Understanding Bangladesh

CNG: Clean, green fuel alternative

A CNG-powered autorickshaw. (Photo by Dan Walsh)

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a “greener” fuel alternative that is sweeping South Asia. CNG vehicles produce a cleaner exhaust and pollute the air much less than diesel and petroleum powered automobiles.

Cities that have introduced CNG have experienced tremendous improvements in air quality. Bangladesh introduced CNG in 1999 and currently attains 10% of the CNG from their own natural gas reserves.

CNG has been introduced in the cities of Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Comilla, Cox’s Bazaar, and Bogra. Furthermore, many buses are CNG powered, government vehicles are gradually being converted to CNG, and autorickshaws in Dhaka are compulsorily powered by CNG.

CNG is an accommodating fuel alternative. All vehicles -- petrol or diesel -- can be converted to CNG power at one of the many “CNG Conversion Centres.”

CNG is priced much lower than conventional fuels, with the price of petrol equaling 68 taka per liter ($3.73 per gallon), diesel at 40 taka per liter ($2.19 per gallon), and CNG coming in comparably lower at 30 taka per liter ($1.65 per gallon). Therefore, even if drivers are not concerned about the environment, the effects on their pocketbook should motivate them to make the switch to CNG.

CNG vehicles also come with a reserve tank of petrol or diesel, thus, if you run out of CNG your vehicle can make it to the next filling station.

-- Luke Juran is from Dyersville, Iowa and an M.A. and Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa.

A CNG filling station. The gas station attendant hooks up a CNG air hose and pumps the tank full with more CNG -- just like our propane grills. (Photo by Luke Juran

  |    Login or Join to Post Comments