NEWS: "Palace prioritizing program for electric PUVs"

[ghosthunter]

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/218814/b...-electric-puvs

[SIZE="4"]Palace prioritizing program for electric PUVs[/SIZE]
04/27/2011 | 08:20 AM

In the wake of continued increases in prices of fuel, the government has started taking steps to wean public utility vehicles from fossil fuels, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Departments of Energy and Transportation and Communications have made the first step with tricycles.

“Yan ay priority measure, 'di maaring magpatuloy ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon na masyado tayong naliligalig sa pagkaroon ng volatility of oil price movement," he said in an interview on dzXL radio.

He noted they are starting the program with some one million public utility tricycles in the country.

The government will use a grant from the Asian Development Bank for this, he said.

“Ang unang programa natin, ang pinaka-basic transportation na ginagamit, ang tricycle. Ang objective natin alisin totally ang dependence ng tricycle sa oil at magkaroon ng electric tricycles," he said.

Coloma said that once this is completed, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will set their sights on other public utility vehicles such as jeeps and buses.

Many buses already use other forms of energy such as compressed natural gas (CNG) while some taxis and jeeps have been modified to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

“As for other forms of public transport, the DOTC and DOE are firming up specific measures," he said.

Power sector slightly affected

Meanwhile, Coloma noted the energy situation was not too affected by the rising prices of oil since only nine percent of electric power is sourced from fossil fuel.

He said only nine percent of electric power is generated through fossil fuel and the 91 percent is sourced from geothermal, hydroelectric and coal.

“Di tayo masyadong apektado, 9 percent lang ang fuel-related," he said. — LBG, GMA News

[ghosthunter]

Although it is a good move, would it be too little too late at this point?

Electric trikes are cheaper and easier to implement because of lower investment as compared to larger vehicles like e-jeepneys and maybe hybrid buses BUT the impact on the riding public would be also smaller, very localized only with electric trikes like the ones in the Fort.

Regarding the trikes in the FORT, I haven't seen them for a while. Are they still being used?

[Mguy]

Any word on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)? I remember we were pushing this type of fuel for buses then. So what's the byword for this now?

[ghosthunter]

Any word on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)? I remember we were pushing this type of fuel for buses then. So what's the byword for this now?

Last I have read about it (weeks ago), the government is planning to take over the operation of the two (?) CNG stations.

We can safely consider the government backed CNG bus project a failure.

[uls]

inuna kasi ng gobyerno yung pagparating ng CNG buses kahit wala pa yung CNG infrastructure

mga genius

[Monseratto]

Another reactive policy by our hare-brain politicians. They should have done that in 2008. The local industry will take decades just to catch up with existing battery technology and develop the infrastructure to mass produce these. Aren't there eletric bikes in China already? Why not just give incentives to import?

[sgt_taga]

ok na rin yan. kung matutuloy, maganda rin ang maidudulot sa lahat niyan pati na sa kapaligiran natin.

yun nga lang, anong plano nila sa pag-phase-out nung mga eyesore puvs at paano nila aaregluhin yung mga operators?

teka, this will probably only work if the gov't take over the transportation industry if not, regulate it.

[ghosthunter]

teka, this will probably only work if the gov't take over the transportation industry if not, regulate it.

You've hit the proverbial nail on the head.

[ghosthunter]

Another reactive policy by our hare-brain politicians. They should have done that in 2008. The local industry will take decades just to catch up with existing battery technology and develop the infrastructure to mass produce these. Aren't there eletric bikes in China already? Why not just give incentives to import?

Advantage doing it now is more choices, even if we just look at China as the supplier of e-trikes as a whole. Choice of more basic lead acid batteries would help minimize long term part sourcing & cost issues but not help in maximizing range.

[Monseratto]

The article is not clear how exactly they'll encourage the 1 million tricycles to go electric. Eh yung supposed implementasyon ng CNG conversions for PUVs is going nowhere itself.

[sgt_taga]

Another reactive policy by our hare-brain politicians. They should have done that in 2008. The local industry will take decades just to catch up with existing battery technology and develop the infrastructure to mass produce these. Aren't there eletric bikes in China already? Why not just give incentives to import?

nga lang brader, nung 2008, si gma pa ang nasa palasyo.

kung sinimulan man niya noon yan, malamang na nire-reverse na yan ng kasalukuyang mga namumuno... ke ayos o hindi - alam naman natin yan eh.

kung matuloy na yan ngayon, sana eh maayos ang plano at pagpapatupad para yung susunod na administrasyon eh ituloy yan...

... yun eh kung ang susunod eh me talino at di puro vendetta ang aasikasuhin.

[succubus]

Regarding the trikes in the FORT, I haven't seen them for a while. Are they still being used?

Yes. But I noticed that the number has significantly decreased. I had the chance to ride one. The engine (?) is extremely quiet when idling but it's very slow naman.

__________________
Haunting the Hunter

[robot.sonic]

Parang mas ayos pa kung yung mga buses na lang sa EDSA ang gawing CNG. Mayayaman mga operators nyan compared sa mga tricycle operators. Mas kaya nila makabili.

[ghosthunter]

Parang mas ayos pa kung yung mga buses na lang sa EDSA ang gawing CNG. Mayayaman mga operators nyan compared sa mga tricycle operators. Mas kaya nila makabili.

The problem with CNG is the supply. Even with just one CNG station, CNG supply was not consistent.

[robot.sonic]

Lumang balita:

CNG bus operators ask DOE to revive program on natural gas‏
September 1, 2010 10:30 am
MANILA, Aug. 31 — Operators of buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) urged the Department of Energy (DOE) to also include and revive the programs on the Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVPPT).
In a five pages letter to Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, bus operators belonging to the TICOM Co. Inc., stressed the need to give due importance on the government's NGVPPT project which was launched in 2004.
“The NGVPPT is a viable program that could answer a lot of problems not only in power generation but also in transportation, as it also spurs related and supplemental programs that will encourage private sector investment and participation,” the letter stated.
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed last February 2004 Executive Order 290 which created the NGVPPT, envisioned to enhance energy supply security in the transport sector through fuel diversification using indigenous natural gas.
“We reiterate our uncertainties on the viability of the NGVPPT but given our investments on the said project and the benefits not only to bus operators but ultimately the commuters, we have come up with suggestion for the completion and expansion of the NGVPPT,” the operators said.
Roberto Torres of RRCG Transport System Co., head of the bus operators also asked Almendras to look for alternative CNG mother-daughter facilities aside from the facilities operated by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.
According to the CNG bus owners, the facilities of Shell only started operations middle of 2008 and since then had ceased to operate.
Under the program, 200 CNG buses will be the initial customers of the Shell facilities but so far there are only 60 CNG buses operating.
The construction and installation of an alternative CNG mother-daughter facility by allowing and supporting a consortium of accredited downstream operators, to build and operate said facility that shall augment the existing CNG refueling station of Shell, they said.
While Shell and Chevron have indicated an intention to give up their CNG facilities, the operators said it would still be difficult to encourage investors to put its investment on the CNG project.
Shell is currently supplying CNG to around 17 buses instead of the entire 60 CNG-fueled buses.
Meantime, the operators asked DOE to also find other source of natural gas to fuel the CNG buses aside from Shell.
The group said research and exploratory talks with the National Power Corp. has revealed the possibility and feasibility of tapping the 1,200 Ilijian combined cycle natural gas power for the fuel source.
The Ilijan power plant has excess natural gas they said and could accomodate at least up to 2,000 buses.
“The plant’s existing gas receiving facility (located in its outer perimeter) where the natural gas from Shell pass through, has already built-in by pass line that can easily be tapped to provide fuel to a mother station, which can be built nearby,” the letter further said. (PNA) V3/MSN/utb

http://balita.ph/2010/09/01/cng-bus-...tural-gas8207/