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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 11141989 - S.5 ♦ +YUP TO: (BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Supervisor Nancy Fanden Contra Costa DATE: November 7 for action County November 14, 1989 v SUBJECT: NATURAL GAS AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUEL FOR COUNTY VEHICLES SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMENDATION That the Board of Supervisors direct Phil Batchelor, County Administrator, to look into the feasibility of the county utilizing compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel for county vehicles. That a report be given to the Board on the costs associated with converting our current fleet of vehicles, as well as, the cost of purchasing new vehicles already adapted to burn this alternative type of natural fuel. BACKGROUND Natural gas becomes an excellent vehicle fuel when it is compressed for easier storage and transport. After a simple conversion, a vehicle burns natural gas in its cylinders just like gasoline. Drivers choose either natural gas or gasoline by flipping a switch on the dashboard - even with the motor running. Natural gas can reduce fuel costs for a vehicle by about 45 percent. Fuel costs for a car that gets 18 miles per gallon are 5.6 cents per mile with gasoline, and just 2 .9 cents per mile with natural gas. Natural gas burns cleaner than gasoline or methanol, reducing many of the pollutants that create smog. Properly equipped vehicles surpass state and federal emissions standards when burning CNG. A major selling point for CNG is its price. on a per-mile basis, CNG costs about half as much as gasoline and one-third as much as methanol. Attached is information from PG&E CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON November 14 , 1989 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT I I I ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County Administrator ATTESTED !%L ��Gt/ �'�� /,4,?9 Phil Batchelor,Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator M382/7-83 BY _, DEPUTY I � s a„ Y 's 4' E g< k .z s . 0 y<. f � Lk p } rz� R A � 6yt�F w A I 17d r f yy What are natural gas vehicles? Natural gas burns clean in engines, Natural gas, the same fuel that so motor oil and spark plugs last many of us use for heating and much longer. Fewer tune-ups are cooking, becomes an excellent needed and engines burning vehicle fuel when it is compressed natural gas last longer than those for easier storage and transport. using gasoline. It is an alternative to gasoline that Johnny Rutherford, athree-time has been used to run vehicles for winner of the Indy 500 auto race, more than 60 years. says, "Natural gas is an alternative How does a vehicle use fuel that makes sense. It performs natural"gas as a fuel? well. Fleet owners can't tell any difference between natural gas After a simple conversion, a vehicle and gasoline when they're driving— burns natural gas in its cylinders only when they're paying their bills" just like gasoline. Almost all natural gas vehicles can run on either Now much does natural gasoline or natural gas; they're gas cost? known as "dual-fuel"vehicles. Ten natural gas-related parts just bolt Natural gas can reduce fuel costs onto the vehicle. Natural gas can for a vehicle by about 45 percent. also be used with diesel engines. Fuel costs for a car that gets 18 miles per gallon are 5.6 cents per Drivers choose either natural gas mile with gasoline, and just 2.9 or gasoline by flipping a switch cents per mile with natural gas. on the dashboard—even with the motor running. So if a vehicle Using PG&E's 1988 commercial travels out of range of its natural rate, natural gas would cost about gas refueling station, it can run on 52 cents for the equivalent of gasoline until it returns. A typical a gallon of gasoline. That cost converted dual-fuel vehicle carries includes electricity to run the two tanks of natural gas that can compressor be located wherever space is And you'll save on maintenance available. and engine costs, too. How well does natural gas perform? As well as gasoline in nearly all respects, and in some ways even better. You'll get faster starts when the engine is cold, and smoother Cost per mile to operate vehicle idling and acceleration when (In cents) the engine is warm. Natural gas has a 130-octane rating which will 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 virtually eliminate engine knock. In some dual-fuel vehicles, you could lose a small amount of horse- power, but few drivers notice any difference in acceleration. I I Natural Gas Repidi0olli Gasoline With the depletion of world oil sup- BTU's per dollar plies and the rising price of gaso- (In thousands) line, natural gas is becoming a 10 so 100 150 zoo logical and desirable vehicle fuel. Why Is PG&E promoting the use of natural gas? It's a way to expand PG&E's service to our customers. PG&E • o �r Natural Gas Gasoline already provides customers natural gas and electricity, on-site energy management, supply and price running on natural gas and the Where can 1 get forecasts and a range of conserva- tion programs. PG&E can broaden other on gasoline. The oil was more Information? its base as a full-service energy analyzed regularly by Mobil, and Your PG&E representative can company by offering information the bus on natural gas accumu- explain the incentives that PG&E and incentives on this exciting lated 37,000 miles without changing offers for natural gas vehicle new money-saving technology spark plugs or oil. The bus on gas- conversions and help you find oline needed its first oil change at an equipment supplier. How satisfied are the fleet 3,000 miles—and new plugs at owners who have converted 4,500 miles. American Gas Association to natural gas? 1515 Wilson Boulevard Sayre Bus Company of Wisconsin c Southwest city has converted Arlington,VA 22209 has 28 school buses running cars, forklifts, trucks and heavy equipment to burn natural gas. on natural gas, and John Sayre According to the fleet manager, the The Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition remarked,"In the three years since city has already saved$41,000, and Two Lafayette Center I've converted, I've saved over 1133 21st Street N.W $100,000, or half of what I used plans are in the works to convert Washington, D.C. 20036 to spend for fuel" another 40 vehicles. Richard D'Alessandro, who is The U.S. Post Office in Concord, responsible for the 26-vehicle nat- California, converted 100 postal ural gas fleet at the city of Kirkland, vehicles to natural gas in 1985. Washington, says,"We don't have Although the vehicles maintain a single regret"After the first year the"dual fuel"capability,they of natural gas use, their fuel costs are operated 98%of the time on went down by over$12,000 even natural gas, though mileage driven went up 9.5 percent. A Sun Belt newspaper company converted its delivery trucks and vans more than 10 years ago. Gasoline shortages posed no problem for this firm, and today management looks back on a good decision. The Harbor Creek School District of Erie, Pennsylvania, tested two identical new school buses, one NG Fuel Delivery Systems f uo TAG 14 � � ��'�ti'��'� I. I '• �^ i i •' t i ^• i i� WEST COAST'S 1ST COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS PUBLIC REFUELING STATION LOCATION Concord Service Center 1030 Detroit Avenue HOURS 24 hours/day unmanned operated by card-key system STATION SIZE 2-25 CFM Ingersoll Rand compressors 3 storage cascades (150 equivalent gallons total storage) Designed to fuel 24 Company vehicles (time-fill) and 20 public vehicles (fast-fill) (Planned for future expansion) VENDOR AUTOMOTIVE NATURAL GAS INC. (ANGI) Milton, Wisconsin (608) 868-4626 Contact: Jack Hart- V.P. Sales Refueling station and vehicle conversion equipment INSTALLATION Refueling station to be installed by PG&E Vehicle conversions also to be done by PG&E TRAINING ANGI to provide training on station operation, vehicle conversions, and maintenance of both PRICE 70 cents/therm (Pending 1990 ACAP decision) Currently charging 54 cents/therm at Oakport SCHEDULE Refueling station operational by November 1, 1989 All Company vehicles converted by December 31, 1989 MONITORING Monitoring system planned to determine increased revenues, emissions improvements, vehicle maintenance savings, and fuel savings Yes,PG&E has converted fleet vehicles in Oakland and Fresno, with plans to convert more in Sacramento and Concord . In 1989 PG&E also plans to open their first public refueling station in Concord.