Apache Celebrates Houston Opening of Public Access CNG Station

Apache Corporation (NYSE, Nasdaq: APA) announced today the grand opening of its latest compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station, located in Houston’s Galleria shopping district at 2109 McCue Rd, adjacent to Apache’s corporate headquarters.

Steve Farris, Apache’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, addressed about 150 attendees at the grand opening ceremony, held on March 22, 2013, and a number of Houston-based dealers/installers and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) exhibited a selection of CNG-powered vehicles.

Since 2009 Apache Corporation has transformed 42 percent of its U.S. fleet vehicles to CNG power, which represents more than 450 cars and trucks, with a long-term goal of converting 80 percent of its fleet to this clean-burning, abundant, and domestically generated fuel. Including its Galleria area facilities, Apache has constructed 20 CNG fueling stations in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana. Six of these are public access facilities and the private CNG stations are available to other area fleets by agreement with the company.

Beverly Hills Opens CNG Fueling Station and Replaces Four Refuse Trucks With CNG Models

The City of Beverly Hills, Calif., recently opened its new compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station. The new station will fuel the City’s growing fleet of CNG vehicles, which now includes four new refuse trucks.

According to the City, the $1.2 million project will save the City $250,000 each year in estimated fuel costs and will pay back the City’s investment in five to six years (based on comparing the price of CNG to that of diesel fuel).

“This project makes sense for the City and for the region,” said Beverly Hills’ Mayor William W. Brien, MD. “With the price of diesel climbing, and no end in sight, it was necessary that we do something to control these costs. In addition, we are proud to do our part to keep the air in the Los Angeles basin clean and livable for Beverly Hills residents and the surrounding communities.”

For the four new refuse trucks, the City purchased CNG models due to a mandate from the California Air Quality Resources Board (CARB). The City received a $550,000 grant from the Southern California Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to offset the cost of the CNG vehicles and related infrastructure. Out of that amount, Beverly Hills applied $300,000 to help fund the construction of the fueling station and put the rest toward the CNG refuse trucks themselves.

In addition to the new refuse trucks, the City has already purchased a number of CNG models or has converted them to CNG. They include six refuse trucks, four street sweepers, a Honda Civic sedan, and a vactor truck (for cleaning sewers).

Regarding the new CNG fueling station, it features fast- and slow-fill dispensers. It has a total of nine posts with dual-fill hoses for slow-fill dispensing and a single fast-fill dispenser, which can dispense up to 20 gallons within 10 minutes at maximum pressure. It has a production capacity of 653 gasoline gallon equivalents within eight hours and comes with two storage spheres (the City can add one more sphere if greater capacity is needed). The City contracted with Mansfield Equipment Corp. to set up the station.

Beyond fueling up current and future City-owned CNG vehicles, the new CNG station will also allow Beverly Hills to enter into mutual fueling agreements with other public agencies in the region.​

This article was first published by Government Fleet.

BP Publishes Energy Outlook 2030 — Natural Gas Grows as Transportation Fuel

Strong growth in production from unconventional sources of gas and oil will have a major impact on global energy markets to 2030, redefining expectations for major economies and rebalancing global trade flows, according to BP’s latest Energy Outlook 2030. The transport sector illustrates a strengthening role for natural gas as a fuel for transportation.

The world has ample proved reserves of oil and natural gas to meet expected future demand growth. At the end of 2011, global proved reserves of oil were sufficient to meet 54 years of current (2011) production; for natural gas that figure is 64 years.

Transport Sector

Of all sectors, transportation shows the weakest growth, with OECD transport demand projected to decline. The sector starts to show some diversification away from oil; gas accounts for 16% of transport energy demand growth, with another 13% coming from biofuels, and 2% from electricity. Oil will remain the dominant fuel in transport, although its share falls from 94% in 2011 to 89% in 2030. Nevertheless biofuels and natural gas both reach 5% share of transport by 2030. Gas (including gas-to-liquids) is the fastest growing alternative and likely to overtake biofuels in transport by 2030.

Energy consumption growth in transport slows to 1.2% p.a. (from 1.9% p.a. 1990-2010) primarily due to accelerating gains in fuel economy. Other factors include the impact of high oil prices on driving behaviour, vehicle saturation in the OECD, and non-OECD subsidy reduction.

The Outlook’s overall expectation for growth in global energy demand to 2030 is little changed from last year, with demand expected to be 36% higher in 2030 than 2011 and almost all the growth coming from emerging economies. However, expectations of the pattern of supply of this growth are shifting strongly, with unconventional sources – shale gas and tight oil together with heavy oil and biofuels – playing an increasingly important role and, in particular, transforming the energy balance of the US.

By 2030, energy use in the non-OECD economies is expected to be 61% higher than in 2011 whereas use in the OECD will have grown by only 6%, and actually to have fallen in per capita terms.

While the fuel mix is evolving, fossil fuels will continue to be dominant. Oil, gas and coal are expected to converge on market shares of around 26-28% each by 2030, and non-fossil fuels – nuclear, hydro and renewables – on a share of around 6-7% each.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is expected to be the fastest growing of the fossil fuels – with demand rising at an average of 2% a year. Non-OECD countries will generate 76% of demand growth. Power generation and industry account for the largest increments to demand by sector. LNG production is expected to grow more than twice as fast as gas consumption, at an average of 4.3% a year and accounting for 27% of the growth in gas supply to 2030.

Shale gas supplies are expected to meet 37% of the growth in gas demand and account for 16% of world gas and 53% of US gas production by 2030. North American shale gas production growth is expected to slow after 2020 and production from other regions to increase, but in 2030 North America is still expected to account for 73% of world shale gas production.

Carbon Emissions
While the rate of growth is moderating, carbon emissions are still expected to increase by 26% from 2011 to 2030. Most of the growth will come from non-OECD countries, so that by 2030 70% of CO2 emissions are expected to come from outside the OECD. However, per capita emissions in non-OECD regions will still be less than half those in the OECD.

BP assumes continued tightening in policies to address climate change, yet emissions remain well above the required path to stabilise the concentration of greenhouse gases at the level recommended by scientists (450 ppm).

The BP Energy Outlook 2030 is available online at www.bp.com/energyoutlook.

(This article primarily compiled using information from a BP press release)

Oil and gas usage in the transport sector has been revised up, largely reflecting the need to offset a drop in biofuel supplies resulting from more modest expectations of the penetration of next generation fuels.

Source : NGV  Global

Foldable Electric Cars Will Begin Use In German Carsharing Network This Year

A foldable electric car, produced by the company Hiroko, will begin test use this year as part of a carsharing network in Berlin.

Hiroko has come to an agreement with the operator of the German railway network, Deutche Bahn, to begin testing their new EVs within a car-sharing network associated with their rail network. As a rep from Deutche Bahn has said, Hiroko is an “ideal partner to complement its extensive railway network.” If everything goes well, the program will expand to a much larger scale.

“Hiroko consists of a Basque consortium of auto suppliers and engineers from MIT. The company, whose name loosely means ‘from the city’ in Basque, has about an $87 million budget and has built about 20 vehicles for testing purposes, the New York Times reported in August. The Fold is the first of three versions that will be put out by Hiroko. There are also plans for the Alai (convertible) and Laga (truck).”

“The car is about eight feet long, about a foot shorter than Daimler’s Smart Fortwo, in regular form, and can be folded to a length of about five feet. The car’s four wheels can also rotate at a 60-degree angle.”
SOURCE: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1xROm)

Natural gas vehicles are coming to Pennsylvania

Today the term Marcellus Shale is a household name. It’s transformed Pennsylvania’s economy and has elevated the state’s energy profile. Recent production figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection illustrate the prolific nature of this play. Production topped 895 billion cubic feet of natural gas for the first six months of 2012, pushing the total production over 2.5 trillion cubic feet since 2008.

How big is this? Pennsylvania has gone from importing 75 percent of its natural gas just five years ago to being a net exporter today.

Thanks to an abundance of this resource, much attention has been focused on its safe and responsible development. However, another area gaining attention is the role natural gas plays in our transportation sector.

With substantial cost saving and environmental benefits, employing more vehicles fueled by natural gas will put us on the road to a cleaner energy future. The increasing attention on natural gas as a transportation fuel is evident in a variety of ways.

Nearly 200 people attended a recent Natural Gas Utilization Conference in State College. Hundreds of residents are attending PA Department of Environmental Protection’s natural gas vehicle workshops.

The Turnpike Commission is engaged in a study looking at the feasibility of liquefied natural gas stations along the turnpike. Even at the recent annual ShaleNET Workforce Forum, the discussion included new careers in transportation related to NGVs and natural gas fueling infrastructure.

Announcements have been made by auto manufacturers such as Chrysler to offer bi-fuel engines on its Ram model, and Honda is increasing production of its natural gas Civic.  Other auto manufacturers such as Ford and GM also offer natural gas fleet options and all heavy duty truck manufacturers now offer natural gas in their lineup.
In addition, engine manufacturers are developing natural-gas powered engines for on-road and off-road equipment.

To support these new natural gas vehicles, drivers need fueling infrastructure. In response, numerous cities and companies have announced plans to open natural gas fueling stations for public and private use nationwide.

And Pennsylvania is leading that charge. Chesapeake Energy has announced the development of several compressed natural gas filling stations in the Northern Tier to fuel its vehicles while opening the stations to the public. EQT has had a public CNG station opened for more than a year in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

Other companies have recently opened CNG stations in Bucks and Delaware counties and more are being planned throughout the state — including LNG stations.

Building on these infrastructure and auto manufacturing announcements, the Department of Environmental Protection has aggressively been educating the public on its natural gas energy development program.

Through public workshops and via its website, DEP is helping consumers, fleet owners and public officials make informed decisions on utilizing natural gas as a transportation fuel.

To put a finer point on the potential benefits, natural gas use in power generation has helped achieve the lowest carbon dioxide emissions in 20 years, with significantly lower smog and ozone-causing emissions as well. It can similarly help clean up transportation emissions. It’s also cheaper than conventional gas and diesel — by more than 50 percent.

That’s more money kept in our communities and in your pockets. Costs to convert fleets can be recaptured in short order, helping businesses save money, expand their operations and increase their competitiveness in a national and global economy.

Using more natural gas vehicles is a solution to help Pennsylvania and other states reach their clean air goals.  Thanks to an abundance of supply and exciting advances in vehicle and engine production, we can safely and responsibly use this resource to get on the road to a cleaner transportation future.

GE and Chesapeake Energy Launch CNG In A Box™ System at NACS 2012

GE (GE) and Peake Fuel Solutions, an affiliate of Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK), today launched the CNG In A Box™ system, which allows easier adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling options for large- and small-scale retailers. The solution was unveiled at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) 2012 Annual Show. Natural gas is an abundant, reliable and cleaner-burning source of energy for consumers and commercial users. A vehicle fleet operator that uses the CNG In A Box system for natural gas fueling instead of traditional gasoline fueling can save about 40 percent in fuel costs1. The CNG In A Box system is a plug-and-play on-site fueling solution that comes with everything retailers need to add low-cost natural gas fuel to their operations quickly and simply. This GE ecomagination™ qualified refueling option provides an easy, lower-cost fueling experience for consumers and a higher-margin solution for facility operators compared to gasoline or diesel. “In collaboration with Peake Fuel Solutions, GE is developing infrastructure solutions to accelerate the adoption of natural gas as a transportation fuel,” said Mike Hosford, general manager—Unconventional Resources, GE Oil & Gas. “The CNG In A Box system is a unique fueling solution that brings together some of the best innovation from across GE to help fleet owners and everyday drivers realize the benefits of cleaner burning, abundant, more affordable natural gas.” “After working extensively with GE to develop the CNG In A Box system, we are excited to unveil it at NACS and to the fueling industry overall. Combining Peake Fuel Solutions’ natural gas expertise and GE’s breadth of cross-industry technology capabilities will advance the use of abundant and affordable natural gas fueling solutions,” said Kent Wilkinson, vice president—Natural Gas Ventures, Chesapeake. The CNG In A Box system compresses natural gas from a pipeline into CNG on-site at a traditional automotive fueling station or industrial location. CNG-powered vehicles such as taxis, buses or small trucks, as well as individual consumer vehicles, can then refill their tanks using a dispenser with the same look and feel as a traditional diesel or gasoline dispenser. GE ecomagination Vice President Mark Vachon said, “Natural gas is produced at a relatively lower cost and is cleaner burning than gasoline or diesel fuel—natural gas vehicles can show an emissions reduction of up to 80 percent compared to gasoline vehicles2. Through ecomagination, we’ll continue to deliver to the industry innovative solutions that deliver both great economics and environmental performance, and the CNG In A Box system exemplifies this commitment.” Financing for the CNG In A Box system is offered by GE Capital, providing competitive rates and flexible payment options. By combining an entire acquisition—including equipment, delivery and installation—into a single monthly payment, Peake Fuel Solutions’ customers can structure payments according to their cash flow and eliminate the costs and time associated with paying multiple vendors. With this solution, business owners can work with a single provider to acquire, finance and maintain their CNG In A Box system. The CNG In A Box system’s 8 foot x 20 foot container is easy to ship and maintain due to its compact design. Its modular and novel design makes it plug-and-play on-site. Wayne, A GE Energy Business, manufactures the dispensers that deliver the CNG from the CNG In A Box system unit to vehicles. These alternative fuel dispensers feature PCI-compliant pay-at-the-pump technology for a familiar and secure fueling experience. Using the same dispenser and payment terminal interfaces as Wayne petroleum dispensers simplifies point of sale integration. As part of this collaboration between GE and Peake Fuel Solutions, beginning in the fall of 2012 GE will provide more than 250 CNG In A Box systems for natural gas vehicle infrastructure. To learn more about the CNG In A Box system, visit us online or stop by the Peake Fuel Solutions booth at the NACS show (booth #6101). Ecomagination is GE’s commitment to imagine and build innovative solutions to today’s environmental challenges while driving economic growth. For more on ecomagination, please visit:www.ecomagination.com. About GE GE (GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com. About Chesapeake Energy Corporation Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) is the second-largest producer of natural gas, a Top 15 producer of oil and natural gas liquids and the most active driller of new wells in the U.S. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company’s operations are focused on discovering and developing unconventional natural gas and oil fields onshore in the U.S. Chesapeake owns leading positions in the Eagle Ford, Utica, Granite Wash, Cleveland, Tonkawa, Mississippi Lime and Niobrara unconventional liquids plays and in the Marcellus, Haynesville/Bossier and Barnett unconventional natural gas shale plays. The company also owns substantial marketing and oilfield services businesses through its subsidiaries Chesapeake Energy Marketing, Inc. and Chesapeake Oilfield Services, L.L.C. Further information is available at www.chk.com where Chesapeake routinely posts announcements, updates, events, investor information, presentations and news releases. About Peake Fuel Solutions Peake Fuel Solutions advances innovative fuel solutions with products and services that create demand for clean, affordable natural gas. A significant focus of PFS is to increase compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure across the U.S. Other PFS projects include development of on-road and off-road technologies that reduce emissions and dramatically cut fuel expenses for the trucking, maritime, rail and oil and gas industries. An affiliate of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Peake leverages the expertise of other Chesapeake affiliates to implement many of its fuel solutions. Further information is available at www.peakefuelsolutions.com. 1 Assuming 25,700 miles per year driven, gasoline priced at $3.50/gallon and CNG at $2.09/gasoline gallon equivalent. 2 Calfornia Energy Commission – Consumer Education Center:http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/transportation/afvs/cng.html ecomagination is a trademark of the General Electric Company CNG In A Box is a trademark of the General Electric Company © 2012 General Electric Company—All rights reserved Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50433209&lang=en MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50433209&lang=en SOURCE- CNGNOW.com

Urban Green Energy and GE Announce First Sanya Skypump Installation

BARCELONA, Spain–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Urban Green Energy (UGE) and GE (GE) have unveiled the world’s first integrated wind-powered electric vehicle charging station. The innovative Sanya Skypump pairs UGE’s cutting-edge vertical wind turbines with GE’s electric vehicle (EV) charging technology to offer completely clean energy to power electric vehicles.

Installed by UGE Iberia, the Spanish branch of New York-based Urban Green Energy, the first wind-powered EV charging station is located at Cespa’s global headquarters near Barcelona. Cespa is the environmental services subsidiary of Ferrovial Servicios, the world’s largest private transportation infrastructure investor.

More Sanya Skypumps will be installed later this year in the U.S. and Australia at shopping malls, universities and other locations.

The integrated system incorporates both the energy production capacity of UGE’s 4K wind turbine and the EV charging capability of the GE Durastation in a single unit, with all required electrical systems located within the tower.

Designed for commercial and government customers, the Sanya Skypump combines environmental benefits with a strong statement to customers and the public.

“Since launching the Sanya Skypump, we have received inquiries from companies around the world that are looking to embrace sustainability,” said Nick Blitterswyk, CEO of UGE. “The Sanya Skypump is one of those rare products that enable institutions to demonstrate their commitment to the environment while providing a really useful service as well.”

The Sanya Skypump delivers power through a GE DuraStation EV charger, which enables faster charging using higher voltages.

Charles Elazar, marketing director of GE Energy Management’s Industrial Solutions business in Europe, says, “GE is launching a family of electric vehicle charging systems in Europe offering domestic and commercial users a range of easy-to-use, flexible systems to help make electric vehicles a practical, everyday reality.”

GE is a keen supporter of electric vehicles and has announced plans to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015 for use as company cars and to lease to corporate customers through its Fleet Services business.

About Urban Green Energy

With installations in over 65 countries, including installations for several government agencies and Fortune 100 companies, UGE is changing the face of distributed renewable energy. UGE puts users in control of their energy source by designing and manufacturing more versatile wind turbines and hybrid wind/solar systems for use in applications ranging from residential to commercial, from suburban US homeowners to off-grid telecoms towers in rural Africa. Visitwww.urbangreenenergy.com today to learn how together we can create a greener tomorrow.

About GE

GE (GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.

Follow GE’s Industrial Solutions business on Twitter @GEindustrial and @GE_WattStation.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50375714&lang=en

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SOURCE Yahoo

London fuel cell taxi fleet remains operational during 2012 Olympics

London’s fleet of hydrogen fuel cell taxis is remaining operational during the Olympic Games despite problems encountered by the fleet of fuel cell buses

Because of safety concerns, hydrogen is not allowed within the Games area for the course of the competition. It means the capital’s fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses have been taken out of action, though they will return in September on the RV1 route with three new additions. This will bring the fleet up to eight, making the RV1 route the first of its kind in Europe fully serviced by fuel cell buses.

Taxis, however, can get around the restrictions and were transported to the BOC hydrogen station in Swindon to refuel. A refuelling station will open at Heathrow soon, allowing the taxis to continue to transport dignitaries and VIPs during the Games.

Built by Air Products, the airport’s hydrogen station will be accessible to the public, dispensing hydrogen at 350 bar, with plans in place for a 700 bar capability in the future.

Electric Airplanes Could Fly Forever on Laser Beams

Lockheed Martin has been collaborating with a Seattle-based company called LaserMotive to “refuel” electric aircraft in flight using laser beams that charge batteries wirelessly, and the latest round of testing not only met but beat expectations. The test took place indoors but if wireless laser battery charging can prove successful in the field, it would lay the groundwork for a new generation of electric aircraft as well as vehicles and robotic systems, too.

Green Jobs for Rechargeable Robots

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of LaserMotive’s wireless system, consider the implications of wireless recharging for vehicles as well as aircraft and also for the next big thing: robots.

Robotic devices are already commonplace in factories and warehouses, and they are being eyeballed for widespread application in the health care field, too. A wireless recharging system would have obvious benefits in terms of cord-free, flexible performance, and the practical elimination of down time.

Wireless recharging could also have an impact on green jobs for robots, for example in wind turbine and solar panel maintenance where robotic devices can relieve human workers from performing routine or hazardous tasks.

Wireless Laser Charging

According to a recent article in optics.org, LaserMotive’s initial goal was to develop a laser-charging system for a cable-climbing robot, which dovetails with the green jobs angle. However, the immediate aim of Lockheed’s involvement with wireless in-flight recharging has little to do with our sparkling green future and more to do with creating an infinite-flight drone.

To that end, initial testing of the system was conducted on a Stalker UAS (unmanned aerial system), a small surveillance drone that first saw military use in 2006.

As relayed by LaserMotive President Tom Nugent, the laser power system was tested in a wind tunnel and extended the Stalker’s flight time to 48 hours, an improvement of about 2,400 percent.

The flight could have gone on longer but it was halted after the system passed its expected endurance limit, and the battery was found to have store more energy at the end of the test than it had in the beginning. The next step will be a field test outdoors.

Wireless Laser Charging: How it Works

LaserMotive’s system shares some basic characteristics with a solar power array. Instead of sunlight, a high intensity laser beam strikes the photovoltaic cells, which then convert the light to electricity.

The beam could travel to the PV cells through a vacuum or fiber optic cable as well as through plain air.

As for the electricity needed to create the laser beam, that could be generated by conventional fossil fuels or any other source including solar power as well as wind, geothermal, hydropower or any other renewable form of energy.

Among the benefits of wireless charging is the elimination of power lines and the practical elimination of a power transmission infrastructure.

Flexibility can be layered onto the system by designing transmitters to be mobile or transportable, too.

Image: Some rights reserved by DarbyG. Back offshore

Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1iO8Q)