Most of the City of Norman’s fleet will be comprised of compressed natural gas or CNG, vehicles within the next five years, and the city is pursuing federal stimulus money to help the transition.
Shawn O’Leary, director of public works for the City of Norman, said the city will try to replace 30 to 50 of its 800 vehicles each year with CNG powered vehicles.
“We have a goal of converting 70 percent of our fleet to CNG in five years,” O’Leary said. “If you would have told me that a year ago, I would have told you that you were nuts.”
The Norman City Council finalized the plans to convert to CNG vehicles at its April 14 meeting but O’Leary said without its own fueling facility, the city can’t fully derive the benefits CNG vehicles would offer.
He said the city is looking to use money from the bill to build their own CNG fueling facilities but will use OU’s facilities in the meantime.
“There is stimulus money for vehicle replacement and infrastructure that we are pursuing,” he said. “The stimulus bill is not just about stimulating the economy, but about green programs and becoming less dependent on foreign oil and we are trying to be true to that.”
O’Leary said the city would add CNG-fueling facilities to its current facility on North Flood Avenue, creating a third CNG-fueling center within city limits. Oklahoma Natural Gas and OU own the other two.
“What we do not have is our own facilities,” O’Leary said. “That is what we are aggressively pursuing.”
O’Leary and his team researched other alternative fuels like E-85, biodiesel, liquid natural gas and hybrid technology, but he said none came close to the benefits of CNG.
“CNG is cleaner, quieter and has no reliance on foreign oil, so it is a slam dunk from an environmental standpoint,” he said. “It fits Oklahoma because we are better suited than any other state in the nation with our natural resources.”
CNG also is stirring the interests of students who might work with the resource after they graduate.
Brad Crowdis, petroleum engineering senior, said he’s optimistic about the future of CNG.
“CNG is an exceptional alternative fuel source, especially since this fossil fuel is such a clean-burning fuel,” he said. “It should strongly be considered as an alternative fuel source since there is currently an oversupply of natural gas, and because prices are down, it will help the local economy.”
O’Leary said another CNG facility in Norman could lead to more than 70 percent CNG-powered vehicles.
“At the end of the day, CNG was our best option for our fleet,” O’Leary said. “And a CNG facility is the final answer to the total conversion in Norman.”
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libertarian 3 years, 1 month ago
The STIMULUS bill is not just about STIMULATING the economy...ok, just making sure we're all on the same page with this one...