Comparative economics of NGV's and other vehicles

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6006010

Biederman, R T; Blazek, C F

The utilization of alternative fuels for transportation applications is now a certainty. The only real questions that remain to be answered involve the type of fuel (or fuels) to be adopted most extensively. While some alternative fuel advocates suggest that a niche will exist for all alternative fuels, the most likely scenario will involve widespread use of only a few major fuel types. Undoubtedly, reformulated gasoline will be a major force as an interim fuel, due to inertia and a predominant bias toward liquid fuels. The prospects for utilization of ethanol, methanol, MTBE, and ETBE appear to be most promising in the area of blending with gasoline to meet the needs of reformulated gasoline and flexible fueled vehicles (FFV's). Propane fueled vehicles will continue to grow in popularity, especially with fleets, but will never become a major force in the transportation market in the US due to unresolvable supply limitations. The clear winner in the alternative fuels transportation market appears to be natural gas. Either in compressed or liquefied form, natural gas enjoys low costs, tremendous availability, and impressive environmental benefits. As shown in this analysis, natural gas competes favorably with gasoline in terms of economics. Natural gas is also preferential to other alternative fuels in terms of safety and health issues as well as operational issues.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: IGT; Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6006010
• Report Number(s): CONF-9105274-1; ON: TI92002497
• Resource Relation: Conference: 3. Asian natural gas: new markets and distribution methods, Singapore (Singapore), 13-15 May 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
03 NATURAL GAS
08 HYDROGEN
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
NATURAL GAS
USES
VEHICLES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPLIANCE
COST
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ETHANOL
EXHAUST GASES
HYDROGEN
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
METHANOL
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
PLANNING
PROPANE
SAFETY ANALYSIS
US CLEAN AIR ACT
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LAWS
LIQUEFIED GASES
LIQUIDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION LAWS
WASTES
330800* - Emission Control- Alternative Fuels
330300 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Electric-Powered Systems
034000 - Natural Gas- Combustion
083000 - Hydrogen- Combustion- (1990-)
100400 - Synthetic Fuels- Combustion- (1990-)