The current Mazda 6 is now available on the European market with Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) drive and the company is considering plans to make the Mazda 5 and new generation 2009 Mazda 6 model available with LPG.
The basis for the conversion is the two-litre MZR petrol engine.
Like most LPG cars, the vehicle starts in the petrol mode and then switches automatically to LPG drive when the engine has reached normal operating temperature.
The 66 litre LPG tank is fitted into the spare wheel compartment.
The conversions costs 2,368 euros according to the car maker.
The LPG conversion includes some modifications made to the cylinder head after the car maker carried out a 100,000 kilometre test run on a prototype conversion.
Source: The Age
Oil Prices reach record high
World oil prices were trading at more than 100 US dollars per barrel Thursday after spiking to a new record amid speculation OPEC may decide to slash production at a meeting next month, dealers said.
New York's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in March, touched an all-time peak of 101.32 US dollars in electronic trading before it lapsed.
Oil prices could go even higher, said David Moore, a commodity strategist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
He said that in the near-term the oil market will be "heavily influenced" by any decision of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on output levels at its next meeting on March 5.
OPEC ministers kept the official daily output ceiling at 29.67 million barrels of oil at an emergency meeting on February 1, resisting calls from US President George W. Bush to increase supplies to help bring down prices.
But the market is rife with speculation that OPEC, which supplies about 40 percent of the world's oil, would keep steady or even decide to cut production.
Phil Flynn, an analyst at Chicago-based Alaron Trading, commented that the run-up in oil was "not about current supply but about the perceived threat to future supply ... it is obvious that this market is paranoid about less oil even in a slowing economy."
Libya's oil chief Shukri Ghanem said that OPEC will wait to see if oil prices hold around record highs of 100 US dollars before making any decision on whether to cut output.
Ghanem told AFP that with prices at current levels, OPEC wanted to see if 100 US dollars per barrel proves to be the ceiling or if they would begin to fall back.
An ongoing row between US energy giant ExxonMobil and Latin American crude oil exporter Venezuela, and unrest in Africa's biggest oil exporter Nigeria, also added to jitters among investors, analysts said.
The legal battle relates to ExxonMobil's bid to secure compensation after Venezuela's government nationalised key oil fields in the Orinoco basin, including two ExxonMobil operations.
Source: Sydney Herald
Chevrolet focuses on LPG car production
Chevrolet Turkey aims to convert 1,400 cars to consume liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) this year, doubling the number compared to 2007.
Chevrolet Turkey also aims to conquer a 2 percent market share of passenger cars in Turkey.
LPG is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles and is increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to minimize damage to the ozone layer.
Murat Aydin, sales and marketing manager of Chevrolet Turkey told the Turkish Daily News that. “LPG is a reality in Turkey. Out of six million cars, 1.5 million are converted to use LPG.” he said.
Chevrolet converted 700 passenger cars to use LPG in 2007. “We have a special transformation program with a three year warranty to support car dealers. The reason we have decided to focus on LPG this much is because it cuts down on the maintenance costs of cars and also reduces their impact on the environment,” he said.
Source: Turkish Daily News
Fifth anniversary of London Congestion Charge
Today (17 February) is the fifth anniversary of the central London Congestion Charge.
The charge has won plaudits across the globe and helped London become the only major city in the world to see a significant shift from private car use to public transport, walking and cycling.
The level of traffic within the zone is down 21 per cent since the introduction of the charge.
The level of congestion is down eight per cent.
Public transport use has boomed with record numbers of more than one billion passengers a year are using the Tube, a 45 per cent increase in the use of buses and 43 per cent increase in cycling within the zone.
London's example
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: "The congestion charge and the biggest investment programme since the second world war has enabled London to become the first major city in the world to achieve a shift away from the private car to public transport.
"The charge is also reducing pollution and I am building on this by altering the charge to penalise the big vehicles which contribute most to climate change and exempting the cleanest cars.
"Nationally and internationally cities are following London's example and considering introducing a similar charge.
"The congestion charge has made London a world leader in doing something about traffic congestion and pollution rather than just talking about it."
Fewer vehicles.
Before charging began, some 334,000 vehicles entered the original charging zone each day.
Some 70,000 fewer vehicles now enter the same area on a daily basis and there has been a five per cent shift from private car usage to public transport, cycling and walking.
London's buses carried 1.9 billion passengers in 2006/07, an increase of 45 per cent from 1999/2000.
Traffic in the western extension of the Congestion Charge scheme, which marks its first anniversary on February 19, is down by 10 to 15 per cent on 2006.
Groundbreaking initiatives.
And congestion has been reduced by between 20 and 25 per cent compared with similar periods in 2005 and 2006.
London's Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy, said: "Without the Congestion Charge, which has reduced the number of vehicles coming into central London by 70,000 a day, London would have ground to a halt.
"It has also helped transform London's bus network into one of the best in the world.
"There are now 6.3 million bus journeys every day in the Capital.
"Congestion Charging paved the way for further groundbreaking initiatives in London's transport and environment programme.
"Earlier this month, the whole of Greater London was designated a clean air Low Emission Zone, the largest of its type anywhere in the world."
Source: Transport for London
Ken Livingstone extends support for LPG vehicles
Following successful lobbying by UKLPG the proposed changes to the London Congestion Charge Scheme now include continued recognition of the positive contribution LPG can make to improving air quality.
The highlights for LPG in the new Congestion Charging plans are:
Existing Alternative Fuel incentives (i.e.100% discount for LPG vehicles on the Powershift Register) will now apply to 27th October 2008 and those vehicles registered by that date, and whilst continuing in the same ownership, will now continue to get full 100% discount until 11th January 2010
The Powershift Register will continue in full operation.
For cars, the emission figures on the Powershift Register will be accepted to justify under 120gm/km and thus 100% discount. LPG cars will be around 10% lower CO2 at the tailpipe which will mean that their lower emissions can be taken into account.
For vans, those on the Powershift Register will attract the “Euro V” concession of £2 reduction per day which extends to when the Euro V limit becomes mandatory for that type of vehicle – in the case of vans up to 3.5 tonnes this expires on 1st January 2012.
Looking to the future, we will be pressing the Mayor to extend this concession for LPG vans in view of the increasing CO2 advantage of LPG over diesel and that LPG vans are much cleaner in terms of NOx and fine particles than even Euro VI diesels.
I have experience of LPG vehicles from project managing a two year trial of various alternative fuels.
LPG vehicles performed well in our trials, with low levels of emissions and very quiet engines, which drivers appreciated.
I would offer the following advice:
Research beforehand. Think about what type of fleet work would best suit LPG. I think small car based vans suit LPG better than larger vehicles with heavy loads.
Find out which garages supply LPG in the area of operation. Choose routes where there is a refuelling station close to the vehicles depot for maximum convenience. I would favour vehicles that are converted by the manufacturer
Consult your drivers beforehand. With planning, it is possible to make financial gains by using LPG.
I am not aware of any tax breaks for LPG vehicles. The system rates cars according to CO2 emissions. Most LPG cars are bi-fuel and they are usually rated on the basis of the petrol engine but can receive a discount on VED by registering as an alternative fuel car.
The fuel does attract a duty reduction, which is why LPG is less than half the price of standard fuels
Source: Fleet News
Tips for going green at work and at home
As government ministers return to work this week, they should notice something different about the way things are done at the office: Westminster is going green. Prime minister Gordon Brown announced just before Christmas that, from now on, all policy and investment decisions made on his watch must take account of the cost of their impact in terms of climate change damage. In effect, this means ministers will have to factor in a notional "carbon price" into everything they do, making green policy choices appear relatively cheaper and eco-unfriendly options more expensive.
Responding to Brown's announcement, Tony Juniper, head of Friends of the Earth, said: "At the moment there are gaping holes in government policy, with them professing concern for climate change on one hand and rushing to expand airports and widen roads on the other. If this helps to fill in that gap it has to be a step in the right direction."
While few of us have the power to make such environmentally significant decisions as whether to build an extra runway or back a nuclear power station, we do make decisions with environmental implications every day as we go about our lives. And many of us are as guilty of the same "gaping holes" as the government in terms of claiming to want to reduce our own carbon footprint yet still driving to the corner shop to buy a newspaper and using two or three new carrier bags every time we pop to the supermarket.
No one is suggesting we need to go as far as ministers and sit down with a calculator to factor a notional "carbon price" into everything we do. But making an effort to think about the environment before we act and challenging a few old habits is probably a good start. Here are four simple ways you can start making a difference today.
Getting to work
The obvious answer if you live in an area well-served by public transport is to let the train - or bus - take the strain. If you are more remote, and you work too far away to walk or cycle, consider your car-related options carefully.
First, do you need your own car or could you share? Most cars parked at work will have arrived with four empty passenger seats this morning. Asking colleagues who live in a certain area to share lifts could save you all money as well as immediately reduce fuel consumption. Alternatively, log on to www.carshare.com to see a full directory of car-sharing schemes and whether you can find or organise a group to match your needs.
Second, what kind of car do you use? Your car of choice can make a huge difference - Greenpeace claims that some of the worst gas guzzlers consume up to 300 times more petrol than a fuel-efficient family car and advisesdrivers to choose the most fuel-efficient car in their price range. Converting your car to take liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a clean-burning by-product of the oil production process previously considered waste, is another option. At about 46 pence a litre, LPG - or Autogas - is cheaper as well as producing lower harmful emissions than unleaded petrol or diesel. However, refuelling might be an issue - only one in five Shell garages sells LPG, for example. Go to - www.boostlpg.co.uk for more information and to find your nearest LPG filling stations.
Third, what kind of driver you are matters. Servicing your car regularly, taking off unnecessary roof racks and bike racks and driving at lower speeds all help make your car more efficient and less damaging to the environment.
Subaru has launched a major LPG initiative on selected Forester, Legacy and Outback models, offering customers significant savings in the war against increasing fuel prices and running costs.
All new Forester 2.0 litre models are now available with a free LPG dual-fuel conversion worth over £1,900 including VAT, plus three years’ free servicing valued at a further £770.
This not only allows the Forester to run on LPG which is approximately half the price of petrol but greatly extends the total range between fill-ups. By running on a full tank of LPG the driver can expect a fuel cost saving of around 40 per cent.
Forester prices start from £17,677 on-the-road for the Forester 2.0 X which has full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive, a high and low ratio manual gearbox, hill-holder clutch, self-levelling rear suspension and comfort features such as climate control air-conditioning, radio/CD player and four electric windows.
The three years’ free servicing offer has a mileage limit of 36,000 miles – equivalent to three major services.
In addition, LPG conversions are also now available on all Legacy and Outback 2.5 litre models – both manual and automatic – at a cost of £1,973 including VAT.
And like the Forester, this enables owners to not only reduce fuel costs but they can also be registered for London Congestion Zone exemption, saving £8 per day.
Source: Easier Motoring
Gas guzzling is greener
MOTORISTS could turn to liquefied petroleum gas to run their vehicles on if the price of petrol continues to rise.
Guernsey Gas has been running its fleet on autogas, the common name for LPG, for more than five years and marketing manager Dave Bird said others should follow their lead.
‘By using gas, the most green, environmentally friendly source of energy in the island, you will be helping to reduce the island’s carbon footprint in your car.’
Mr Bird said it cost about £2,000 on average to convert a petrol engine to dual fuel autogas and in the longer term it would become cheaper to do so with petrol locally reportedly set to break through the 90p-a-litre barrier.
‘Now that autogas, which is 43.5p a litre, is in the region of 36p a litre cheaper than petrol or diesel, the conversion cost will be recouped within 18 months to two years.
‘I think that many people are going to realise not only that they are helping the environment, but that they are going to save money by converting.
‘Some car manufacturers such as Peugeot, Fiat, Volvo and Ford supply dual fuel autogas vehicles straight off the production line.’
Doyle Motors is the only supplier of the fuel in Guernsey and supplies Guernsey Gas itself.
Deputy manager Patricia English said Guernsey Gas had been using LPG ever since the garage installed its distribution tanks.
‘There are also a small number of privately owned vans and cars which have been converted to run on LPG. In the summer months we see several locally owned motor homes and caravanettes filling up with LPG before travelling off-island for holidays.’
The good news is that there does not seem to any plans at moment to increase duty on gas.‘LPG is not under the new regime. It will be looked at and as with any other changes with fuel it will be kept under review,’ said a Customs spokesman.
Mr Bird said LPG carried several advantages on top of being cheaper. ‘Autogas is more environmentally friendly as it is a much cleaner burn than petrol and there is less wear and tear on the engine, keeping maintenance costs down.
‘Exhaust emissions into the atmosphere are also 50% lower than a petrol engine from a cold start.
‘With dual fuel vehicles there is less chance of running out of fuel as there are two tanks, giving you double the mileage.’
A fast growing environmentally friendly firm which provides businesses with the technology to save costs and protect the planet, has doubled its turnover in the last two years and is set to double its turnover again in the next twelve months with a major expansion planned.
The success of Durham based CLS Dual Fuel Limited, the market leader in the development, supply and installation of LPG Autogas fuel systems and its sister company Cleaner Air Solutions Ltd, which supplies and installs Renewable Energy technologies, specialising in Solar PV electricity generation systems, is forcing the firm to move from its current site in Bearpark to a brand new purpose built site at Bowden Court, St Johns Road Meadowfield. The move which will take place in December will provide much needed space for the company’s rapid growth.
There are plans to create ten new jobs over the next 12 months, increasing the company’s workforce from 12 to 22 staff.
CLS Dual Fuel Ltd which specialize in vehicle LPG gas conversions to help companies become environmentally friendly will be trebling its work space to cater for its growing number of business customers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint.
The firm has recently won a contract from a Spanish client valued at almost £5million over the next two years alone and is confident of securing government grants of almost half a million for UK installations, for it’s clients. These contracts together represent a colossal 450 tons of CO2 emission savings.
The new 6,500 square ft premises will incorporate the latest energy efficient state of the art technology including a Solar PV Array to showcase the technology produced by CLS Dual Fuel’s sister company Cleaner Air Solutions Ltd.
Gary Bowden, the firm’s managing director said: “Our company is going from strength to strength despite this industry being seen as high risk and non viable a few years ago. We need a bigger site and purpose built premises to cope with our expanding business operations”.
“Our success is due to the expertise and commitment of our staff and our knowledge of energy saving technology. This combined with the money our customers save from our products and services and the benefits to consumers and the environment has to be seen as a win-win situation”.
“Thousands of homeowners and businesses in the UK benefit from lower energy bills by harnessing the power of solar energy through our solar PV panels and wind turbine generators. Our business is unique in that all our core products and services achieve reductions in carbon emissions with every customer who walks through the door”.
“With every one of our customers that has an LPG conversion, this results in cleaner, greener and leaner exhaust emissions and this aligns with our Cleaner Air Solutions business and our clients who invest in clean energy saving sources of energy”.
“With regard to Cleaner Air Solutions Limited, we are amongst the first three companies in the whole of the UK to have successfully achieved accreditation under the new DTI/BRE Renewable Energy Scheme. There is a huge opportunity for this region to become the hub of clean and renewable technologies as a future centre of excellence”.
“By using clean, renewable and environmentally friendly sources of energy, we can reduce fuel bills and reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants which will help in the fight against climate change, will benefit the environment and will help future generations”
CLS Dual FuelLtd is going from strength to strength with turnover increasing
from £850,000 in the last financial year to over two and a quarter million this year. The firm has successfully positioned itself as a UK leader in LPG Autogas fuel conversions and has built a national network of LPGA Approved Autogas conversion and service centres.
Cleaner Air Solutions Ltd which started trading in April this year is heading for a £4 million turnover. It has fought off national competition, winning major public and private sector contracts from companies wanting to save energy costs. Clients include Thos Proctor & Sons Ltd, Lanchester Wine Cellars etc. Both companies are rapidly making a name with businesses wishing to clean up their act.
The companies were formed by managing director Gary Bowden ( CLS Dual Fuel was established in 2000 and Cleaner Air Solutions in 2004) who had the foresight to set up a firm which would help other businesses be more environmentally friendly.
Gary said: “We offer an exceptional service to companies wanting to reduce their carbon emissions and are looking to expand our activities globally over the coming months . These new premises will enable us to run operations from the Meadowfield site – offering a global solution for cleaner air”.
Citroën Berlingo continues popularity with British
Citroën's newly expanded Ready to Run programme now includes the popular Berlingo 600 LX 1.4i dual fuel (autogas/petrol) van. In the London area, the Berlingo has emerged as a practical and economical option for intensive urban operation or inter-city courier use because it is exempt from the London Congestion Charge as it meets Powershift Band 4 emissions standards.
This provides Berlingo operators with a significant cost saving of £1,696 per year -- as well as providing significant fuel cost savings.
According to Citroën, the company has now delivered 1,000 dual fuel Berlingos - and demand continues to rise. The Ready to Run Berlingo 600 LX autogas version includes a state-of-the-art sequential, common rail, gas injection system - which has been specifically developed by NME for Berlingo Euro IV 1.4i 75hp engines. Common rail gas injection allows the autogas to be injected at high pressure into the engine's inlet manifold, as close to the valves as possible. Berlingo conversion meets European standard R6701 and is fully European On Board Diagnosis (EOBD) compliant. The conversion includes a 43 litre LP Gas tank mounted in place of the spare wheel (a 100 litre tank fitted in the load area is optionally available). This latest addition to the Ready to Run range comes at a new, exceptionally attractive price of £7,995 + VAT + delivery.
Motorists in parts of Britain were being forced to fork out over £1 a litre yesterday but can be expected to pay more soon as crude prices soared again to nearly $77 a barrel – barely $2 short of a record high.
The average price for unleaded petrol across the country is 96.75p, some
way below the average 98.4p record high it reached in August 2006,
according to Catalist, the monitoring specialist that provides information
to the major oil companies. But some garages are already charging their
customers 108p for unleaded fuel and as much as 109p for diesel. "Who
knows where it is going to go from here?" said Arthur Renshaw, who covers
the UK market for Catalist.
Turmoil in the international oil markets, due to strong demand, geopolitical
instability and a shortage of refining capacity, will put further upward pressure
on forecourt prices.
The long-term outlook for the global economy seems bleak - without any
concomitant relief for the environment. The International Energy Agency
(IEA) said last week that it was raising its oil demand forecasts and
warned there could be shortages in supply up until 2012.
At the heart of the boom has been very strong demand growth as the US economy continues to perform more strongly than expected and China and India continue to surge ahead.
Global demand for energy from all sources is expected to increase over the next decade by around 1.5% to 2.5%. Meanwhile supply is being held back by a number of factors - not least the policies of the Opec oil cartel, which restricts production levels of its member countries in order to maintain price levels.. Non-Opec output meanwhile has been constrained by factors such as political instability or concerns about producer countries reconciling increased carbon output with their climate-change targets.
Violence in Iraq and Nigeria and the rising tide of resource nationalism from Russia to Venezuela has disrupted oil and gas output while new developments have been slowed by rising costs.
Refining capacity has also failed to keep pace with the growth in oil demand and key US refineries have been out of action in recent weeks amid breakdowns that some attribute to them being run too hard.
Source: Guardian
GM vice chairman cool on diesels
In a video posted to his official General Motors blog Thursday, GM vice chairman Bob Lutz took pains to point out that fuel-efficient diesel engines, popular in Europe, will not provide an easy an easy answer to America's petroleum dependence.
"Do not assume that the diesel engine is a panacea and is going to make everyone get to a fleet of 36 miles per gallon," Lutz says in the video.
The popular notion Lutz is trying to refute is that diesels, already popular in Europe, offer the fuel economy benefits of gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles but without all the added cost and complexity of gasoline/electric hybrid technology.
The problem, according to Lutz, is that making diesel engines work for the American passenger vehicle market, which is very different from Europe's, will require adding technology. That means adding complexity and cost, just like hybrids.
What's worse, along with adding cost and complexity, is that these technologies will also reduce a diesel vehicle's fuel economy, taking away the very reason for turning to diesel in the first place, said Lutz.
The basic problem, according to Lutz, has to do with increasingly tough vehicle emissions standards in the United States. In most of the United States, these standards are already much more stringent than in Europe and they're getting tougher. In some states, those that follow California's emissions standards, these rules are tougher still.
It's not that diesels can't meet those standards. Diesel ordinarily produces much more smog-forming pollution than gasoline engines, though. Meeting these standards will mean lots of complex and expensive emissions control technologies. That technology will add cost, said Lutz, as much as $2,800 per vehicle. Diesels already cost more than gasoline-powered vehicles because the engines themselves, built tough to withstand the high compression diesel relies on, are more expensive to begin with. Lutz put the current cost premium of a diesel engine at about $2,000.
That kind of added cost would take away much of the incentive for consumers to buy diesel vehicles. It would take a long time to make that kind of money back through fuel savings.
"Are buyers of smaller cars actually going to pay a $4,000 to $5,000 premium to get a diesel engine, when the tougher the emissions [standards] you have to meet, the more the fuel efficiency savings[compared to a gasoline engine] shrinks?" Lutz says in the video.
As more emissions control technology is added, the fuel efficiency savings of diesel engines could be cut to as little as 12 to 15 percent over gasoline engines, Lutz estimated. And that's compared to current gasoline engines, not taking into account technologies now being investigated that could make gasoline engines about as efficient as diesels.
Source: CNN
Citroen wins duel fuel deal
Interserve Facilities Management just ordered 20 Berlingo dual fuel vans as part of a plan to improve its environmental performance and cut operating costs.
The Nicholson McLaren engines converted Berlingo vans have 1.4 litre dual fuel power plants, running on petrol and LPG they can cut 180% of nitrogen oxide, 50% of carbon monoxide and 24% carbon dioxide.
The firm is also taking another 22 Citroen vans including Enterprise, Berlingo, Dispatch and Rrelay models. Citroen City, in Whitechapel did the deal, with all the vehicles on a four year 50,000 mile no maintenance contract hire deal through Arval UK Ltd
Source: SMMT
LPG BMW record breaker
SAARBRUECKEN: A German research and development team is planning to build a record-breaking car based on the BMW 1 Series car using an engine which runs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Tuning firm Hartge in Saarbruecken says the car at the centre of the project "V300+" will be able to top 300 km an hour, making it the fastest LPG-driven car to date.
The liquefied gas-engine is set to develop 550 brake horsepower. Engines fuelled on LPG burn much cleaner and in many cases they produce more power and torque than petrol-driven engines of a similar capacity.
Along with the engineers from the tuning company, the team includes experts from the University of Technology and Economics in Saarbruecken, the German environment ministry, state economics department officials and automotive and energy specialists.
Source: The Economic Times
China leads the world with LPG buses and taxis
All buses and taxis will be LPG-fueled in GUANGZHOU city by 2010.
"Guangzhou will host the 2010 Asian Games, promoting clean energy for public vehicles is part of the city's strategy to improve the environment and to usher in the grand sports event," Xian Weixiong, director of Guangzhou communications commission, said.
He said 85 percent of the city's buses and taxis, 6,500 and 16,000 respectively, have already converted to LPG. The city now has the most LPG-fueled vehicles in the world.
When the conversion is completed, it will cut Guangzhou's annual diesel and gasoline consumption by 471,000 tons. Consumption is 2.50 million tons at present.
The city will also continue to find technological ways to lowering the LPG consumption of public vehicles, Xian said.
Guangzhou's target of LPG consumption per 100 km is 62 liters for buses and 12 liters for taxis by the year 2010.
Statistics show the city's buses used 65 liters of LPG per 100 km last year, compared to 83 liters in 2003. Taxis used 13.2 liters of LPG per 100 km compared to 16.6 liters for the same period.
Total LPG consumption for buses last year was 29.21 million liters less than 2005, a saving of 100 million yuan ($13.16 million).
"Extensive use of clean energy such as LPG and efforts to lower energy consumption for public vehicles can only be beneficial to the population and the city," Yang Weiqiang, an environmental protection researcher with the Guangzhou Academy of Social Sciences, said.
Yang said Guangzhou will be able to cut the emission of carbon monoxide by 22,000 tons; hydrocarbon, 2,430 tons; nitrogen oxides, 1,779 tons; and particulate matters, 417 tons, when all its buses and taxis become LPG-fueled.
Source: China Daily
MAY 2007
We are now an official authorised supplier and fitting agent for Superchips.
This is the installation on the CLS building - one of the UK's very top LPG Autogas conversion specialist's, going green is'nt just related to gas with these fella's etc etc They can convert your roof too !!
BP commits to further investment in LPG
BP Retail have announced that they are investing £250,000 to fit new simpler, lightweight nozzles in many of their existing LPG outlets in the UK. These new nozzles are intended to give UK LPG consumers an improved refuelling experience with BP.
As one of the largest providers of LPG Autogas in the UK, BP continues to promote this lower carbon fuel through its extensive UK-wide retail network.
You can get there for less AND leave a smaller carbon footprint with BP Autogas.
To find out more about BP Autogas – visit our website http://www.bp.com/
Source: BP
LPG Whizzgo cars star in London’s
Sustainability event
The fifth annual London Sustainability event commences for two weeks on Sunday 3rd June and this year incorporates an Eco Car Rally on Tuesday 5th June.
The Revolve rally celebrates a clean future for the car with the first of its kind Brighton to London eco-car rally and exhibition on World Environment Day.
The rally starts on Brighton’s Madeira drive with the vehicles set off in convoy along A23 to Croydon., North End where there will be vehicles on display and a speech by the Minister for Science & Innovation.
From there the rally travels to London, Trafalgar Square locate where there are more vehicles on display, Eco-driving demonstrations by Greenfleet and IAM and advice on health & inner-city mobility by GoodGoing.
Whizzgo, is one of the biggest car sharing clubs in the UK operating in 8 cities. In London they have LPG Citroens which run on LPG and are exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
6 of their LPG Citroens – C3’s and Picasso’s – will be used to chauffer the celebrities on the Rally and be available at the display points.
Source: Whizzgo
Haringay joins increasing number of Councils to provide discounted parking for LPG vehicles
Haringey Council in north London is urging residents to switch to environmentally friendly fuel in the latest development to its pro-green tax incentive.
Those who convert their vehicles to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will pay less under the borough's new carbon emissions-based residential parking charges.
Cars run on LPG fuel give off significantly fewer carbon emissions than those using other fuels, and as a result the Council has vowed to reduce parking permit charges by one banding grade if residents can prove their vehicles run on LPG fuel.
The carbon-based parking charges, rubber-stamped at the end of last month, include four band widths with charges ranging from £15 to £150 a year.
Councillor Brian Haley, executive member for environment and conservation, has affirmed the council's belief that the scheme will make an important difference.
He said: "The whole point of the new parking charges is to encourage residents to use vehicles with lower carbon emissions. One of the main points made during the consultation on the original proposals was that they didn't cater for people reducing emissions by converting to LPG. We fully accept that argument”.
"We hope that our new discount scheme will encourage more residents to convert their vehicles to LPG and help us in our drive to tackle climate change at a local level."
Residents can apply from July 1 for parking permit savings if they can demonstrate their vehicle has been converted to LPG. For more information call the council on 020 8489 0000.
Source: Haringay Council
London LEZ gets the go-ahead
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London says his London Low Emission Zone will come into force next year.
From 4 February 2008, trucks, including specialist vehicles over 12 tonnes will need to meet Euro 3 based emission standards. Trucks, motorhomes and other specialist vehicles over 3.5 tonnes will need to comply from 7 July next year and on October 2010 vans over 1.2 tonnes will be affected. In 2012 the basis of the emissions standard will shift to Euro 4.
But from next February, the daily penalty for vehicles that don’t meet the standards and get spotted in the LEZ by, amongst other things, automatic number plate recognition cameras, will be £200. Failure to pay means a £1,000 fine.
Source: SMMT
UN warnings over biofuel for transport
The global drive to switch from hydrocarbons to biofuels could lead to rising food prices and deforestation, a report has warned. The European Union has said by the year 2020 it wants ten per cent of all fuel in cars to come from biofuels. But a United Nations report has warned that biofuels are more effective when used for heat and power, rather than in transport.
Biofuels can be anything made with vegetable matter that burns. They are seen as a potential solution to climate change because they can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. An independent report by UK insurers Co-operative claims there is a future for biofuels, but current targets for growing so much fuel could have unintended consequences.
Professor Dieter Helm, a senior advisor to the UK government, said: “The sort of targets being set for biofuels will have radical effects on agriculture and thus have substantial consequences for food prices and agriculture.” The report says that nine per cent of the world’s agricultural land may be needed to replace just ten per cent of the world’s transport fuels.
This means the production of biofuels could lead to a decrease in land available for food production in countries where famine already exists. “People are felling rainforests to plant crops to produce biofuels,” Helm said. “Think of the energy involved in felling those rainforests. Think about the damage to the climate being done by the loss of those trees. Carbon imprints are about much more than simply what happens to grow in a particular field at a particular point in time.”
Source: 7 days
Freight firm goes green
An international freight and courier firm has invested £2 million in a fleet which includes those powered by LPG or biodiesel and electric The company, called PODs, is taking delivery of 30 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, 15 of which are LPG and 15 diesel and biodiesel together with three Modec electric vans.
Managing director Ian West said: “Although many companies are happy to publicise their corporate environmental strategies, many of these same businesses don’t think about the pollution that they’re causing by sending packages.
Source: Fleet News
Japan announces new funds to double
country's LPG vehicles
The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has announced a new fund to assist in the doubling of the number of Japanese vehicles running on LPG in an effort to comply with the Kyoto Protocol.
Currently Japan can boast 290,000 autogas vehicles but hopes that the doubling of this number by 2010 will also play a major role in meeting emissions targets in the road transportation sector.
Source: Greenfuel company
Autogas becomes easier to find with free
sat-nav application
Drivers running their vehicles on environmentally friendly LPG will find locating their nearest Autogas Limited filling station easier than ever, thanks to the launch of a new software application for sat-nav systems, which is free to download.
Use of the application could typically save drivers up to £20 every time they don’t fill their vehicles with petrol, as Autogas retails at around half the price per litre of petrol and diesel.
“Unlike tradition fuels, Autogas isn’t available on every forecourt,” explains Autogas Limited Marketing Co-ordinator Chris Taylor. “So drivers run the risk of wasting time and money by using petrol, if they don’t know where the nearest LPG filling station is.”
“The UK has a well developed Autogas refuelling infrastructure and in the case of Shell, one in five sites now offers Autogas,” continues Chris. “To assist drivers locating our sites, we have developed a free to download, sat-nav application that will direct them to the nearest Autogas filling station wherever they are in the country. We expect the application will be particularly useful to those who often have to drive in towns and cities they are unfamiliar with.”
The sat-nav application, which can be downloaded from www.autogasfinder.co.uk, is initially available for three of the leading sat-nav systems, Tom Tom, Garmin and Navman. Once installed the application will flag up every Autogas Limited filling station in the UK.
Once downloaded drivers should continue to check www.autogasfinder.co.uk for updates to the application as new sites are added. Drivers can also provide feedback on the application via the site.
Running cars and vans on Autogas significantly reduces harmful emissions and typically reduces running costs by up to 40% per annum, as the fuel costs around 45 pence per litre compared with around 90 pence for petrol and diesel. Furthermore, many Autogas vehicles attract a discount of up to 100% from the London Congestion charge, which can typically save £8 per day, and there are additional tax advantages in terms of vehicle excise duty.
In environmental terms, Autogas vehicles produce significantly less carbon dioxide and other pollutants, such as oxides of nitrogen, than both petrol and diesel. Autogas vehicles also produce virtually none of the small particulates emitted by diesel engines that affect local air quality and are related to health problems such as asthma and lung disease.
“To gain the full environmental and financial benefit that Autogas has to offer drivers should run their vehicles on LPG whenever possible,” adds Chris. “With the free sat-nav application combined with our national network of Autogas filling stations, running regularly on petrol should be a rarity.”
For LPG drivers who don’t have a sat-nav system, Autogas Limited also offers a free online location system on its main website at www.autogas.ltd.uk which allows visitors to search for their nearest site by town or postcode.
Autogas Limited is a joint venture between Calor and Shell, which supplies the UK’s largest network of automotive LPG filling stations.
Source: Business Car
Ethanol sparks health fears
Deaths from respiratory problems could rocket with the increase of vehicles burning ethanol, a team of US scientists has warned.
Using a computer model to simulate air quality in 2020 the atmospheric scientists found that increasing the number of vehicles running bioethanol would have serious effects on air quality.
In the study, scientists predicted higher levels of ozone, or smog, produced by the burning the biofuel would translate to an extra 200 deaths in the US a year, with 150 deaths in LA alone from respiratory problems like asthma. Premature deaths caused by ozones currently stands at 10,000 people per year.
Commentators are warning the ethanol use in fuels like E85 in the UK could pose a similar health risks.
Source: Business Car
“DON'T PANIC” AS PETROL HITS £1 A LITRE
DRIVERS were urged not to panic buy fuel yesterday after petrol prices smashed the £1 per litre barrier.
The nationwide average for super unleaded reached the symbolic sum at the
weekend, and experts believe normal unleaded will reach a record
£1 a litre – £4.55 a gallon – within weeks.
Unleaded is currently selling for a national average 94.19p a litre – up more
than 3p since the start of April and 6p since the New Year.
But that is set to climb rapidly as soaring demand for fuel, a shortage of crude
oil and continuing unease in the Middle East, affect prices.
Luke Bosdet, of the AA, said: “The £1 figure is more than just symbolic. Rising
fuel prices push up inflation, which puts pressure on the Bank of England to increase interest rates.
“So not only are you paying more to fill up, it also adds to the cost of borrowing. The Chancellor should reconsider putting another 2p on fuel duty this October.”
However, he appealed for motorists worried about the hike not to rush to fill up. “If people start panic buying the problem will get worse,” he said.
Ray Holloway, of the Petrol Retailers Association, warned: “We will have a summer of high petrol prices. I don’t see the pressure easing until July or August.” The experts predicted the hike in prices could be even higher if North America is hit by more storms. Last year, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, petrol prices surged by 5p a litre.
source: Daily Express
Ford Germany launch LPG Transit
The new Transit is now available from the Ford Motor Company to the German market with a 2.3litre autogas option.
The factory installed autogas vehicle is approved to meet the Euro IV
requirements for commercial vehicles, utilizing sophisticated “intelligent
management” technology to treat exhaust gases. The system is so clean
the vehicle even qualifies for the significantly more stringent Euro IV
standards for passenger cars.
The autogas transit is available in several versions to meet varying
commercial needs at an additional cost of less than 3,000 Euros. All
versions are enabled with dual fuel capability
Source: World LP Gas Association
Green concerns top fleet agenda
Environmental concerns have overtaken duty of care as the biggest concern for fleet managers this year, a new poll of companies has found.
The vast majority of the 830 fleets surveyed (94%) now list the environment as their top consideration when making fleet decisions, up from 57%.
The findings are produced in GE Commercial Finance Fleet Services latest quarterly Company Car Trends report.
Managing director Rich Green said: “Environmental issues have nudged duty of care considerations off the top of the fleet agenda for the first time in a number of years.
“There is little question that this is an area to which fleets are now giving much greater consideration thanks to issues such as corporate responsibility and government pressure.
The question is, though, what action will employers take to “green” their fleets? Thanks to the CO2-based company car taxation scheme, most have already dramatically reduced their emissions of greenhouse gases in recent years but what further steps can be taken?
We expect this to be a subject of great debate in the fleet industry during 2007
and that many fleets will start to undertake top- to-bottom reviews of their
activities to understand how they can make improvements.”
Mr Green believes fleets green audits will now start to identify whether all
business journeys are necessary and will also look at areas such as biofuels.
He added: “A key point to make is that duty-of-care exercises that fleets have
undertaken over the last few years have provided some evidence of reduced
costs as new controls were introduced and we expect the “greening” of company car travel to have similar results.
For example, if you introduce measures to reduce fuel use for environmental reasons, you also save money”
Source: Fleet News
Japan announces new funds to double
country's LPG vehicles
The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has announced a new fund to assist in the doubling of the number of Japanese vehicles running on LPG in an effort to comply with the Kyoto Protocol.
Currently Japan can boast 290,000 autogas vehicles but hopes that the doubling of this number by 2010 will also play a major role in meeting emissions targets in the road transportation sector.
Source: Greenfuel company
FEBRUARY 2007
London Congestion Charge zone
spreads westwards
Another swath of London became a congestion charging area today as the Mayor, Ken Livingstone, continued his quest to reduce traffic problems in the capital.
Mr Livingstone immediately hailed the western extension - which includes Notting Hill, Kensington and Chelsea - a success.
Green groups also backed the scheme which sees an almost doubling in size of the charging zone which was first introduced in February 2003.
But local residents vowed to continue their opposition to the extension while businesses warned of what they see as the scheme's detrimental effect on business and jobs.
Mr Livingstone reported traffic flowing freely in the extended zone, in which drivers entering from outside the total zone area will pay £8 a day on weekdays between 7am and the new finishing time of 6pm - half an hour earlier than usual.
He went on: “London is again taking the lead in tackling the problem of traffic congestion and emissions which blight virtually every major city in the world.
“Congestion charging in London has already cut the number of cars in the central area by 70,000 a day with all of the associated benefits in terms of air quality, climate change and road safety, with dramatic increases in number of bus passengers and people choosing to cycle or walk.
“This has contributed to London seeing the world’s first significant shift from the private car to public transport and, as a result, cities all over the world are looking to London’s example.”
Source: Times on Line
Oil prices break $60
Oil prices have risen above $60 (¿30.77) a barrel for the first time since the beginning of the year.
Having fallen thanks to strong inventory buildup and an abatement of geopolitical uncertainties in recent months, prices shot up again to break the $60-mark for the first time since January 3rd.
Analysts attributed the recent escalation of tensions between the US and Iran as contributing to the price rise.
Relations between the two countries, already stretched over the ongoing dispute about Iran's nuclear ambitions, have worsened since the new year. The abduction of an Iranian diplomat in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Tuesday, blamed by Tehran on the US, came after the arrest of five Iranians in northern Iraq by US forces in January.
The cold snap currently experienced by much of the US has also had an impact, driving demand upwards to undermine the market's previously secure inventory levels.
Nigeria has also contributed to geopolitical concerns. Ongoing insecurity for personnel at the country's oil installations, targeted by gunmen in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, was highlighted by the abduction of a French worker yesterday, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Prices were also driven up by a fire at Occidental Petroleum's Elk Hills field in California. This led to the shutdown of production, leaving the fourth-largest US oil firm by market value unable to satisfy customer demand.
California's biggest gas field normally pumps the equivalent of 120,000 barrels of oil a day, but about 95 per cent of output has been shut off after the fire began on February 6th.
Source: Energy Saving Trust
Manila extends LPG from taxis to tricycles
After taxis, here come liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered tricycles.
Some 5,000 tricycle units, 1,000 each from Metro Manila, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, and Cavite running on the much cheaper LPG, will be launched next week by a coalition of public transport organizations as part of plans to support the clean air and anti-global warming program of the government.
The launching of the LPG-fed tricycles is part of this year’s "Transport Week" to be observed by transport associations next week, Isang United Transport Koalisyon (1UTAK) President Vigor Mendoza II said.
Mendoza said that the coalition decided on Transport Week — a change from the observance of "Jeepney Week" last year — after operators of tricycles, taxis, FX shuttles, and public utility buses joined the alliance.
Mendoza said tricycles using LPG not only have "clean emission but also save as much as R1,800 on fuel cost every month."
He explained that tricycles run every day using five liters of gasoline which costs about R36 per liter compared to R18 per liter of LPG.
A tricycle driver can save around R90 on fuel day, R1,800 per month based on 20 days of operation, and R21,600 a year, he said.
An LPG conversion kit for tricycles costs R12,000-R15,000, according to Mendoza.
"Tricycle drivers can easily manage to buy this kit even on installment basis because of the big savings they get from using LPG as fuel. Apart from this, they could also help the government’s clean air campaign," he said.
Source: Metro and National News
UK autogas industry continues to grow
The results of the annual survey by the LP Gas Association were announced today.
It is estimated that around 138,000 vehicles were running on LP Gas at the end of 2006. This is an increase from 128,000 at the end of 2005.
Around 15,000 vehicles were converted to operate on LP Gas during 2006 (down 6.6% from 16,000 in 2005) and of this total just over 13,000 were cars with the vast majority of the remainder being vans and light commercial vehicles.
The LPGA Approved Installer Scheme (see www.boostlpg.com) has gone from strength to strength with a national network of 200 installers who fitted around 70% of the conversions in 2006 – a major achievement for this voluntary scheme.
Source: LP Gas Association
Lex warns urban fleets on new diesel
particulate filters
The leasing company Lex is warning fleets who acquire new generation diesel engines with Exhaust Particulate Filters (EPFs) that they risk reliability problems if they do not heed manufacturer operating recommendations.
Drivers who drive mainly in urban areas are most at risk of their EPF clogging up and their car having to make regular trips to their local dealer. In the case of some Lex drivers this has meant visiting their dealer once every six weeks or so to have the filter unblocked as their driving occurs predominantly in traffic at low speed.
According to manufacturer guidelines, unless an EPF-equipped diesel engine is operated at 50mph for at least 20 minutes, or covers 50 miles at motorway speeds at least once every couple of weeks, there is an extreme risk of the EPF clogging up.
“If a driver knows their car is going to spend most of its time in urban areas at low speed, then it’s worth avoiding a car with an EPF,” according to Jamie Wiseman, maintenance manager at Lex, which spends over £80m a year on maintenance.
Source: DTI – Auto Industry news
LPG autogas being introduced in Namibia
and Quatar
A multimillion-dollar depot that will offer motorists a safer, cleaner, efficient and cheaper alternative in the form of auto-gas to petrol and diesel-driven vehicles, was inaugurated in Windhoek, Namibia last Friday morning.
It is said that the depot will be the biggest wholly-owned fuel depot in the country so far, and the fuel, which is regarded as safe and clean, offers a range of properties closest to those of petrol.
This depot will hold 140000 litres of Liquified Petrol Gas (LPG) at any one time to serve as vehicle fuel, fuel for domestic heating and cooking and fuel for other industry applications. The depot boasts unequalled technology and safety standards in Namibia.
Managing Director of Autogas Namibia Limited, Antonio Mendonca, said at the inauguration that the venture is a Namibian-owned company in association with Sprintgas Australia and Spring-gas that have been assisting Autogas Namibia to ensure a smoother transfer of technology.
Source: AllAfrica.com
THE Qatar Fuel Company (Woqod) plans to offer Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as automobile fuel as its emissions are lower than that of petrol and diesel.
The company is seeking the co-operation of municipal bodies, state-owned public transport company Mowasalat and car agencies, Woqod’s marketing manager Mark Vidler said.
“LPG for automobiles is just one of the plans we have this year,” Vidler said at a recent workshop jointly organised by the Woqod and BP.
“One of the missions of the company is to introduce innovative products and services to constantly improve the environmental impact on the community, Vidler said.
LPG burns more efficiently than gasoline, and hence the car engine will be cleaner and run quieter with less noise pollution, he said.
Cars with petrol engines can be converted to run on LPG and several countries have cars running on both gasoline and LPG, changing from one fuel to the other by using a switch on the dashboard, Vidler said.
Woqod Vice Chairman and Managing Director Mohamed Turki al-Sobai said LPG “will help improve the air quality in densely populated areas.”
Source: Gulf Times
JANUARY 2007
30th January Richmond announces discounts for LPG vehicles.
The Cabinet of Richmond upon Thames council in south west London has voted to implement groundbreaking parking charges that will see residents in controlled parking zones (CPZs) pay for their permits based on the CO2 emissions of their vehicles.
To reflect their lower emissions, vehicles converted to run on LPG by an LPGA Approved Installer will be classified in one band lower than the “standard” non converted classification. This will mean savings of up to £150 per year for vehicles converted to run on LPG.
The Councillors who voted late last night in a packed meeting at York House in Twickenham first listened carefully during over two hours of passionate submissions from members of the public and other councillors – some in favour of the proposals and some against.
Speaking after the vote Cllr Serge Lourie, Leader of Richmond Council said: “I am absolutely delighted that our cabinet has passed this important resolution. We will now charge less for permits for the cars with the lowest emissions of CO2 and more for the vehicles with the highest emissions.
These new charges will be introduced later this year. The council hope to be in a position to announce the commencement date in early summer.
Source: London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames.
Manchester faces Congestion Charge
A report commissioned by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, proposing a pay-as-you-go scheme of road charges, has been approved by 10 local councillors. It will now be offered up for public consultation. If it passes that stage, motorists could be paying by the mile to drive into Manchester city centre as early as 2012.
Council leaders met last week to discuss plans to charge drivers to use the
15 busiest routes in Greater Manchester on a pay-as-you-go system. As part of those plans, motorists would have to pay on a sliding scale according to which road they were using, when they were using it and the length of their journey.
This makes it different to the London congestion charge, which currently costs an £8 flat fee per day, and permits drivers to use whichever routes they like.
The Manchester scheme is being designed to be better value than the London scheme, councillors say, and also to better incentivise drivers to travel outside of peak times. It's likely to use a combination of satellite tracking and number plate recognition technology, although exactly how it will do that remains to be agreed. Motorists affected by the plans have been advised to keep regular checks on the AGMA's website (http://www.agma.gov.uk) to find out how the consultation process will be carried out.
Source: DTI – Auto Industry news service
Chevrolet promotes autogas option
throughout Europe
Chevrolet Europe is actively marketing autogas in most of the main European markets including Belgium, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands. There are currently five different LPG models available in the Chevrolet range. These are the Chevrolet kalos, Lacetti, Nubira, Nubira SW and Rezzo.
In France it was reported that In 2006, 26 percent of our total sales were achieved with autogas- equipped vehicles and in June alone, it even reached 38 percent. This increase in sales was achieved with a marketing campaign dedicated to promoting the autogas solution.
Negotiations are in hand for these to be introduced to the UK
Source: World LP Gas Association
Vehicle manufacturers deliver more choice
with autogas
More and more vehicle manufacturers worldwide are introducing autogas options in their product line- to meet growing customer demand for cleaner vehicles and to take advantage of consumer trends towards lower-priced autogas fuel.
In recognition of growing public concern and demand for cleaner vehicles, virtually all the major automotive manufacturers (e.g. Volvo, Vauxhall, Subura, Toyota, Renault, Proton, Peugeot, Opel, Mitsubishi, Ford, Fia. GM, DaimlerChrysler, Daihatsu, etc.) have introduced autogas vehicles into their original equipment offerings. Many other manufacturers offer conversions at the time of sale.
Recent additions include the Renault Scenic, the Mitsubishi Pajero, a new Falcon in New Zealand and Australia, the Citroen Berlingo in the UK, and Hyundai in Korea and Japan.
Right now in Australia, automakers are building more vehicles and have claimed that government rebates have provides a strong incentive for customers to explore purchasing autogas options- leading to a doubling in sales as consumers see that additional autogas conversion cost cut in half.
While some automakers claim to be waiting for new demand or for fuelling infrastructure to be put in place, most are developing new engines that have been specifically engineered to run on autogas, featuring the same driving performance and acceleration consumers have come to expect with gasoline vehicles. Fuel systems and electronic engine management systems have been fully adapted for autogas, and many of the models also support dual fuel systems that allow the driver to effortlessly switch from autogas to petrol, thereby eliminating driving range concerns.
Manufactures have also upgraded safety features with improved technologies. The gas tanks have been subjected to truly rigorous tests and are much stronger than comparable petrol tanks. New safety valves in the tank activate automatically, meaning that gas can no longer flow from the tank. Moreover, an autogas car has a closed and environmentally- sound fuel system, which prevents fuel spillage and evaporation. In terms of convenience, manufacturers are designing cars around the gas tanks, placing them under the floor or luggage compartment to ensure that valuable passenger space is not compromised.
Source: World LP Gas Association
DECEMBER 2006
New diesels to cost extra £600
New diesel cars could rise in price by up to 900 Euro (around £600), according to experts in Europe. That's because air quality limits in forthcoming Euro 5 and 6 emission standards1, supported by a vote in the European Parliament this week, could add significant cost to diesel models. For example, to meet Euro 5 particulate limits, even the smallest car would require the addition of a particulate trap to the exhaust system.
If diesel cars are more expensive they will be less attractive to buyers. More consumers will be tempted by petrol variants which can be up to 30 per cent worse for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The move threatens to halt what theEuropean Commission recently described as the 'significant progress' made by car makers in cutting CO2 output since 1998. Estimates suggest the resultant CO2
penalty could be as high as six per cent.
Source: SMMT
Vauxhall take LCV Manufacturer of
the year award
Tiff Needell and Phil Maud, director of fuels, WM Morrisons, presented the prestigious award to Vauxhall at the annual Greenfleet awards.
The prize recognises vehicle manufacturers effortsat offering both alternative fuels and claen efficient conventional powerplants.
Vauxhall was praised for its long term commitment to dual fuel LPG models, while the british built Vauxhall Vivaro was recognised for its new range of Euro IV compliant diesel engines
Source: Fleet Operator
Are you driving lean, green and carbon clean?
This is the question environmentally conscious drivers, who have invested in converting to lower carbon LPG/autogas, are now asking their fellow motorists.
A brand new rear windscreen sticker is now available for all autogas drivers enabling them to display their improved carbon ‚wheel print‘.
The need to highlight driver‘s “green” credentials has been heightened by recent campaigns in Edinburgh and other areas of the UK where environmental activists are targeting what they perceive to be the most damaging vehicles to our environment.
In response, autogas drivers want to announce that they are taking action at their own cost making a worthy contribution to the environment.
A larger uptake of autogas could have dramatic effects on current and predicted levels of CO2 in the UK.
Autogas drivers will also be lobbying London Mayor Ken Livingstone and his colleagues at Transport for London to consider the above following their most recent announcement to increase London congestion charging to £25 affecting many family sized vehicles that are currently listed as group G by the vehicle certification authority.
To purchase one of the new stickers visit www.autogas.co.uk
Source: EAST Journal
CHANCELLOR CONFIRMS COMMITMENT TO
LOW FUEL DUTY FOR LPG / AUTOGAS
In his Pre-Budget Report today, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced continued support for LPG autogas through low fuel duty.
Fuel duty on petrol and diesel is rising by 1.25p and that on LPG autogas by 2.25p. This confirms the commitment that the differential in duty between petrol / diesel and LPG / autogas would reduce by a maximum of only 1p per year.
The government is committed to supporting LPG autogas in the long term and to give consumers confidence announces in the Budget each year the level for the following three years.
This means that we can be assured that the price of LPG at the pumps will continue at around half the price of petrol and diesel for the foreseeable future.
Rob Shuttleworth, Director General of the LP Gas Association, said “There are over 11 million motorists worldwide benefiting from running on LPG. In the UK this figure is over 130,000 and growing and with 1300 public access refuelling sites in the UK it is easy to fill up wherever you are in the country.
With the significant environmental advantages of using LPG, motorists changing to this fuel should not only save money but will also be playing their part in improving the environment by way of both carbon savings and enhanced air quality.”
For more information on where to convert your vehicle and an easy calculator to find what you could save, visit www.boostlpg.com the independent consumer guide to LPG autogas in the UK.
Source: LP Gas Association
Oil bounces back up to $63 a barrel
Oil rose to $63 a barrel today as mild weather across the US was forecast for next week.
However in the back of many people's minds are Opec's looming production cuts.
Energy analyst Victor Shum said: "In the short-term future, what's still going to move the market is the weather."
The price of oil, at least in the short-term, will be buoyed by the coming winter months, he added, predicting that $60 will be the new lowest price for oil.
Source: Energy Saving Trust
Join the Drive for Cleaner Vehicles
In an ideal world, we would all drive energy-efficient, non-polluting cars which would have little negative effect on the environment. But which car to choose? Hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius work by using petrol on the open road and switch to electric power in the city, reducing pollution. Vehicle excise duty is also cheaper for hybrid cars.
However, this type of car is relatively expensive, according to the AA – the basic Toyota Prius starts at £17,500, compared with a Ford Focus at £10,995. An AA spokesman adds: “we do not yet know the full extent of their sell-on factor or how much servicing will cost”.
Instead of buying a new car, you could convert your present model. It costs between £1,500 and £2,500 to make a petrol engine run on cleaner liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Running costs are up to 40% cheaper than petrol and road tax costs less, but there are only 1224 LPG refueling stations in the UK.
Find where your nearest LPG is from the Energy Saving Trust website or the LPG Authority at www.boostlpg.co.uk
