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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03131990 - 2.1 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator z' Costa County DATE: March 13, 1990 °s - rq 4cf—U SUBJECT: FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE VIABILITY OF USING COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS IN COUNTY VEHICLES SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Direct the General Services Director to implement a feasibility study on the viability of using compressed natural gas in County vehicles. Approve and authorize the expenditure of up to $12,000 from the General Services Department' s budget for the study. FINANCIAL IMPACT The General Services Department has agreed to absorb the $12,000 cost for this study from savings accrued in various divisions of the department. If this study proves successful, it can result in substantial gasoline savings in the future. BACKGROUND The Board of Supervisors requested that the Administrator' s Office examine whether a feasibility study be conducted to determine the viability of using compressed natural gas in County vehicles. Pacific Gas and Electric has opened the first West Coast compressed natural gas public refueling station in Concord, making possible the use of natural gas as an alternative fuel. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X_YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD 01 jqqn APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE �S—UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Distribution by: MAR 13 1990 CC: General Services ATTESTED PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382 (10/88) BY ,DEPUTY -2- As with all alternative fuels, there are advantages and disadvantages. Al Barba, County Fleet Manager, has obtained information from PG&E, other counties, and fleet maintenance literature. He visited the new PG&E facility in Concord and talked to other Fleet Managers about their experiences in using natural gas in their fleets. A summary of the advantages and disadvantages is shown below. Advantages Clean burning with less carbon monoxide and minimum sulfur dioxide emissions Estimates from PG&E are that natural gas cost approximately 450 less than gasoline Maintenance and engine costs are estimated to be lower due to natural gas burning cleaner in engines, which means fewer tune ups, and longer intervals between motor oil and spark plug changes Less chance of explosion in an accident than with conventional gasoline tanks because the natural gas cylinders are much stronger, as demonstrated in simulated high-speed crashes Dispersion occurs rapidly in the event of a leak, and the natural gas rises rather than puddling as gasoline would tend to do - Lessened fire damage because the combustion temperature for natural gas is 1200 degrees Fahrenheit and for gasoline is 800 degrees Fahrenheit - Public , awareness is increased because test vehicles have signs placed on them, stating that natural gas is being used - By flipping a switch, the gasoline fuel tank can still be used if the vehicle is low on natural gas, and away from a natural gas fueling station Disadvantages - Natural gas is a finite resource with only one distributor - Cost of conversion would be between $1,500 to $3 ,000 per vehicle - Savings on maintenance and fuel costs are only estimates from PG&E - Fuel tanks for natural gas take up a significant amount of space in a vehicle' s trunk or in the back of a van or pickup truck bed. Only one natural gas fueling station location in Concord doesn' t allow flexibility in refueling - Some users of natural gas indicate that their vehicles experience some loss in power PG&E' s single fueling facility cannot accommodate a large number of vehicles, and agencies with large numbers of vehicles would have to purchase their own fueling stations, costing up to $100, 000 -3- The advantages of clean-burning fuel with low levels of particulants and potential long-term cost savings need to be weighed against the up-front cost for vehicle conversion, limited access to a fueling facility, loss of cargo space, and possible reduction in vehicle power. Based on the County' s current price for unleaded gasoline, the estimated fuel cost savings would be about 170, not 45% as stated by PG&E. If the prices for both natural gas and gasoline remain constant, it would take a vehicle about 20,000 miles to recover the initial conversion cost. The driver' s time and the additional miles to drive to the Concord fueling station- would increase the costs to the County, as few County vehicles are stationed near the PG&E facility on Detroit Avenue in Concord. Natural gas is being tested in many areas, but hard. data on the results are not yet available. The California Energy Commission plans a demonstration project in 1991 where select agencies would be asked to test vehicles using natural gas. With only one fueling station in Contra Costa County, the use of natural gas is not feasible for the County as a whole at this time; however, with some vehicles which accumulate high mileage and have lots of stops and starts, natural gas might be economical and reduce vehicle air pollutants. A test program should demonstrate if some vehicles can operate more efficiently on natural gas. In view of the above, it is recommended that a trial program be implemented using the General Service Department' s Central Service messenger vehicles. These vehicles would be reasonably close to the PG&E fueling station, accumulate many miles and have lots of daily starts and stops. These vehicles travel throughout the County, and the public would be aware that the County is concerned about air quality testing natural gas as an alternative fuel for County vehicles. Two natural gas tanks could be mounted in the back of each van, so the drivers would be able to travel farther between ,refuels on natural gas than they do now. The vans would still have the ability to run on unleaded gasoline if the driver cannot return to Concord for refueling when the natural gas tanks are low. A six-month natural gas test program would provide data on cost savings and vehicle operational efficiency. ' If the study shows that the vehicles run well on natural gas, and the savings are real and cover the conversion costs, then the County might want to extend the test to other vehicles and eventually might decide to set up a County fueling station. If significant problems surface, then the vehicles can easily be returned to use of unleaded gasoline only. The General Services Department has agreed to fund this program by utilizing savings accrued in other divisions of the department. It is anticipated that at least four vehicles and up to $12,00 will be needed for the study.