SAN FRANCISCO — In an effort to encourage use of cleaner automobile fuels in smoggy California, Pacific Gas & Electric plans today to open the state's first compressed natural gas refueling station with public access.
The "gas" station, at the giant utility's service center in the East Bay city of Concord, is expected to supply fuel primarily for fleet vehicles. It will be open 24 hours a day, with customers using a card key to gain access. The station will feature a drive-up island where natural gas will be pumped into tanks in the vehicles much as gasoline is.
Norm Bryan, the PG&E vice president heading the utility's alternative fuel program, said the station will be the first of seven that PG&E will open to the public this year. The others will be in Bakersfield, Hayward, San Jose, San Rafael and Sacramento. There will be two in Sacramento.
PG&E is taking the lead on providing public access, Bryan said, "to give the public experience" using the fuel so that the benefits will become apparent. Experts say the fuel costs about 30% less than gasoline, emits far fewer pollutants and cuts vehicle maintenance costs because motor oil and spark plugs need changing less frequently.
The station opens at a time lawmakers in Washington are embroiled in controversy about what measures to take and which fuels to use to clean up the nation's increasingly filthy air. President Bush in June proposed a far-reaching plan to curb smog, acid rain and toxic emissions, but aspects of the plan involving "clean fuels" have met resistance in Congress.
PG&E began experimenting with using natural gas to fuel its own service vehicles in 1973, according to Bryan. In 1986, it opened two CNG refueling stations to service 100 of its vehicles that had been converted to run on either natural gas or gasoline. Drivers of "dual-fuel" vehicles can easily switch from one power source to another while driving.
But PG&E's "big push" began late last year, Bryan said, as the clean air debate took center stage. "We began to realize that our fuel could provide significant environmental benefits," he said.
The investment for PG&E is significant. Each station costs $100,000 to $300,000. In addition, the company plans to convert an additional 100 vehicles to "dual fuel" this year. Such conversions generally cost $2,000 to $2,500 per vehicle.
