Roth: CNG: A fueling ‘bridge’ like no other?
Today’s energy and environmental intersections often cause a collision that too frequently divides people, interests and industries. Yet, one opportunity seems to hold great promise for our state and national economies, as well as our collective environmental prospects. In fact, this “bridge” fuel is bringing unlikely forces together in a way unforeseen in many corridors of power. That “bridge” is compressed natural gas (CNG).
U.S. Reps. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, and John Sullivan, R-Tulsa, have risen above partisan divides and are working together to establish CNG as a viable alternative to transportation-sector fuels. Just last week they announced bipartisan efforts to move in this exciting direction. With the help of Boone Pickens, Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel and congressional leaders from both parties, Boren and Sullivan are on the right track to bring American solutions to America’s energy dilemma.
Compressed natural gas is a readily available alternative to gasoline that’s made by compressing natural gas to less than 1 percent of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure. Consisting mostly of methane, CNG is odorless, colorless and tasteless. It’s drawn from domestically drilled gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. Quite frankly, there is plenty of it, especially here in Oklahoma, where record low prices speak to the supply. With natural gas market prices hovering south of $4 per thousand cubic feet, it is an abundant bargain. That’s about 82 cents a gallon equivalent today. I haven’t paid that cheaply for gasoline since 1985 when I first started driving.
CNG powers more than 8 million vehicles on the road today. Unfortunately, only 150,000 of these are in the United States. A look around the world reveals some incredibly progressive steps in countries like Brazil. Starting slowly, the natural gas vehicle (NGV) industry has progressed to a point where close to 1 million vehicles are on Brazil’s roads, a remarkable number in only nine years. Even greater potential exists in America, but we “have many miles to go before we sleep.” The average growth rate in the U.S. is 3.7 percent per annum since 2000, as contrasted with a booming global growth rate of 30.6 percent per annum. America is perfectly positioned to use natural gas in transit buses, school buses, semi-trucks, municipal vehicles and commercial fleets today but we need more stations for the public. There are 12,000 around the world, yet the United States claims about 1,100. This shortage is one reason Oklahoma’s own House Speaker Chris Benge is working to increase numbers of CNG stations in the public and private sectors. Americans built the refueling infrastructure from the ground up in the mid-20th century and can certainly do it again.
However, as gasoline prices continue to increase, American interest in CNG is rising accordingly. And with good reason – CNG costs about 40 percent less than gasoline, it emits up to 90 percent less emissions than gasoline, there’s an abundant supply and it’s produced in America. So it’s affordable, clean, abundant and American.
Yet, our consumer-driven economy does need financial incentives to steer consumers in this important direction. The congressional bill uses a combination of grants, tax credits and federal purchasing requirements to stimulate the increased use of natural gas vehicles. As the economy of scale continues to develop for natural gas vehicles, this important piece of legislation will provide incentives to equalize the opportunity for Americans to choose whether they want to use foreign oil or use a clean American fuel. Americans now have a choice and can create a clean energy future. Continued support is still needed for the many American manufacturers that already make models of heavy- and medium-duty natural gas vehicles and provide various light-duty vehicles. A commitment to invest in American products and a clean American fuel is the holistic approach we need for a strong, soundly constructed “bridge.”
Unlike expensive roadways into remote portions of Alaska, the natural gas “bridge” to the future is real and holds great promise for Oklahoma and beyond. It’s starting to bring diverse people and opinions together, which is perhaps the greatest bridge ever. Surely, its virtues build the expanse for crossing over to an American energy solution for our important transportation sector and our struggling economy.
Stay tuned.