All About Alternate Fuel Vehicles (AFV)

Source: Bangkok Post/ Oct 28, 2007
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=123071

The demand for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in Thailand is expected to rise in response to rising oil prices, and in anticipation some fuel refiners have already started to up their production output to cope with the coming demand. Led by Metta Banturngsuk, director-general of the Energy Business Department, Thai government Energy Ministry officials on Sunday inspected a large automobile garage and service centre in this eastern resort which also offers a specialised service for installing NGV engines.

The company now has only four NGV installation branches, but plans to set up six more in Thailand’s northeastern and southern regions. Investment at each branch will require about Bt25 million. On the other hand, the ministry has drawn up a plan to encourage all taxi drivers to switch to using NGVs within two years from the liquefied petroleum gas they are using now.

Mr. Metta said his department planned to boost the number of skilled mechanics to install NGV machines by another 400 persons next year. It has now provided training to 480 persons. Also, the department has joined with government-related PTT and the Land Transport Department to issue a standard of quality certificate to entrepreneurs offering the installation and servicing of NGV equipment and parts. At present, there are 21 such services and the number will be increased to 50 next year, Mr. Metta said. (TNA)

By Automotive World staff writer (ANK), 5 November, 2007
Source: Automotive World
http://www.automotiveworld.com/WVMA/content.asp?contentid=64604

Renault Trucks and its partner PVI (Ponticelli Vehicules Industriels) will provide most of the vehicles to operators working for an experimental logistics scheme in Paris for Monoprix, a major retailer.  The OEM is to supply four Midlum NGVs (GVW 16T) and ten Premium Distribution NGVs (GVW 28T) for Bourgey Montreuil-Geodis, along with four Premium Distribution NGVs for GT location. The arrangement is an experiment in delivering merchandise, mostly by rail, to Parisian shops. Monoprix and Fret SNCF will use the fleet of 20 natural gas-powered trucks to transport merchandise from warehouses located in the city’s suburbs. The partners are expected to begin the trial in December.
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by David Miles, 29th October 2007
Source: Motortorque.com
http://motortorque.askaprice.com/news/auto-0710/huge-growth-in-green-vehicles-during-2007.asp
Sales of ‘alternatively fuelled’ vehicle in the UK grew by 82 per cent in the first nine months of 2007 and the forecast from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is they will amount to around 17,000 sales in total this year.  It might not sound many when we consider the UK’s new car market this year will be over 2.3 million vehicles. In 2006 UK sales of such vehicles totalled fewer than 10,000 units so the growth to an expected 17,000 registrations is significant. Registrations of such vehicles year to date are 13,387 against 7,350 for the same period last year. (more…)

By Cesar C. Villariba Jr., Inquirer,
Manila, Philippines, 12 Nov 2007

The first fleet of “Clean” buses is now rolling on the roads of Metro Manila. Marked “Hapi Bus,” the colorful vehicles have been plying the Manila/Cubao to Laguna/Batangas routes since Oct. 24 in a campaign to promote clean air in the heavily polluted metropolis.  Each capable of ferrying a maximum of 55 passengers, the buses run on compressed natural gas (CNG) supplied by the Philippines’ own gas fields off Palawan. Using energy from compressed natural gas results in zero toxic gas emissions and, thus, a clean air environment, says Nicky Hidalgo Jr., vice president for public relations of KL-CNG Bus Corp.
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October 31, 2007
Source: BluesCounty Magazine
http://www.bluescountry.com.au/article.cfm?Storyid=33242

A space-saving LPG tank that can be mounted underneath a vehicle to preserve interior space is now available in Australia. Propane Performance Industries (PPI) claims its rectangular-shaped conformable tank is half the height of a round tank with the same volume, allowing for easier under-chassis installation or petrol tank replacement. The conformable tanks are also claimed to provide additional driving range, reduced weight and increased crash safety compared with traditional cylindrical steel tanks. PPI director Guy Obren says the tank is designed by the same engineering firm that builds NASA rockets.
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By Meggie Lu, Staff Reporter, Taipei Times, Oct 30, 2007
Source: Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/10/30/2003385437

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Minister Winston Dang  yesterday encouraged automobile owners to convert their vehicles to a greener fuel alternative, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), saying it was a much cheaper option. Compared with petroleum, LPG costs less, offers comparable highway mileages (10km per liter), and is more environmentally friendly, Dang told reporters during the EPA’s budget review in the Legislative Yuan.  Flipping open the trunk of his government vehicle, he showed reporters how a modifier can be installed to make a vehicle run on a dual system of LPG and gasoline.
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Alana Herro, November 5, 2007
Source: WorldWatch Institute
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5438

Passengers riding on certain buses in Scotland will soon be able to trade in their used cooking oil for reduced fares. The oil will be recycled to power a fleet of eight buses that run on 100-percent biodiesel as part of a trial initiative by Stagecoach, one of the United Kingdom’s largest bus and coach operators, to reduce carbon emissions. “This innovative project is a great opportunity for our customers to play their part in saving the planet by recycling household products that would otherwise go to waste,” said Brian Souter, Stagecoach group chief executive. “I’m sure the idea of cheaper travel in exchange for the used contents of your chip pan will capture people’s imagination.”
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Ottawa, ON, 31 Oct 2007
Source: Canadian Vehicles Manufacturing Assoc. CVMA press release
http://www.cvma.ca/eng/news/2007/article_20071031_01.asp

Canada’s leading manufacturers of light duty vehicles kicked off their annual “Auto Days” event in Ottawa by calling on the federal government to facilitate the wider availability of green bio-fuels. The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA) points to the expanded use of green bio-fuels as another important way to accelerate greenhouse gas reductions from on-road vehicles in Canada. “Canada continues to lag far behind other countries in making greener fuels like E85 and biodiesel available for drivers,” said Mark Nantais, president of the CVMA. “Canada’s automakers have made over 70 new green vehicle technologies available to consumers in just two years. The combination of new vehicle technology and green fuels creates maximum environmental benefit.”
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Stockholm, Sweeden, Nov. 8,2007
Source: Grainnet.com
http://www.grainnet.com/articles/
Biofuel_Cities_European_Partnership_officially_launched-50405.html

After several months of intensive preparation, the Biofuel Cities European Partnership was officially launched Nov. 8, at the Clean Vehicles and Fuels (CVF) Symposium in Stockholm, Sweden.  Alexandra Langenheld of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Transport and Energy officially inaugurated the Biofuel Cities European Partnership, which is a forum for the application of biofuels, open to all stakeholders in the area of biofuels for vehicles. 400 delegates, from 25 countries, representing all links in the biofuel chain attended the launch at the Biofuel Cities stand at the CVF symposium.
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By Eddie Cunninngham, November 13 2007
Source: Irish Independent
http://www.independent.ie/farming/grim-choice-food-or-fuel-1217683.html

IT was interesting to hear Mairead McGuinness talk recently about the potential dangers in the intensifying battle between food and fuel for a place on the farm. America is steadily devoting more acreage to crops for conversion to biofuels than for human consumption. It is a scenario that will increasingly impinge on Irish farmers.
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