AN EYE-OPENING ARTICLE FOR ALL THOSE (MYOPICS) WHO (W/O DOING ANY RESEARCH & KNOWLEDGE) SPEAK ILL ABT CNG
A good number of vehicles are being converted from gasoline to environment-friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) mode everyday in Abu Dhabi emirate
These converted vehicles are safe to drive, save almost 30 per cent of the fuel expenditure, reduce the CO2 emission by 25 per cent and decrease carbon monoxide emission by 80 per cent.
Emirates Transport, the UAE Federal government corporation, has three conversion centres across Abu Dhabi, in which some 18 to 22 vehicles are converted to CNG mode per day (at all three centres).
Speaking with Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview, Emirates Transport general manager Mohammed Abdullah Al Jerman said the target is to convert 25 per cent of the government fleet in the emirate by the end of 2012.
“At the three centres, we have converted 1,450 vehicles so far,” he said.
Abu Dhabi Island’s Khalifa City (A) Conversion Centre is the biggest in the UAE and has 12 vehicle conversion bays, while the second centre is in Manaseer in the Capital and the third in Zakheer area in Al Ain.
Besides these, two more centres are operated, by C.G. Tech (Compressed Gas Technology) — one in the Mushrif area in the Capital and the other at Al Dhafra in Musaffah on Tarif Road.
“Our target is to convert 22 vehicles per day as now, we are converting only 15 to 18 vehicles per day,” Al Jerman said.
In reply to a question about fuel consumption and monetary savings in comparison with conventional cars, Sheikh Reaz, assistant project manager of Emirates Transport, said one can save up to 30 per cent in expenditure as compared to a petrol-run car. “For example, if one spends Dh1,000 on petrol cars in a month, he/she will have to spend only Dh700 for CNG for as much use in a month,” he said.
Police fleet switching to CNG
Recently, the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police signed an agreement with the Emirates Transport to convert its vehicle fleet to the CNG mode from gasoline.
Major-General Khalil Dawood Badran, Director of the Department of Finance and Services at Abu Dhabi Police, and Al Jerman signed the agreement.
Badran said the conversion of police vehicles is under the guidelines of Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to coordinate with the public and private sectors to achieve the developmental goals of the country.
Shaikh Saif, in a statement, said the Abu Dhabi Police are the first government entity which adopted the conversion of its fleet to CNG. A total of 380 police vehicles have been converted so far.
“This step of the Abu Dhabi Police is a great boost for us and we are taking all measures to provide a high standard of quality and services,” Al Jerman said.
Whereas the C.G. Tech is concerned, it has converted over 300 vehicles including police vehicles and taxis so far.
It has three conversion centres in Abu Dhabi in which only two are operational now, Sharun Viswanathan, project manager at C.G. Tech, told Khaleej Times.
“Besides, we have three conversion centres in Sharjah, of which one is going to be opened this month,” Viswanathan said.
Conversion costThe total cost of conversion per vehicle from gasoline to CNG is Dh7,400 for 4-cylinder vehicle, Dh8,000 for 6-cylinder and Dh9,400 for 8-cylinder vehicles, Mahir Al Sayed Al Rafaee, manager for CNG Centre, said.
It takes approximately four to six hours to convert one vehicle. The time for conversion differs as per the make and model of vehicles, said Al Rafaee.
After the conversion of a vehicle, a TUV (Third Party Inspector) inspects it and does the Gas System Installation Test and examines the safety of the system. After everything is cleared, the inspector issues the certificate for each vehicle confirming that the vehicle is safe to run on the road, Al Rafaee said.
“Currently, we are converting vehicles as per the schedule provided to us by the ADNOC Distribution for taxis and Abu Dhabi Police vehicles only,” Al Jerman said.
To a question, why only taxis and government vehicles are converted first, Al Jerman said, “We have already got the approval from ADNOC Distribution to convert the private company vehicles too and we will start converting them soon.”
“Our future plan is to open new conversion centres in coordination with ADNOC Distribution.”
Emirates Transport is in talks with the leading European kit manufacturer for diesel vehicles’ dual fuel system to find a better solution for diesel fleet in the UAE, Al Jerman said.
The converted vehicles are safer as all components used are as per the ECER110/115 (an international code for conversion) and the cylinders have passed the bonfire test (gas cylinder) and penetration test to maintain the high safety level, Al Jerman said.
Cost of conversion
- Dh7,400 for converting a 4-cylinder vehicle
- Dh8,000 for a 6-cylinder vehicle
- Dh9,400 for a 8-cylinder vehicle
Reduction in emissions
- Carbon dioxide by 20–25%
- Carbon monoxide by 50-80%
- Nitrogen oxide by 25–60%
-
Non–methane hydrocarbon by 50-80%
Conversion centres
- Manaseer centre started operations in September 2010
- Khalifa City (A) from March 2011
- Zakheer, Al Ain, began conversion in August 2011
- Cost of cng vs petrol
- Cng: Dh1.32 per cubic metre
- The tank of a 4-cylinder vehicle gets full in Dh50-60
- Gasoline (special) costs Dh1.72 per litre
Capital switching to CNG gradually