How to prevent a war by using your car
Project name: Ch4Auto
Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands
Profile:
CH4 is the chemical description of compressed natural gas (CNG). CNG is an alternative energy resource for vehicles, that is gaining popularity in Europe (especially in Germany and Italy).
The intention of Ch4auto is to raise awareness for CNG as a viable alternative to the commonly used gasoline and to motivate people in the Netherlands to convert their cars by installing a CNG system in addition to the normal fuel system.
Project Status: Strategy in place, execution phase – active for 3 months
Members: 3 months ago Sirio got the confirmation by the European Union Future Capital Fund to finance his project. Since then he is working on part time basis on carrying out research and developing first contents & materials.
Current activities:
* Development of communication materials
* Preparing presentations & seminars
* Networking activities with other projects & organizations
Needs:
* People that are interested in converting their cars
* Organizations that are actively working with CNGHaves:
* Funding
* Clear outline of activities
* A converted car to showcase that the concept works
Website: www.ch4auto.comEmail: info@ch4auto.com
Phone: +31 641347283
How to prevent a war using your car (by Sirio Romagnoli)
All these years, we have been driving vehicles running on petrol. Although most of us have recognized that there is a link between the trucks full of fuel on our highways, boats that loose leak oil in our oceans – climate change, pollution and even wars for the control over our petrol reserves.
But for some reason we do not think abut all this when we tank our car at a fuel station. We do not even realize how the money we spend is nurturing this system – and might even be spend for a bullet somewhere on the other side of our planet. But can we really do something about this? How to stop these mechanisms?
Make use of alternative energies to help diversify your energy resources. Even though no every option is practical there are indeed solutions that make sense and work. Electric cars and cars running on hydrogen are coming into people’s minds but for one reason or another we still cannot buy them. But what about using natural gas?
Italy and Germany are far ahead in this field, but most of Europe is still unaware of this possibility – and that even though the first natural gas vehicles were used back to the 1860, so it’s not any kind of futuristic technology. The best is that a conversion that enables you to use natural gas is suitable for almost every car running on gasoline (benzine) for about 2000 Euros. If you wanted, you could convert your car tomorrow. As incredible as it may seem – disadvantages are minimal and easy to overcome.
You may wonder where you could refill with Natural Gas, and what would happens is there is no refilling station. Your car won’t stop when natural gas is finished: the whole petrol-system is still there. By means of a simple switch you can switch to petrol at any time.
Costs:
2000Euros are a lot of money. Here the good news: The price for Natural Gas is about 60% lower than common fuel prices. This means the conversion cost will be paid back in approx 33.000 kilometres for an average car. After that you can start saving. Another great thing is that even if your car is old, you can take out the natural gas system and put it into your new car. “My car is made to run on petrol, I’m not gonna ruin it with something weird.” – This is some kind of myth that is hard to get out of people’s minds. Fact is, that an engine running on natural gas is actually going to last longer than if it is running on petrol. Why? Due to lower stress inside of the chambers, and the higher detonation time of gas. Besides this, gas won’t contaminate the oil of your engines, leaving the oil clear of sediments. …and the cherry the pie: oil and filter changing can be postponed, saving money on that too!
So it’s all good? There is a negative point:
The gas needs to be stored in tanks. These tanks will go into the trunk of the vehicle (only for converted vehicles, factory-built vehicles have tanks under the car). This might indeed be an issue for smaller vehicles. However, there are lot of solutions for tank positioning available and there are some very innovative solutions available. After all it is not a big sacrifice if you consider that you are saving money and not paying for bullets anymore.
Environment:
Natural Gas is a finite resource like Petrol, no doubt about it. However, is it also possible to obtain Biogas from fermenting animal & vegetable remains. Emissions are much cleaner than any other petrol engine. Natural Gas is much more widely spread over the surface of the planet than Petrol. There is no need of high refination. Petrol needs a long, costly and polluting refinering whilst natural gas can almost be put into vehicles as it is.
Not convinced? What is stopping you to do this step for a better planet. I like to see it like an investment for a cleaner world. At the same time it actually saves me money. I have done some calculations: In about two years time, I have paid back the conversion costs and I saved a whopping 1500E! And all this with less pollution less! I couldn’t be more happy.
Sirio
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January 31st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Just wondering. Gas is also a natural resource and as you point out that this is also a finite resource. And many countries that we fear, do have large resources. So, natural gas, from a political perspective, is not better than oil.
And then biogas. How many forests have to make way for fields and fields for the production of weeds to produce the biogas?
So, if you would like to be experimantel, why not bet on the hydrogen fuel cell?
January 31st, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Dear Marko,
Here my answers to your questions:
“Just wondering. Gas is also a natural resource and as you point out that this is also a finite resource. And many countries that we fear, do have large resources. So, natural gas, from a political perspective, is not better than oil.”
>> CNG is more widely available than oil and can be created from decomposition processes, namely sewage systems and dumps. From a political perspective it is therefore certainly less troublesome than oil.
“And then biogas. How many forests have to make way for fields and fields for the production of weeds to produce the biogas?”
>> No forest have to be cut to make Biogas. What you refer to is not biogas but bio diesel (or alcohol) made from sugar cane.
“So, if you would like to be experimental, why not bet on the hydrogen fuel cell?”
>> Hydrogen fuel is a hoax. Hydrogen is not an energy source but a mean. It is better to use electric power directly rather than to produce hydrogen, since you have to spend energy to create it (hydrolysis from water), to store it (at -160C degrees) and of course for the transport. After adding up the loss you make in every step of this process, it is way better to use electric power directly – taking advantage of the new battery technologies that are being developed day by day.
I would also like to stress that Methane/natural gas/biogas is a temporary solution which can however make a difference TODAY reducing our impact on the planet.
Here just a few advantages of CNG:
- involves less political problems
- requires no polluting rafination
- runs in pipes and therefore doesn’t need to be transported otherwise
- has a cleaner combustion
- gives the engine a longer life (which means cars last longer)
Best wishes,
Sirio Romagnoli
June 5th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Dear Sirio,
Its nice to hear and read someone trying to make a difference and at least know what they are talking about.
I have been trying to convert my Dodge but have found the conversion so expensive here in Switzerland and hope you can point me in the right direction to someone in a country close to me to get it done.
I would be very thankful for any help
Best Regards
Dave Cattanach
June 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Hey David.
In Swizerland there are lot of CNG stations. Usually at these stations
you can find some advertisments of installators to convert your big
polluting car in something somehow more environment-friendly.
Here is a list of CNG stations in Switzerland.
http://www.metanoauto.com/modules.php?name=Elenco_Distributori_CH
It’s in Italian, but names of town/cities are similar.
I don’t think you can convert a car in Italy, ‘cos of burocratic and
incompetence of offices, but I’m sure you can do it in Germany,
getting it converted and tested by TUV and just drive back in
Switzerland. Expect about a 2000€ bill for conversion. you will
however get the money back with the lowest price of the fuel.
Expecially if you refill in Germany (as far as I know, in Switzerland
petrol fuel is cheaper and natural gas is more expensive compared to
rest of Europe).
You may also consider the fact that petrol price is going up, while
natural gas doesn’t follow the same scheme.
Good luck, and I would really like to know if you succeed witht he
conversion and see pictures.
you can check out http://www.metanoauto.com, it’s a valid source for
information about techincal issues, performances, legislation and so
on.
It’s of course in Italian but if you post questions in English you
will get a reply for sure (expecially about the uncommon car you want
to convert).
Cheers!
June 24th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Does your Natural Gas come from Mountain Top Removal and Coal?
Then it is not clean and sustainable.
http://www.ilovemountains.org/
June 24th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
http://www.platts.com/infostore/product_info.php?products_id=147Map features:
* Coal mines (surface and underground) with over 100k tons production in 2004
* Major coal-fired power plants symbolized by 2004 coal consumption, SO2 scrubber status, and coal transportation access. All plants are labeled with operating company and plant name.
* Coal-hauling railroads with major trackage rights
* Coal producing regions colored by primary coal type
* Future coal-fueled plants labeled with name and developer
* Preps, load outs, and tipples
* Dams and locks, labeled with name and river milepost
* Synthetic fuel processing centers
June 25th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Hey Dave.
Natural gas comes from underground resources like petrol does. Sometimes it’s found in the same sites as petrol is found, but many times it’s just burnt on place because it’s not economically worth to store and transport it.
Surely use of a finite resource like natural gas has lots of downsites too… Therefore the best solution would be a 100% renewable energy system.. conversion of cars to natural gas can help this process, since they can use biogas (natural gas derived from decomposition processes.. it can be extracted from dumps and sawage systems, as well as farms) and a percentage of hydrogen (up to 20%) right away (tested on my ’96 converted Fiat Punto). Of course hydrogen must be produced used renewable energies, otherwise it doesn’t make any sense).
In Netherlands, 10% of natural gas distribuited for vehicles comes from renewable sources. In Germany and Sweden you can refill 100% biogas (Tried.. it kind of sucks compared to normal methane, due to the lower ratio between hydrogen – carbon chemical connections.. anyways.. it’s 100% carbon neutral).
Hope this answers to your questions!
July 30th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Hi can you please tell me that Is it possible and feasible to produce CNG from aniaml manure to be used commercilay for CNG vehicles.
As natural gas is also finite this method could be more benefial
July 31st, 2008 at 10:42 am
Yes it is.
In countries like Germany, Sweden, Netherlands it’s already a reality.
In Germany in many farms the animals’ production of methane (farting, but mainly from breathing) it’s captured and burnt to produce electric power (burn biogas makes more sense than throw it in the atmosphere, since the methane molecule is 23 times chemically stronger than CO2, threfore is 23 times more greenhouse effective. Biogas is composed by methane, buthane and others, so it’s somehow lower than 23 times.. still…).
In my hometown Turin, Italy, the garbage dump is covered with plastic sheets and pipes collect the biogas to produce electric power and to run some of the garbage trucks.
However, returning to your question. This biogas can be put right away in any CNG vehicle. It doesn’t need big refinations (I think it requires some concentration process.. but I’m not a expert on the matter), and can be mixed with hydrogen (that HAS TO be produced by renewable energy, like solar panels and stuff).
Hope that answers your question!
Cheers
Sirio Romagnoli