It said the volumes over the next three years will be in excess of 1,000 buses and 1,500 trucks, with unlimited potential after the pilot program is completed. Development programs will commence immediately in Australia and Thailand, with emissions and performance trials commencing in 3rd quarter 2005.
Robin Hughes, the chief executive officer of Greengas Group, said the importance of the deal was underlined by the presence of the minister of energy, Kuhn Viset Choopiban and the president of PTT, Prasert Bunsumpun who was a signatory to the MOU.
He said further significant opportunities were identified for the conversion to CNG of marine diesel engines for offshore supply vessels operated by PTT in the gulf of Thailand.
“The continued support of PTT and the Thai government departments in these environmental programmes demonstrates a keen awareness of the social and commercial needs to address pollution and a reduction in fossil fuels usage”.
“Our partners whose vehicles we are converting have shown a maturity and understanding of the needs to address the long-term need to manage operating costs and their social responsibilities to their customers.”
Greengas has been involved in the alternative fuels engine conversion market for 5 years and has developed a number of commercially viable business models with clients in Asia, Australia and the UK. Its UK operation was recently awarded a development grant to open an engineering centre of excellence in Wales.
Greengas is the global marketing partner of Gastech Engine & Equipment Co. Pty Ltd of Melbourne Australia, who will be undertaking the development of the engines. Gastech is the only accredited alternative fuels engine developer in Australia with its own in-house engine and chassis dynamometer facilities and online gas supply. Conversion systems are developed to replicate diesel performance.
The Gastech electronic sequential fuel injection technology is patented and designed to meet Euro 3 and Euro 4 emissions standards, and has recently received Singapore land transport department type approval for the taxis in Singapore.
In Australia the Australian Greenhouse Office – ‘AGO’ has awarded Gastech an accreditation grant for the conversion of a range of Cummins ‘c’ series engines.
