Natural gas is a much cleaner-burning fuel than gasoline or diesel because of its lower carbon content, higher calorific value, and fewer impurities. As at result, burning CNG fuel produces less carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2 - a primary cause of acid rain), and nitrous oxides (NOx) than running on gasoline or diesel.
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), using CNG to generate 1 million BTU of energy emits 117 lbs of CO2, compared to 157 lbs when burning gasoline and 161 lbs when burning diesel (for reference, burning LPG emits 139 lbs of CO2).
When taking into account the full life cycle of each fuel - including its production, transportation, storage, and combustion - Argonne National Laboratory's GREET model shows that CNG emits 6-11% less greenhouse gases (GHGs) than gasoline.
Electric vehicles (EVs) grab a lot of headlines because they produce no emissions while driving. However, they only move the emissions from the vehicle tailpipe to wherever the electricity that powers the vehicle has been generated.
With the typical US energy mix, generating 1 million BTU of electrical energy produces over 200 lbs of carbon, compared to only 117 lbs when burning CNG fuel. This is because 60% of US electricity is produced from carbon-based fuels and over 20% still comes from coal, which has the highest carbon footprint and impurity levels of any electricity generating fuel.
To make matters worse, the electricity distribution grid is horrible inefficient. About three units of electrical energy must be generated for every unit that actually ends up in the electric vehicle.
Finally, carbon emissions associated with battery production should also be accounted for across the life of the vehicle. Producing the 24 kWh battery that's used in a small passenger EV produces about 14,000 lbs of carbon. No data is readily available for the much larger batteries used in electric trucks.
Unless you are able to power your EV with locally-generated, renewable electricity, a CNG-burning vehicle will produce significantly lower emissions overall than an electric vehicle.
Every business is facing increased scrutiny from its stakeholders - shareholders, banks, employees, customers, and the general public - asking questions about the company's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies and performance.
Like most companies, you want to be seen as a leader in your sector but it's a lot easier to promise emission reductions than it is to deliver them. How can you reduce your vehicle fleet's emissions without having to spend an impossible amount on new equipment?
Converting your existing fleet of gasoline and diesel vehicles to run on CNG is a great start! Why pay to trade-in and upgrade perfectly good vehicles with plenty of miles left in them when you can quickly and affordably convert them to run on CNG?
Contact us for a free, no-obligation fleet evaluation. We'll give you the information you need to make smart decisions and which vehicles to convert, so that you can live up to the emission reduction promises your company is making without busting your budget.
