US firm pushes gas-run tricycles in RP

MANILA, Philippines - US-based Energtek Inc. is planning to invest in the Philippine natural gas industry by pushing the conversion of tricycles into gas-run vehicles.

Department of Energy (DOE) director for planning Jesus Tamang said Energtek has started demonstrating their technology using natural gas from the Isabela onshore gas field.

According to Tamang, Energtek is among those that have applied for accreditation with the DOE to engage in the business of natural gas on vehicles. Aside from Energtek, the other firm that had been accredited is Callandra LNG.

Tamang said the company is now in the process of introducing the gas-run tricycles in the Metro Manila and Batangas areas.

In August 2008, the firm said it had planned to convert half a million tricycle units in the near term. Most of these two-stroke and four-stroke three-wheelers have been running optimally and efficiently on natural gas.

Energtek’s CNG Lite complete energy supply solution for small vehicles is powered by Adsorbed Natural Gas (ANG) technology, which enables hi-tech and cost-effective storage of natural gas, by maximizing the quantities of gas stored in a tank.

ANG greatly reduces the infrastructure, fueling and energy costs of supply solutions to consumers where no pipeline or refueling infrastructure is present. It enables new markets of motor vehicle fleets and large commercial consumers, to benefit from environmentally friendly and affordable natural gas.

The vehicles have been operating since July 2008 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 conversion of gasoline powered two-stroke tricycles reduces levels of CO from four percent to 0.6 percent, while conversion of gasoline powered four-stroke tricycles reduces CO levels of emissions from 2.5 percent to a virtually non-existent 0.05 percent.

The US firm develops and applies proprietary ANG technology to provide complete pipeless natural gas supply solutions to fleets of small vehicles and industrial consumers. Its natural gas solutions reduce pollution and alleviate consumer energy costs.

The company provides a profitable alternative motor fuel solution for the large market of low-income two- and three-wheel vehicle drivers in Asia . Energtek operates subsidiaries in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.