What Happened?
Marion, Iowa, is experimenting with natural gas as an alternative fuel source that could generate $200,000 in savings for the city annually while improving air quality and lowering carbon emissions.
So What?
The Marion project is focused on transitioning municipal fleets to operate on compressed natural gas rather than diesel fuel. Compressed natural gas is less than half the price of traditional fuels and burns cleaner.
The city’s seven garbage trucks currently get about 2.8 miles per gallon of traditional fuel at $3.40 per gallon. If the vehicles operated on compressed natural gas, they could operate at 3.2 miles per gallon that costs $1.44 per gallon. Converting a public service pickup vehicle to run on compressed natural gas will cost the city $10,000 per unit.
Why Compressed Natural Gas?
The Iowa Clean Cities organization explains that compressed natural gas is a viable alternative to diesel fuel for municipal vehicles as the source is:
- Sold from domestic providers
- Easily distributed across the country at a lower price
- Reduced cost compared to gasoline and diesel
- Burns cleaner than traditional fuels
Natural gas providers generate biomethane from organic materials, making it a renewable energy source. About 90 percent of natural gas used in the United States is produced domestically from landfills, wastewater and livestock sources. The fuel source is quickly and efficiently transported nationwide for easy acquisition.
Vehicles running on compressed natural gas produce lower carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, nonmethane hydrocarbon, particulate matter and other toxic emissions than gasoline and diesel units. The U.S. Department Energy reports natural gas generates 20 percent to 45 percent less smog-causing pollutants than traditional fuel, as well as a 9 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Converting
Vehicles can be retrofitted to run on two forms of natural gas: compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas. Both sources offer the cost benefits and reduced emissions when compared to traditional fuels. Furthermore, natural gas vehicles perform as well as gasoline or diesel units in terms of power, acceleration and speed. Less energy can be stored in a natural gas vehicle, requiring more refueling stops compared to traditional vehicles, but extra storage tanks can increase the driving range of retrofitted units.
Vehicle manufacturers are also creating more units that run on compressed natural gas, making a fleet conversion more affordable for municipalities. Chevrolet, Honda and Ford have all rolled out light, medium and heavy duty compressed natural gas vehicles for lower emissions and fuel costs.
Conventional vehicles are also being retrofitted by qualified experts for about $8,000 to $12,000 per unit. These changes must meet federal safety and emissions standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as any state requirements. Authorized technicians from manufacturers can work with a municipality’s fleet to ensure all adjustments and upgrades are in compliant with the rules to avoid costly mistakes or penalties.
Energy Changes
Gov1 has followed new energy strategies across the country including efforts to convert trash into fuel and create new jobs through green investments.