FACT SHEET: BENEFITS OF NATURAL GAS AND RENEWABLE GAS VEHICLES

• New NGV engines are cleaner than alternatives. The Cummins Westport Ultra-Low NOx engine is 90 percent cleaner than the latest available diesel engine. It beats electric motors based on full fuel-cycle comparisons.
• Natural gas vehicle fuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A vehicle operating on liquefied natural gas (LNG) emits 11 percent less CO2 than a comparable diesel vehicle. That difference increases to 17 percent for vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG).
• RNG is the best for greenhouse gas reduction. Capturing methane and reusing it as a vehicle fuel – replacing a fossil fuel – reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 115 percent.
• Dollar for dollar, NGVs are the best option for reducing NOx when replacing old diesel vehicles. For example, it would cost $85 to remove a pound of NOx by replacing a conventional diesel regional-haul truck with an electric one. Switching to a cleaner diesel technology would cost $54/pound, but reducing a pound of NOx would only cost $39/pound with a natural gas vehicle.
• Low operating costs. Competitive fuel costs and low maintenance bring payback to the fleet operator in as few as 18 months. And natural gas costs remain stable – an important factor for fleet operators.
• Proven technology. Once limited to return-to-fleet vehicles, natural gas is powering long-haul trucks across the U.S. More than 23 million NGVs are in use around the world.
• Quiet! NGVs are up to three times quieter than diesels, something that can make a big difference on busy urban streets.
• It’s in all our interests to reduce conventional diesel use. Diesel emissions are associated with serious health issues. Everyone is susceptible to health problems from diesel soot, but children, the elderly and those who already have lung conditions are most at risk. The Union of Concerned Scientists quotes research indicating that “tens of thousands of people die prematurely as a result of particulate pollution,” of which diesel is a principal source. The same paper says, “Diesel emissions of nitrogen oxides contribute to the formation of ground level ozone, which irritates the respiratory system, causing coughing, choking, and reduced lung capacity.”

Source of Union of Concerned Scientists paper: https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/vehicles-air-pollution-and-human-health/diesel-engines

Source of financial and comparative emissions data: Attached document from NGVA.

Other data from AGA Magazine Sept./Oct. 2017 (used verbatim).