs, rather than wait for the “optimal” solution.
Below are my findings from researching several sources, including: the University of Utah Chemistry Department, the History Channel, the managements of the Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Nevada natural gas companies, my own extensive reading, and my ownership of CNG vehicles. CNG is natural gas that has been compressed (compressed natural gas or CNG) and is stored in high-pressure cylinders.
ADVANTAGES OF CNG:
1) CNG is SAFER THAN GASOLINE or diesel fuel according to a University of Utah chemistry professor. Natural gas and natural gas vehicles have a stellar safety record which is based upon two facts:
a. The physical properties of natural gas make it safer than most other fuels.
b. The fuel systems designed for natural gas vehicles are built to stringent standards.
Physical Properties: Natural gas is flammable; otherwise it could not be used as a fuel for internal combustion and other types of energy. When released into the air or mixed with air in an engine, compressed natural gas becomes flammable only when the mixture is between 5 and 15 percent natural gas. When the mixture is less than 5 percent natural gas (too thin) it doesn't burn. When the mixture is more than 15 percent natural gas (too rich) there is not enough oxygen to allow it to burn. It also has an ignition temperature of approximately 1100 degrees F compared to gasoline and diesel fuel which both have lower concentrations of flammability and lower temperatures of ignition.
We know that a fire or explosion needs three components: fuel, oxygen and ignition. A gasoline vehicle has two of these three components in its tank, fuel and oxygen. Whereas, a CNG vehicle has only one in its tank, fuel. Natural gas is lighter than air, so it quickly dissipates into the atmosphere when released from tanks. With a gasoline tank, the fuel stays in the immediate area as a flammable risk. Hollywood scripts have a propane tank explode at the least provocation, which makes for great movie action but is not true. A CNG tank has up to 3600lb psi. Until the pressure is reduced enough to allow oxygen access, there cannot be combustion. At the point that the pressure is low enough to allow oxygen in the tank, the amount of fuel would be negligible. That is why the likelihood of a CNG explosion is fiction, but remember, that’s what you were watching - fiction.
Fuel System: Natural gas vehicles have all the same standard safety equipment as conventional cars (seat belts, air bags, etc.), yet they are subjected to the same crash safety tests as well.
Because CNG fuel systems operate at pressures in excess of 3000 PSI, the fuel tank and associated plumbing have to be incredibly rugged and strong enough to contain that pressure. The on-board tanks are made of steel up to one half-inch thick and often wrapped in protective reinforced fiberglass. Plus, newer tanks are constructed of polymers and composites that are stronger than steel.
Contrast this with standard gasoline and diesel tanks in regular vehicles that are usually made from stamped steel shell halves, just a few sixteenths of an inch thick, that are welded or crimped together. In the event of a traffic accident, the ability of rugged, durable CNG tanks to withstand rupture or puncture exceeds that of simple stamped steel.
But the safety of natural gas vehicles doesn’t just stop with the construction of the fuel tank. Most CNG systems have automatic release valves. In a situation of excessive heat or pressure build-up, the valve will open and release the gas to the atmosphere, and since it is lighter than the surrounding air, it will rise and dissipate. In the event of a fire, the fuel is safely evacuated from the car before it ever has a chance to catch fire. Gasoline and diesel vehicles simply can’t do that.
A manual shut-off valve also exists just down from the CNG tank to allow the user to turn the fuel off if needed. A benefit of this valve is the ability to use it as an anti-theft device. If you shut off the fuel supply when you park, any thief wouldn’t get much further than a mile down the road before the engine would shut down.
2) We have a Distribution System Already in Place that is 1000 times more extensive than that used for petroleum products. Mega tanker ships transport oil from the Middle East. Tanker trucks transport 99% of the gasoline and diesel fuel that we consume at the pump. That itself contributes 22%+ to the price we pay at the pump, not to mention the danger. Has anyone forgotten the Valdez? If a CNG ship had split open the gas would have simply dissipated into the atmosphere rather than pollute the oceans of our planet. Every day tanker trucks travel our roads delivering various types of petroleum products. More than half of that traffic could be eliminated with the use of CNG, reducing the pollution and the risk of those trucks being involved in accidents. There are no transportation costs of CNG other than the pipe that is laid to convey it. Natural gas is distributed nationwide through an extensive network of pipelines, which feed electrical generation plants and domestic and industrial heating uses. Thus, the use of natural gas in vehicles is "piggybacking" on many years of infrastructure development. Therefore, CNG poses no direct threat to land or water contamination in case of a leak.
If natural gas is available where you live, you can install a natural gas pump to your home or business allowing you to refuel your vehicle in your garage. Many people already do. No delivery needed; natural gas is also being delivered to our homes by underground pipelines. There is also a $1,000 federal tax credit available to offset the cost of installation. (Google - "Fuel Maker")
3) CNG is a LOW COST FUEL or should be. In Utah, as of 10/31/07, CNG is $.64 a gallon statewide; yes, that's 64 cents! In many other states CNG is as high as $2.75 a gallon. (thanks to T. Boone Pickens). Utah, Oklahoma and a couple of other states regulate their natural gas. If Utah were not regulated, we also would be paying about $.40 less than gasoline, which has been where the petroleum companies have pegged CNG’s price. In the past 20 years a few petroleum companies have gone around the country and bought up most of the natural gas suppliers and distributors, in effect, destroying any competition.
The FTC should do something about the monopoly, but won’t until “we the people” get educated.
The federal government currently allows a $.50 per gallon tax credit to all entities dispensing CNG for vehicles. From the pricing differences, it’s easy to recognize which companies are grabbing that money for themselves and which suppliers are gouging the consumer.
Production, transportation, taxes and profit make up the elements of petroleum’s price to the consumer. Unlike petroleum, CNG requires little or no development, production, refinement or transportation. In fact, natural gas is often discovered with petroleum and burned off as a nuisance.
Now, consider your ECON 101 class you took. Remember supply and demand effects. If we have a product with an over abundance (high), with a demand that at this point is almost nil (low), what would you expect the price to be? Low. So if it is not, some thing or some one is manipulating it.
4) REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE on FOREIGN OIL NOW. Many politicians talk about reducing dependence but what are they doing about it TODAY? It’s a no-brainer! CNG is a domestic fuel. Over 65% of the gasoline used in the USA comes from foreign sources. Over 40% of that is from OPEC. More than 85 percent of the natural gas used in the United States comes from domestic or other North American sources.
Could we switch today – no. Could we start doing something about it today – YES! All diesel machines could be adapted to a dual fuel system. The engine will run easily on a mixture of 20% diesel and 80% CNG.
Many economists feel that American petroleum companies are buying the foreign oil now at comparatively low prices so in the future when foreign oil is exhausted they can step in with American oil at exorbitant prices.
There are many polarized groups pushing different agendas on the alternative fuel debate, but herein I would recommend the proposition sited above; why not use the best fuel sources we have now until we develop something better? At this point hydrogen power, cold fusion and some other proposed fuel sources rank up there with Santa Claus for me. I want to believe, but before we stake all our hopes on these possibilities, shouldn’t we use the best options we have available now? In economics decision-making, this process is called satisficing. It explains the tendency to select the first option that meets a given need, or select the option that addresses most of the needs, rather than wait for the “optimal” solution.
Below are my findings from researching several sources, including: the University of Utah Chemistry Department, the History Channel, the managements of the Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Nevada natural gas companies, my own extensive reading, and my ownership of CNG vehicles. CNG is natural gas that has been compressed (compressed natural gas or CNG) and is stored in high-pressure cylinders.
ADVANTAGES OF CNG:
1) CNG is SAFER THAN GASOLINE or diesel fuel according to a University of Utah chemistry professor. Natural gas and natural gas vehicles have a stellar safety record which is based upon two facts:
a. The physical properties of natural gas make it safer than most other fuels.
b. The fuel systems designed for natural gas vehicles are built to stringent standards.
Physical Properties: Natural gas is flammable; otherwise it could not be used as a fuel for internal combustion and other types of energy. When released into the air or mixed with air in an engine, compressed natural gas becomes flammable only when the mixture is between 5 and 15 percent natural gas. When the mixture is less than 5 percent natural gas (too thin) it doesn't burn. When the mixture is more than 15 percent natural gas (too rich) there is not enough oxygen to allow it to burn. It also has an ignition temperature of approximately 1100 degrees F compared to gasoline and diesel fuel which both have lower concentrations of flammability and lower temperatures of ignition.
We know that a fire or explosion needs three components: fuel, oxygen and ignition. A gasoline vehicle has two of these three components in its tank, fuel and oxygen. Whereas, a CNG vehicle has only one in its tank, fuel. Natural gas is lighter than air, so it quickly dissipates into the atmosphere when released from tanks. With a gasoline tank, the fuel stays in the immediate area as a flammable risk. Hollywood scripts have a propane tank explode at the least provocation, which makes for great movie action but is not true. A CNG tank has up to 3600lb psi. Until the pressure is reduced enough to allow oxygen access, there cannot be combustion. At the point that the pressure is low enough to allow oxygen in the tank, the amount of fuel would be negligible. That is why the likelihood of a CNG explosion is fiction, but remember, that’s what you were watching - fiction.
Fuel System: Natural gas vehicles have all the same standard safety equipment as conventional cars (seat belts, air bags, etc.), yet they are subjected to the same crash safety tests as well.
Because CNG fuel systems operate at pressures in excess of 3000 PSI, the fuel tank and associated plumbing have to be incredibly rugged and strong enough to contain that pressure. The on-board tanks are made of steel up to one half-inch thick and often wrapped in protective reinforced fiberglass. Plus, newer tanks are constructed of polymers and composites that are stronger than steel.
Contrast this with standard gasoline and diesel tanks in regular vehicles that are usually made from stamped steel shell halves, just a few sixteenths of an inch thick, that are welded or crimped together. In the event of a traffic accident, the ability of rugged, durable CNG tanks to withstand rupture or puncture exceeds that of simple stamped steel.
But the safety of natural gas vehicles doesn’t just stop with the construction of the fuel tank. Most CNG systems have automatic release valves. In a situation of excessive heat or pressure build-up, the valve will open and release the gas to the atmosphere, and since it is lighter than the surrounding air, it will rise and dissipate. In the event of a fire, the fuel is safely evacuated from the car before it ever has a chance to catch fire. Gasoline and diesel vehicles simply can’t do that.
A manual shut-off valve also exists just down from the CNG tank to allow the user to turn the fuel off if needed. A benefit of this valve is the ability to use it as an anti-theft device. If you shut off the fuel supply when you park, any thief wouldn’t get much further than a mile down the road before the engine would shut down.
2) We have a Distribution System Already in Place that is 1000 times more extensive than that used for petroleum products. Mega tanker ships transport oil from the Middle East. Tanker trucks transport 99% of the gasoline and diesel fuel that we consume at the pump. That itself contributes 22%+ to the price we pay at the pump, not to mention the danger. Has anyone forgotten the Valdez? If a CNG ship had split open the gas would have simply dissipated into the atmosphere rather than pollute the oceans of our planet. Every day tanker trucks travel our roads delivering various types of petroleum products. More than half of that traffic could be eliminated with the use of CNG, reducing the pollution and the risk of those trucks being involved in accidents. There are no transportation costs of CNG other than the pipe that is laid to convey it. Natural gas is distributed nationwide through an extensive network of pipelines, which feed electrical generation plants and domestic and industrial heating uses. Thus, the use of natural gas in vehicles is "piggybacking" on many years of infrastructure development. Therefore, CNG poses no direct threat to land or water contamination in case of a leak.
If natural gas is available where you live, you can install a natural gas pump to your home or business allowing you to refuel your vehicle in your garage. Many people already do. No delivery needed; natural gas is also being delivered to our homes by underground pipelines. There is also a $1,000 federal tax credit available to offset the cost of installation. (Google - "Fuel Maker")
3) CNG is a LOW COST FUEL or should be. In Utah, as of 10/31/07, CNG is $.64 a gallon statewide; yes, that's 64 cents! In many other states CNG is as high as $2.75 a gallon. (thanks to T. Boone Pickens). Utah, Oklahoma and a couple of other states regulate their natural gas. If Utah were not regulated, we also would be paying about $.40 less than gasoline, which has been where the petroleum companies have pegged CNG’s price. In the past 20 years a few petroleum companies have gone around the country and bought up most of the natural gas suppliers and distributors, in effect, destroying any competition.
The FTC should do something about the monopoly, but won’t until “we the people” get educated.
The federal government currently allows a $.50 per gallon tax credit to all entities dispensing CNG for vehicles. From the pricing differences, it’s easy to recognize which companies are grabbing that money for themselves and which suppliers are gouging the consumer.
Production, transportation, taxes and profit make up the elements of petroleum’s price to the consumer. Unlike petroleum, CNG requires little or no development, production, refinement or transportation. In fact, natural gas is often discovered with petroleum and burned off as a nuisance.
Now, consider your ECON 101 class you took. Remember supply and demand effects. If we have a product with an over abundance (high), with a demand that at this point is almost nil (low), what would you expect the price to be? Low. So if it is not, some thing or some one is manipulating it.
4) REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE on FOREIGN OIL NOW. Many politicians talk about reducing dependence but what are they doing about it TODAY? It’s a no-brainer! CNG is a domestic fuel. Over 65% of the gasoline used in the USA comes from foreign sources. Over 40% of that is from OPEC. More than 85 percent of the natural gas used in the United States comes from domestic or other North American sources.
Could we switch today – no. Could we start doing something about it today – YES! All diesel machines could be adapted to a dual fuel system. The engine will run easily on a mixture of 20% diesel and 80% CNG.
Many economists feel that American petroleum companies are buying the foreign oil now at comparatively low prices so in the future when foreign oil is exhausted they can step in with American oil at exorbitant prices.
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