Natural Gas is Green!

The Department of Public Utilities' Energy Services division's DPU Energy Conservation Program concluded in the spring of 2012, benefitting 231 customers who received rebates on new purchases of high efficiency natural gas equipment and energy audits.

The Hopkins Road compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling facility began fueling operations for the Department of Publics Works refuse truck fleet in March 2011. During the first full fiscal year’s operation, the station displaced the equivalent of nearly 118,000 gallons of diesel fuel with clean burning natural gas. In terms of reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG), the city’s annual emissions of carbon dioxide were reduced by more than 350 tons!

Construction of the first public compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station between Washington D.C and Virginia Beach (the I-95 Golden Crescent) began in March 2012. Partnered by Clean Energy Fuels and Quarles Petroleum, it is ideally located at 211 Maury Street, Exit 73 off I-95. Its strategic importance will become even more apparent with the development of Virginia’s alternate fuel vehicle program, the conversions of other city fleet vehicles, and the ability to finally provide a CNG fueling means for other companies and individuals wishing to switch from gasoline or diesel to natural gas.

The significance of the technological advances that have resulted in the dramatic increases in shale gas reserves and supplies can’t be overstated.  Because of the resulting long-term forecasts of relatively flat natural gas prices, domestically abundant and secure, the three historical energy segments comprising the natural gas markets (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial/Power Generation), will now be joined by the largest of all, the transportation segment.