Natural-gas vehicles hot in Utah, where the fuel is cheap

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1121&u_mod=ap.online.headlines.science&u_sid=10319202

Published Saturday | April 26, 2008
Natural-gas vehicles hot in Utah, where the fuel is cheap
By PAUL FOY AP Business Writer
The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Troy Anderson was at the gas pump and couldn't have been happier, filling up at a rate of $5 per tank. Anderson was paying 63.8 cents per gallon equivalent for compressed natural gas, making Utah a hot market for vehicles that run on the fuel.

It's the country's cheapest rate for compressed gas, according to the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, and far less than the $3.56 national average price for a gallon of gasoline.


Lee Mercer watches another vehicle pull up as he fills his truck's tanks at a compressed natural gas station Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Murray, Utah. Mercer said an added benefit is his special CNG license plates that allow him to park in downtown Salt Lake City for free at parking meters and use the HOV lanes on the freeways when he is the only person in the truck. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)


"I'm totally celebrating," crowed Anderson, a 44-year-old social worker, who picked up a used Honda Civic GX two months ago. "This is the greatest thing. I can't believe more people aren't talking about it. This is practically free."

Personal ownership of natural gas-fueled vehicles in Utah soared from practically nothing a few years ago to an estimated 5,000 vehicles today, overwhelming a growing refueling network, where compressors sometimes can't maintain enough pressure to fill tanks completely for every customer.

"Nobody expected this kind of growth. We got caught by the demand," said Gordon Larsen, a supervisor at Utah utility Questar Gas.

Utah has 91 stations, including 20 open to the public, mostly in the Salt Lake City area. The others are reserved for commercial drivers, such as school districts, bus fleets and big businesses such as a Coca-Cola distributor.


FULL story at link.

[phantom power]

1. I think their celebration is going to be fairly short-lived.

[Zachstar]

7. Why? There is no serious shortage of Natural gas.

And natural gas is a HELL of alot better than the processes that go from Oil in the ground to fuel in your tank.

[phantom power]

8. Basically, this is why:

http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006/11/27/61031/618

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. 20 stations - that should take care of America's needs.

:rofl: :rofl:

[eleny]

5. There's one 15 blocks from our house

For a person like me who is retired and uses one car for all local driving, that would be pretty convenient. We got lotsa natural gas here in Colorado. :D

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. That's a nice deal - don't think there's any back east

[TlalocW]

3. I have a CNG vehicle

A Ford Cargo Van (E250). I do work on the side as a magician/balloon twister/balloon decorator and needed something that I could put large balloon sculptures, balloon columns, helium tanks, etc. in. Oklahoma is also a heavy natural gas state although we're not as cheap as Utah. We're at 90 cents a gallon, which is still nice. I'm under no illusion that just about every type of fuel is eventually going to run out, but in the meantime, I have a good vehicle for my business that burns cleaner than regular fuel and helps contribute to American jobs.

The main problem is the paucity of filling stations for it. I can pretty much drive all around Oklahoma and probably some of northern Texas, but I can't drive it to around Wichita, Kansas, where most of my family lives because the only CNG station around there is privately owned, and the other two in the state are around Topeka. Plus, I can't always get a full tank if the compressor hasn't built back up enough pressure for me.

I don't think we're ever going to be able to replace gasoline completely, but it won't just be one thing replacing it either.

TlalocW

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. I'd love to get this one...

http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-gx/?ef_id=1097:35:3fc5f84ff0babf506c69be5eb59c10e1:7ClMjEGvMaAAAHz@AhsAAAAE:20080428230323


I have gas appliances: I could get a device to fill the vehicle in my driveway. The maing issue is .. you guessed it.. the number of stations outside my area.