Natural gas advocates are requesting that federal legislators increase appropriations for research and development to improve the efficiency and durability of natural-gas engines and vehicles as well as to improve fuel storage and fueling infrastructure.
NGVAmerica, the American Gass Association, the American Public Gas Association and the Gas Technology Institute wrote an April 9 letter to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations that requested $30 million for R&D of natural gas vehicles and another $100 million to create “wheels to wells” practices, which is commonly used to assess total energy consumption or the energy conversion efficiency and emissions impact of motor vehicles, including their carbon footprint, and the fuels used ito further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“We have a huge natural gas resource base right here at home and we should capitalize on it to displace foreign oil,” said Richard Kolodziej, president of NGVAmerica. “Natural gas vehicles are the best way to do that. They are a here and now technology, but, through more research and development, natural gas vehicles will get even more efficient, more cost-effective and cleaner.”
The organizations also asked for $40 million to create technologies designed to improve efficiencies in both commercial and residential sectors for both waste and heat recovery and combined heat and power disciplines.
