| US energy reserves in the form of natural gas | | | | burning compressed natural gas will perform |
| are about 80% larger than its petroleum | | | | flawlessly without any performance handicap. |
| reserves. Future drilling will add modestly | | | | However, the conversion of a gasoline powered |
| to either reserve with the likelihood that | | | | car is expensive and the large, high pressure |
| new natural gas reserves will be more | | | | cylinders for storing CNG must be installed |
| significant. | | | | in the car's trunk when retrofitting. |
| | | | |
| T. Boone Pickens is proposing to use more | | | | A few car manufacturers are already offering |
| natural gas as fuel for automobiles. His ads | | | | vehicles equipped to use both fuels, CNG and |
| are gaining traction and many people are | | | | gasoline. One can either use the one or the |
| beginning to ask themselves if a Compressed | | | | other fuel. An immediate changeover can be |
| Natural Gas or CNG powered car is in their | | | | made by toggling a simple switch. In the US |
| future. | | | | Honda is already offering its Civic GX model. |
| | | | Volkswagen, Opel, Mercedes, and Fiat are |
| The answer depends on knowing three simple | | | | selling bi-fuel models in Europe. Other |
| facts; is CNG really much less expensive than | | | | Europeans are making CNG powered models, too. |
| gasoline, is CNG readily available, and are | | | | American carmakers are sure to follow. |
| commercial cars with bi-fuel capability | | | | |
| available for sale? The answers are yes, no, | | | | There are two remaining questions. How much |
| yes. | | | | natural gas reserves does the US possess and |
| | | | how reliable are early price signals? After |
| Natural gas can be offered at a significantly | | | | all, imported natural gas is sold mostly by |
| lower price than gasoline. In a recent ad by | | | | OPEC countries and the US is already |
| a large gas company a price of $2.04 per GGE | | | | importing small amounts of natural gas. |
| was offered for CNG while the comparable | | | | |
| price for regular gasoline was shown at $3.46 | | | | Available data puts US natural gas reserves |
| per gallon. The energy content of compressed | | | | at 230 tcf (trillion cubic feet). Present |
| natural gas is quoted in "Gallon of Gas | | | | consumption is about 2 tcf annually. |
| Equivalent" or GGE. This is a new measuring | | | | Consumption of natural gas will obviously |
| unit, which is based on the energy content of | | | | sharply increase once CNG is used widely in |
| the dispensed gas. By basing the price of | | | | automobiles and will also continue its annual |
| CNG on its energy content, one can compare | | | | rise as overall US energy consumption |
| energy prices of CNG and gasoline directly. | | | | continues to grow. Annual natural gas |
| This is by far the best approach for the | | | | consumption may soon grow close to 4 tcf. |
| customer who can compare prices for two equal | | | | With this rate of consumption known natural |
| amounts of energy, one for a gas, the other | | | | gas reserves will last for more than fifty |
| one for gasoline. Measuring the dispensed | | | | years. |
| amount of CNG is more difficult than | | | | |
| measuring an equivalent amount of gasoline. | | | | When buying a bi-fuel car, we need to |
| However, a precise measurement can be made. | | | | convince ourselves that CNG prices will stay |
| Installing a CNG measuring device is just | | | | stable and competitive in order to recover |
| more expensive than its gasoline counterpart. | | | | the higher purchase price of the bi-fuel |
| | | | equipped car. The natural gas industry has |
| At present, there are almost no fueling | | | | been using recent increases in the price of |
| stations equipped to dispense CNG. The | | | | heating oil to significantly increase the |
| natural gas industry will have to make | | | | price of natural gas. How can we make a |
| considerable investments before a sufficient | | | | realistic estimate about future price |
| number of fueling stations will be locally | | | | stability of CNG? Past history shows that |
| available. If you are the lucky one who | | | | the pipeline companies that sell natural gas |
| lives close to such a new station, you should | | | | to local distribution utilities were setting |
| seriously consider buying a new car with | | | | prices based on the same cut-throat practices |
| bi-fuel capability. For local driving one | | | | used by OPEC. |
| uses CNG, for long distance traveling one | | | | |
| continues to depend on gasoline. By having | | | | Realistically, we do not have any effective |
| two fuel tanks on board, one for CNG, the | | | | protection from similar pricing policies in |
| other for gasoline, the driver can select the | | | | the future. We can therefore, expect that |
| fuel he wants to use. | | | | the advertised lower CNG energy prices will |
| | | | not last forever. |
| Existing cars can also be converted. Cars | | | | |