5 Things You Need to Know About Using Home Natural Gas for Auto Fueling

What is This "Best-Kept Secret?"

Until captured at the wellhead, natural gas is a resource that remains in its natural state: trapped under pressure underground and lighter than air. Gas has no smell, does not create corrosion, and has a clear consistency. Release from its natural pressurized state can render it flammable, but only if it contains between five and 15 percent gas. Amounts of a lower or higher consistency don't burn. Most natural gas originates in one of three manners: oil wells, coal bed methane, and natural gas-and-condensate.

Natural Gas in America

Nearly all U.S. gas is derived from North American soil and transported by pipeline, although greater American demand for cleaner natural gas powerplants for electricity generation may lead to a growing reliance on foreign sources over time. Some experts predict that by 2025, more than 15 percent of natural gas for the U.S. will come from countries other than Canada and Mexico; still others claim there is enough to last for at least 60 years. In vehicles and more fueling areas, CNG is stored in tanks constructed of aluminum, steel, or composites - or a variation on those - that are expected to last in excess of 20 years. CNG effectively powers motor vehicles in either a liquid or gas form,.

Why Use Natural Gas?

The cost to produce natural gas is markedly low and it is a significantly cleaner fuel to burn than gasoline or diesel. An 80-90 percent drop in emissions to the ozone is one advantage. Even so, consumer interest as a viable option for the environment, spiraling gasoline costs, and dependence on foreign oil has not generated the kind of support for increased natural gas use that one would imagine. Even more ironic is the state of funding for alternative fuels. Although ethanol research and related conversions receive large grants, government support, and public awareness, natural gas for vehicle use does not enjoy these same advantages, even though some consider it a more viable alternative fuel. In fact, most hydrogen today is actually extracted from natural gas..

Vehicles that Use Natural Gas

Vehicles using natural gas range from fleet and individual light-duty passenger cars and trucks to school buses and commercial vehicles. Major automakers began selling CNG cars in the 1990s as a way to enable corporate and government fleets to meet Energy Policy Act requirements. However, over the years all automakers selling vehicles in the U.S. suspended their natural gas vehicle manufacturing and sales programs except for Honda, which continues to market its Civic GX natural gas sedan to this day. Natural gas vehicles enjoy much more popularity worldwide. Five million global natural gas vehicles are in use, although only about 150,000 of those are operating in the U.S., says NGVAmerica, an advocacy group for natural gas-powered vehicles.

Home Fueling and Other Pluses

CNG vehicles can be re-fueled overnight by utilizing the natural gas that's piped to most homes. FuelMaker Corp., in tandem with Honda, offers a wall-mounted home fueling device called "Phill" that takes the low-pressure natural gas from the home and compresses it to 3600 psi to fill a natural gas vehicle's tanks while parked in the garage or driveway. Tax credits often be used to subsidize the cost of buying and installing a Phill refueling appliance. More favorable residential gas rates also mean that a natural gas car is much more affordable to operate than a gasoline counterpart, with the natural gas version often driving at an equivalent $1.25 to $1.50 per gallon. Natural gas vehicles like the Honda Civic GX typically get about the same fuel economy as their conventional gasoline counterparts. Another plus is that the Honda Civic qualifies for use in carpool lanes in California with only a single occupant.

Wendy Clem is a Michigan-based writer/photographer providing material for newspapers, magazines, and online - - locally, regionally, and nationally. Her syndicated auto column for Avanti NewsFeatures has appeared in 400 national markets, and her online how-to articles serve an international audience. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in journalism from Detroit's Wayne State University.