American Gas - December 2013/January 2014 - (Page 9)

digest believe natural gas is the most viable alternative fuel solution for commercial trucking because it is clean, efficient, cheap, and abundant," said robert sanchez, ceO of the miami-based company, in a statement. GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson unveils the 2015 Chevolet CNG-Capable, Bi-Fuel Impala during an October energy security summit in Washington. and GM offer CNG pickup truck and van models through third-party conversion partners. CNG vehicle sales to date have been modest, with demand strongest among commercial users and fleets. The new Impala has some features that could widen the market and bring greater acceptance for natural gas vehicles, Chevrolet says. It addresses the range anxiety issue typically associated with natural gas-only vehicles by incorporating a factory-engineered and warrantied power train that switches seamlessly from CNG to gasoline. Total range is expected to be up to 500 miles. In addition, the car's large trunk can hold the CNG tank while still leaving reasonable room for luggage. The announcement of the bi-fuel version of the redesigned 2014 Impala-named by Consumer Reports as the best sedan in the United States this year-was made by GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson at the Securing America's Future Energy summit held Oct. 16, the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo. "We know that U.S. energy security won't come from a one-off moonshot," Akerson said in his remarks to the conference. "It will flow from our systematic investment in technology and innovation...our drive to get more from existing energy sources and renewables...our commitment to conservation...and it will be assured by fully and safely exploiting our shale gas reserves." Another major automaker eager to begin marketing CNG vehicles in the United States is Volkswagen. Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, says the German automaker has the technology available but needs to see a greater level of U.S. government support for the development of CNG fueling stations. "We're looking for the signal that it's supported from a regulatory point of view and there's some degree of infrastructure available," Browning said during a roundtable discussion at the September Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany. Earlier, in a speech at the Society of Automo- tive Engineers 2013 World Congress, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne cited natural gas as the "cleanest alternative available" and urged governments to remain "technology neutral" when it comes to alternative vehicle power sources. VW is the second-largest seller of CNG vehicles in Europe after Fiat. VW's plant in Puebla, Mexico, is able to build its Golf model with a CNG engine-if U.S. market demands justify it. - Gary James u P d at e s They Really Like You Customer satisfaction with gas utilities surges higher R esidential natural gas customer satisfaction continued its steady climb upward in this year's J.D. Power survey. Overall satisfaction with natural gas utility companies averaged 640 (on a 1,000-point scale) in 2013, compared to 634 in 2012 and 616 in 2009. J.D. Power Senior Director Jeff Conklin said lower prices were a big factor in the increase, with average monthly gas bills falling to $75 in 2013 from $98 in 2009. But more effective communications by natural gas utilities played an important role as well, Conklin said. The percentage of respondents who reported having heard from their utility in the last three months and the frequency of recalled communications were both up. Customers like hearing messages about energy conservation and safety, but the biggest boost in satisfaction came from communications regarding system improvements and reliability as well as corporate citizenship, Conklin said. The LnG producer Applied natural Gas Fuels inc. plans to build a liquefaction facility in midlothian, Tex., to supply LnG to companies in the trucking, rail, marine, oil and gas, remote power, and marine markets. The new site will consist of up to five liquefiers with a production capacity of 86,000 LnG gallons per day per liquefier and onsite storage of 1.5 million LnG gallons. Westlake Village, calif.-based Applied natural Gas also is doubling the production capacity at its LnG plant in Topock, Ariz., adding a second liquefier scheduled to come on line in July 2014. When completed, that plant is expected to produce about 170,000 LnG gallons per day. Oklahoma state University institute of Technology has opened a new facility to train students in natural gas compression technology and processes. chesapeake energy, Devon energy, OneOK inc., and energy Transfer provided financial support for the facility's construction. The institute expects enrollment in its natural gas compression program to expand from 65 students to 160 by 2015. Primus Green energy inc. has commissioned a natural gasto-gasoline demonstration plant in Hillsborough, n.J. The pre-commercial facility, which the company says is among the first of its kind in the U.s., could Continued on page 10 December 2013/january 2014 AmericAn GAs 9

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American Gas - December 2013/January 2014