NLR hopes to convert part of vehicle fleet to natural gas


By Lewis Delavan / Staff Writer / ldelavan@arkansasnews.com
Thursday, December 3, 2009 11:12 AM CST


Converting its four highest-polluting vehicles to compressed natural gas could start a trend, the City of North Little Rock hopes.

The city expects to receive a $207,000 state grant to help pay for converting three refuse trucks and a street sweeper from diesel to compressed natural gas, said Michael Drake, the city officer in charge of energy efficiency.

The grant has been recommended for funding by the state Department of Environmental Quality but is subject to legislative review, he said.

The conversion would include a CNG fueling station that would sell to the public.

Drake said the city hopes eventually to convert its entire public works fleet to CNG. Not only is natural gas a clean-burning fuel, but it is abundant and produced in Arkansas, he said.
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“We want to lead by example,” he said.

Officials believe building a public CNG station could lead to increased demand for the fuel, first in Central Arkansas, then across the state, Drake said. Several Central Arkansas counties, a city and a state agency have expressed interest in using the fuel, he said.

Currently, just one CNG station in the state sells to the public, according to the federal Department of Energy. Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Co.’s station in Fort Smith is open to the public 3.5 hours on weekdays and accepts cash only.

Little Rock National Airport’s CNG fueling station is private, as are another CNG station in Fort Smith, one in Ozark and one near Hot Springs.

North Little Rock’s station will accept credit cards and operate 24 hours daily, Drake said.

Conversion to clean vehicles could help the region meet federal Environmental Protection Agency clean air standards, he said.

In addition to being a clean, Arkansas-produced fuel, there are national security reasons for switching from petroleum, Drake said.

“We have to do something about sending $450 billion annually to the Middle East, basically to people that don’t like us,” he said.

Modern CNG engines are comparable in power to diesel and gasoline engines. The converted city vehicles will have the same horsepower and torque as the existing vehicles, Drake said.

CenterPoint Energy spokeswoman Alicia Dixon said the utility sees a bright future for CNG-powered vehicles, but it isn’t currently in the business of operating CNG stations. She noted the only station in central Arkansas is private.

CNG vehicles offer many advantages, she said, adding that it’s certainly possible the utility could choose to return to CNG in its own vehicles in the future.

In a letter written by Mayor Patrick Hays for a recent dedication of the new SWN Sand Co. plant off Faulkner Lake Road, Hays said the fleet conversion is another example of the city’s commitment to clean, renewable energy.


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