 Explain how to implement green fleets
 Learn about incentives for converting to natural gas fleets
 Learn about the availability and cost of natural gas
 Identify the advantages of using natural gas
 Understand how to safely handle natural gas
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 Why use green fleets?
 Reduce operating costs
 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
 Improve corporate image
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How to Implement Natural Gas
 Get buy-in
 Create long-term objectives
 Avoid setting reduction goals in absolute numbers
 Anticipate obstacles
 Move slowly
 Improve vehicle use
 Track and report progress
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 Natural gas = hydrocarbon fuel; mostly methane
 Natural gas is a fossil fuel
 Natural gas has a higher flammability than conventional gasoline
 Natural gas has a lower volumetric energy density compared to liquid fuels
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How is Natural Gas Formed?
 Fossil fuel – nonrenewable
 Decay of organic matter over time
 Coal, oil, stand-alone wells
 Biogas – renewable
 Landfills
 Agriculture
 Stored as CNG or LNG
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CNG
 Natural gas is compressed and stored as a gas
 Stable method of containment
 3000-3600 psi
Figure 1 (left): Factory available Honda Civic CNG passenger car. Source: NAFTC.
Figure 2 (right): Corresponding CNG trunk-mounted tank. Source: NAFTC.
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LNG
 Natural gas is cooled below
-260 ° F
 Stored at lower pressures
 If released, LNG will quickly evaporate
 Considered a cryogenic liquid
 Storage tanks are called dewars
Figure 3: Cutaway of LNG tank showing dual walls and insulation. Source: NAFTC.
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Incentives for Using Natural Gas in
Fleets
 Incentives
 Partnership initiatives and pooled resources
 Financial subsidiaries
 Informational tools
 Initial cost vs. federal and state incentives
 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA)
 Clean Cities Program
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 Tax incentives for natural gas fuel, vehicles, and infrastructure have been provided through federal law
 In addition to federal incentives, 25 states currently offer to help in the development of the market
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Federal Grant Funding
 Federal government = largest grant provider
 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
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State Grant Funding
 State Energy Office (SEO)
 National Association of State Energy Officials directory
 Alternative Fuels Data Center map
 To find state-specific information, visit www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/state
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Incentives for Natural Gas Production
 Recently doubled estimates of U.S. natural gas reserves
 Expanded drilling options available
 Cleaner burning domestically produced gas
 State incentives for increased production
 Local biomass projects
 Use of renewable biogas over natural gas
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 Currently, there are 300,000 miles of natural gas pipelines in U.S.
 Most public fueling stations are CNG because fleets using LNG have dedicated infrastructure
 Consumption has increased 145% nationwide since 2005
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Figure 4: Natural Gas fueling stations by state. AFDC.
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 Research shows the cost of diesel fuel is projected to increase at a linear rate of 5.6% per year
 Increase in natural gas = 1.6% per year
Figure 5: EIA Fuel Price Projections. Source: EIA.
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Figure 6: Cost comparison - diesel, gasoline, & compressed natural gas. Source: AFDC.
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 Cost of production
 Demand for natural gas
 87% domestically produced
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 Reduced greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions
 Reduced long term operating costs
 Domestically produced
 Higher compression ratios
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 Limited vehicle availability and initial cost
 Shorter driving range
 Limited public fueling stations
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
 Conversions have similar performance
 May sacrifice some power
 Dedicated and purposed built may have better performance
 Can utilize higher compression ratio for increased engine efficiency
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Natural Gas Performance Summary
• Similar vehicle performance
• High octane rating
• Cleaner exhaust emissions
• Fuel tank size can be large
• Limited vehicle fueling stations
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 NGVs have excellent safety record:
 Integrity of the NGV’s fuel storage and delivery system
 Properties of the fuel itself
 Natural gas is highly flammable
 Excellent for combustion
 Should be handled with same care given to other combustible fuels
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 Natural gas cylinders are much thicker and stronger than gasoline or diesel tanks
 The National Fire Protection Agency
(NFPA) and U.S. DOT identify hazards with diamond placards
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Tanks
 CNG
 Produced to meet reliability and performance standards
 3 year or 36,000 mile tank inspections
 LNG
 Visual inspection for corrosion
 Label
Figure 7: Example of LNG tank label. Source:
NAFTC.
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NFPA Placards and Specifications
 Four colored diamonds within outer diamond
 Inner diamonds dictate health, fire, reactivity, and other hazard information
 Different diamonds for different substances
Figure 8 (left): NFPA hazard placard for CNG. Source: NFPA.
Figure 9 (right): NFPA 704 hazard placard for LNG. Source: NFPA.
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U.S. DOT Placards and Specifications
 Help identify what fuel is being transported
 Different placards for different forms of fuel
 Proper officials should be contacted to ensure correct placards are displayed
Figure 10 (left): CNG transport placard for UN 1971. Source: U.S. DOT.
Figure 11: LNG transport placard UN 1972. Source: U.S. DOT.
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Natural Gas Safety Summary
• NGVs must meet stringent safety codes
• Safe and durable storage tanks
• Tank inspections
• Exposure causes minimal injury
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1.
True or False: The price of natural gas based on a gasoline gallon equivalent is typically lower than gasoline.
2.
What are the two forms of natural gas storage?
3.
True or False: Fueling stations for natural gas are located in nearly all locations of conventional fuel stations.
4.
Natural gas engines can utilize higher __________ due to its higher ___________ rating.
5.
True or False: Natural gas vehicles require periodic fuel tank inspections.
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