March 27, 2012
The Age
CHRIS White never stops at a petrol station to refuel his old six-cylinder Ford.
Instead, the public servant, who regularly commutes from Nunawading to Footscray, opens the bonnet of his Falcon and pumps in natural gas from a home bowser.
He is one of the first drivers in Melbourne to install a home-compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling system, using the same energy as stoves and heaters connected to the gas mains.
Apart from the convenience of filling up at the front door, with petrol prices creeping inexorably higher Mr White’s other motivation to connect was financial. ”It’s about 20 per cent of the price of petrol,” he said. That’s an estimated saving of $1.27 a litre on this week’s city pump price of $1.53 per litre.
But the car’s conversion by a certified vehicle mechanic and the installation of the government-approved home device cost a hefty $11,000, an amount Mr White hopes to recoup after three years. ”People said I’d blow myself up. But I researched this for years. Home refuelling appliances are far safer than a gas heater or stove,” the father of two said.
Mahinda Abeysekera, a director of OES CNG – the only company supplying home refueller units on the market – said vehicles using natural gas emitted 25 per cent less carbon than those on petrol because the fuel burns more cleanly.
The company has converted about 20 cars to CNG but Mr White was the only person apart from the Australian Gas Association to buy a home refuelling unit, he said.
Because of the cost savings, some fleet truck operators were looking to convert to CNG, he said, a fuel widely used in Singapore and other Asian countries.
The company has one refuelling station in Aspendale Gardens.
Australian Gas Association chief executive Chris Wealthy said any gas device on the market had to meet safety requirements. ”It hasn’t been broadly introduced in Australia but it’s very common in other markets like Europe and America,” Mr Wealthy said. ”In future I think it will become much more commonplace.”
Safety concerns, limited travel distance and lack of country-wide refuelling stations were a significant drawback for drivers, said Kangan Institute automotive expert David Halls.
”There are some safety issues because it runs at quite high pressure,” Mr Halls said.
As well, large volumes of gas were needed to power cars which limited travel distances.
”It’s all right if you drive to work and back. But if you want to go to Sydney, you can’t.”
But Mr White said his car overcame that problem by running on petrol as well.
Mains gas was not taxed at the same rate as petrol. ”You’re filling it up from your home supply so the government is losing money,” Mr Halls said.
”VicRoads does not regulate fuel usage but we understand that with the correct approvals this can be done,” a VicRoads spokesman said.
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