Gas as alternative fuel

CNG Holdings subsidiary NGV Gas has launched a compressed natural gas (CNG) public filling station in Langlaagte, bringing the power of clean energy and a reduction in costs to South Africa’s industrial and public transport sectors.

In a process of converting 1 000 taxis to run on CNG which will allow them to refuel at the new CNG station with ease.

“This will have an incredibly positive effect on the fuel and operating costs of South Africa’s most accessible form of public transport. We are also converting filling stations to offer CNG as an alternative fuel source,” said Stephen Rothman CEO of CNG Holdings.

A three year feasibility study by CNG Holdings into the viability of the project, including a pilot phase, recorded industrial customers experiencing a 10% – 25% saving on operating fuel/energy costs (depending on fuel substituted) and vehicle tests that a 25% – 35% saving in running fuel costs.

The new public filling station is a significant next step in CNG’s nationwide roll out plans and is adjacent to an already up and running CNG ‘Mother Station’, located at Sasol’s main supply point to the Egoli Gas network in Langlaagte, Johannesburg.

Mother station will serve citizens

This past week, a new natural gas station (Mother Station) has opened in Langlaagte that aims to targets South Africans to move to a gas that is cheaper compared to the price of petrol.

The Mother Station concept forms a core part of CNG Holding’s other company Virtual Gas Network which supplies CNG via road transport or what it terms a virtual pipeline.

This network stemmed from a need for specialised vehicles to facilitate the distribution of natural gas in South Africa.

NGV Gas and Virtual Gas Network use proven technology and expertise to retrofit and upgrade existing vehicle platforms within the transport and industrial market,” said Stephen Rothman CEO of CNG Holdings.

The Virtual Pipeline system is specifically designed to provide solutions to consumers who are too far away to draw from an existing pipeline;

· Large industrial / commercial customers within a radius of 300 km from a Mother Station, and smaller customers who will form part of a larger distribution network, such as (industrial parks, housing developments, mixed use developments);

· This is underpinned by Virtual Gas Network, which is able to transport CNG in special tube trailers by road to customers who are not on the existing gas pipeline.