Alternative transport fuels from natural gas

Book · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5432905

Moreno, R Jr; Bailey, D G.F.

This paper examines the economics of using natural gas as an alternative fuel in transport vehicles including passenger cars, taxis, buses, and trucks. It compares the cost of using conventional fuels (gasoline and diesel) in these vehicles with that of retrofitting the vehicles and using natural gas-based fuels. These fuels include compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), methanol, and synthetic gasoline and diesel. The analysis includes various scenarios to establish break-even these competing fuels under different assumptions. The study concludes that slow-fill (also known as trickle-fill) CNG is the most economic of the natural gas based fuels. The vehicles most suited for the economic use of these fuels are captive vehicle fleets with relatively high mileage and a restricted range of operation, such as buses and taxis. However, to make the transition economically viable, oil prices would have to increase significantly from their present level and remain there long enough to make the investment in the transition worth while. At present levels of crude oil prices (about US $18 per barrel), little opportunity exists for the economic substitution of natural gas based fuels for gasoline and diesel. These conclusions are based on the economic factors considered. Environmental factors, which are both difficult to measure and of increasing importance, could, however, mitigate these results.

• OSTI ID: 5432905
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
034000* -- Natural Gas-- Combustion
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330800 -- Emission Control-- Alternative Fuels
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
COMPRESSED GASES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
NATURAL GAS