CNG FAQ

A. With today’s technologies the mileage received from CNG converted vehicles will be similar to their gasoline and diesel equivalent or close.

It depends if we are talking about gasoline to CNG or Diesel to CNG. Most CNG conversions in heavy duty diesel to CNG will have a power loss but the fuel savings will make up for it. Aspirated systems may have more power loss than Sequential since they are less tunable. Some latest technologies for CNG conversions have no power loss. Let us know the engine type and application you are interested in converting and we will let you know if there is any power lost, if any.

Yes you will be able to make back the investment in CNG conversion based on your fuel savings and enjoy continues fuel savings after ROI.  The incremental difference between CNG and gasoline /diesel on every gallon burned and how much of it you consume per year are the main factors determining ROI period for your fleet. For heavy fuel users friendly financing can assist with making the project economically beneficial to the fleet from day one. At NGV Texas we have helped to structured the deal the way that our customers get their conversion 100% financed and the amount of fuel savings is greater per month is greater than monthly payments. Please give us a call to assess your fleet savings potential.

It is similar to the way you fuel any car or truck. The dispenser looks about the same, but the nozzle is different. Drivers can be easily educated on how to fill a CNG vehicle. Because natural gas is under pressure, the storage systems must to designed so that no fuel escapes when the vehicle is being fueled. Natural gas nozzles lock onto the receptacles, and form a leak-free seal, similar to the coupling on an air compressor nozzle. The receptacles are designed so that when the nozzle is removed the gas is prevented from escaping.

There are basically two types of fueling equipment for CNG vehicles – fast-fill and time-fill. In fast-fill, the combination of a large compressor coupled with a high-pressure storage tank system, called a cascade, fills the tank in about the same amount of time it takes to fuel a comparable petroleum vehicle.

A time-fill system does not have a storage system and has a much smaller –and less expensive– compressor. It typically refuels CNG vehicles overnight at a rate of about one gallon per hour. Time fill works for vehicles that remain idle overnight, such as refuse trucks and school buses

There are also home refueling options for individuals that own a CNG powered vehicle and are looking for the convenience of being able to fuel at home. The units connect to a residential gas line and typically hung on a garage wall. They can fuels a single vehicle at the rate of slightly less than a half a gallon per hour.

Most NGVs operate on compressed natural gas so the fuel takes up less space. CNG is stored on board vehicles under high-pressure (3,000-3,600 pounds per square inch) in tube-shaped cylinders that are attached to the rear, top or undercarriage of the vehicle. The cylinders meet very rigorous safety standards. They are made of high-strength materials designed to withstand impact, puncture and, in the case of fire, their pressure relief devices (PRDs) provide a controlled venting of the gas rather than letting the pressure build up in the tank.

Natural gas may also be stored on-board in the form of liquefied natural gas or LNG. To become LNG, natural gas must be cooled to –260 degrees Fahrenheit. The biggest advantage of LNG over CNG is space requirements. LNG requires only 30 percent of the space of CNG to store the same amount of energy. In order to keep the LNG cold, LNG is stored on-board vehicles in thermal storage tanks.

Absolutely! The cylinders that hold the compress natural gas are significantly stronger than gasoline tanks. They have withstood impact and bonfire testing and meet or exceed U.S. Department of Transportation safety standards. Even in the unlikely event of a leak, CNG will not form combustible pools on the ground as other fuel do. Because natural gas is lighter than air, it will rise and dissipate if released.

NGVs are the cleanest of any vehicles in commercial production today. In fact, NGVs produce 5 percent to 10 percent of the emissions allowable by today’s most stringent standards. Dedicated NGVs can reduce exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) by 70 percent; nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 87 percent and carbon dioxide (CO2) by 20 percent below those of gasoline vehicles.

Yes, certain federal tax incentives and rebates are available through December 31, 2013.
Learn more about Oklahoma State and Federal incentives here:

• www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/
• www.ngvamerica.org/incentives/index.html