Why Compressed Natural Gas?
CNG: The Most Efficient, Economical and Ecological Choice
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), as a derivative of natural gas, is the ultimate clean-burning alternative fuel. And for natural gas vehicles (NVG) and other machines with engines that run on CNG, the benefits are both immediate and long-term.
Distinct Advantages Over Diesel, Biodiesel and Ethanol
Engines powered by CNG produce 10 percent of the carbon monoxide and particle discharge of engines powered by gasoline. Carbon dioxide discharge is cut by 20 percent. And nitrogen oxides are sliced in half.
According to Natural Gas Vehicles of America (a national organization dedicated to the development of a growing, sustainable and profitable market for vehicles powered by natural gas or hydrogen), typical dedicated NGVs can reduce exhaust emissions of:
- Carbon monoxide (CO) by 70 percent
- Non-methane organic gas (NMOG) by 87 percent
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 87 percent
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) by 20 percent below those of gasoline vehicles
Vehicles and machines that run on CNG also emit 95 percent less smoke and soot. Only buses that run on CNG can meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) stringent 2010 particulate matter emission standards.
Homegrown Efficiency
It’s a national mandate to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. In 2005, 97 percent of the natural gas used in the United States was produced in North America (85 percent from the US and 12 percent from Canada). Every gallon equivalent of natural gas used is one less gallon of petroleum that has to be imported.
NGVs, when compared to gasoline’s miles-per-gallon (MPG) ratios, far exceed standard vehicle efficiency rates. For example, 27 MPG can equal 35 MPG in CNG-powered automobiles when compared side by side. On average, natural gas costs one-third less than conventional gasoline at the pump.