WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Congressmen Dan Boren and John Sullivan successfully amended the FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Act late last week to include funding for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of natural gas vehicle (NGV) technology under the U.S. Department of Energy.
“This funding will assist the NGV industry, made up mostly of smaller companies, to accelerate the integration of natural gas vehicles into the market in the time frame America needs - especially for medium and large trucks, buses, and service vehicles,” Congressman Boren said. "Increased use of natural gas vehicles can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, promoting U.S. energy security, while at the same time giving us a cheaper and cleaner alternative to gasoline and diesel. I thank Congressman Sullivan for his work on this issue.”
“I believe that natural gas must continue to play an important role in decreasing our dependence on foreign sources of oil and leading America to greater energy security. I was pleased to work with my colleague Congressman Dan Boren on this amendment, which will undoubtedly help Oklahoma invest in research for natural gas vehicles. Natural gas is not just American made energy, its Oklahoma made energy. Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 1622, legislation which reauthorizes the Natural Gas Vehicle Research and Development program for five years,” Congressman Sullivan said.
In 1992, Congress authorized within DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) - the Vehicle Technologies program to fund a wide range of research activities on passenger vehicles and heavy-duty trucks. The program's mission is to “develop `leap frog' technologies that will provide Americans with greater freedom of mobility and energy security, while lowering costs and reducing impacts on the environment."
Though the Department funded natural gas vehicle R&D through this program until FY2005, since then, there have been no DOE activities in this area.
Boren and Sullivan's amendment would add $5 million in funding to the EERE Vehicles Technologies, Fuels Technology program for NGV research, development, and demonstration. The amendment would advance NGV technology and accelerate our movement towards energy independence. While the majority of the petroleum used in the U.S. is imported, natural gas is domestically produced.
While the majority of the petroleum used in the U.S. is imported, natural gas is domestically produced. According to the Potential Gas Agency at the Colorado School of Mines, the U.S. natural gas resource base is over a 100 year supply. In 2008, NGVs displaced 250 million gallons of petroleum in the US. With adequate support, by 2020, that could grow to 10 billion gallons according NGVAmerica.
The amendment was adopted with overwhelming support by a vote of 427 to 4. The underlying legislation is expected to pass the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday and will go to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
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