US firm to invest in gas conversion  technology for RP tricycles

US-based Energtek Inc. plans to invest in the business of converting tricycles into natural gas-run vehicles for the Philippine transport sector.

Energtek chief operating officer Lev Zaidenberg said they are looking at converting half a million tricycle units in the country into gas-powered models within the next three to four years.

A number of tricycles have already been converted by Energtek, with most of these two-stroke and four-stroke three-wheelers now running optimally and efficiently on natural gas.

Zaidenberg is one of the speakers at the Compressed Natural Gas ‑ Natural Gas Vehicle (CNG-NGV) Philippines Forum to be held today (Aug. 27). Energtek is an official sponsor of the forum which aims to push natural gas vehicle solutions throughout the metropolis by 2010.

Zaidenberg said they would be highlighting in the event some samples of the first converted vehicles of the company’s commercial NGV project during the forum. These vehicles were converted using Energtek’s proprietary natural gas conversion and supply system for small vehicles, introduced during the conference as CNG Lite.

“The effects of the emissions reductions will be immediately felt throughout the Philippines . In addition to the environmental benefit, drivers of tricycles will save hundreds of dollars each year on fuel costs using CNG Lite,” Zaidenberg said.

“We are proud to deliver this technology to the Philippines, and look forward to fulfilling the government’s request to convert at least half a million of the country’s three million tricycles over the next three to four years.”

According to the company official, they are expected to convert an additional 10 vehicles during the month of September, and complete 3,000 tricycle conversions in the provinces in 2009. Similarly, Energtek aims to launch additional conversion projects over the next several months in the provinces of Cebu and Batangas.

The CNG Lite complete energy supply solution for small vehicles is powered by adsorbed natural gas technology, which enables hi-tech and cost-effective storage of natural gas by maximizing the quantities of gas stored in a tank.

The vehicles have been operating since July on natural gas extracted from the San Antonio stranded gas well. Environmental analysis of the vehicle sample reveals that carbon monoxide (CO) emissions from the tricycles are virtually eliminated following conversion.

Energtek’s CNG Lite™ conversion of gasoline-powered two-stoke tricycles reduces levels of CO from four percent to 0.6 percent, a reduction of 85 percent. Conversion of gasoline powered four-stroke tricycles reduced levels of carbon monoxide emissions from 2.5 percent to a virtually non-existent 0.05 percent, a reduction of 98 percent.       — Donnabelle  Gatdula