Post -Subsidy Alternative Fuels in Nigeria, a CNG / LPG Autogas Cost and Efficiency Comparison with Petrol

Dharmattan Gas and Power Ltd., has researched the comparison between Propane LPG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for the purpose of potential use in Nigeria. The company’s findings are captured below:

Propane auto gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) are two alternative fuels that can power vehicles with lower emissions and lower fuel costs than gasoline or diesel. However, there are some differences between them that may affect the total cost of ownership and operation as described below.

1. Initial cost of the vehicle and the fueling infrastructure.

Propane auto gas vehicles are typically cheaper to purchase and convert than CNG vehicles, and they can use existing gasoline tanks and fuel lines with minor modifications. CNG vehicles require more expensive tanks and fuel lines that can withstand high pressure, and they may need additional engine modifications. Propane auto gas fueling stations are also more widely available and cheaper to install than CNG stations, which require compressors and storage tanks.

2. Fuel efficiency and performance of the vehicle.

Propane auto gas has a higher energy density than CNG, which means it can deliver more power and range per unit of fuel. Propane auto gas vehicles also have similar performance to gasoline vehicles, while CNG vehicles may experience a slight loss of power and acceleration. However, CNG has a lower carbon content than propane auto gas, which means it produces less greenhouse gas emissions per mile.

3. Maintenance and safety of the vehicle and the fueling system.

Propane autogas and CNG are both cleaner burning fuels than gasoline or diesel, which means they can reduce engine wear and tear and extend the life of the vehicle.

Propane autogas and CNG are both cleaner burning fuels than gasoline or diesel, which means they can reduce engine wear and tear and extend the life of the vehicle.

CONVERSION KITS

The primary technical aspect of the proposed conversion is to note that there are two types of conversion kits namely: the VENTURI kit and the SEQUENTIAL kit.

Differences between the Venturi kit and Sequential kit for CNG and Propane Conversion

CONVERSION EQUIPMENT LIST

4. Tank
5. Filler
6. Injectors
7. Valves
8. Hoses and Pipes
9. Mixer
10. Converter

Manuel Fuel Selector Switch or ECU

PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM CNG CONVERSION

PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM PROPANE (AUTOGAS)

VEHICLE CONVERSION COSTS

FILLING EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION COSTS

ENERGY PRICE ANALYSIS

Gasoline Gallon Equivalent (GGE)

It is a unit of measurement used to compare the energy content of alternative fuels to that of a gallon of gasoline. It represents the amount of energy contained in a fuel that is equivalent to the energy contained in one gallon of gasoline.

1GGE = 1Galllon = 125,000 BTU

CONCLUSIONS

Developing a single CNG filling station costs approximately 6 times the cost of a single Propane Autogas (LPG) station Converting a vehicle from petrol/diesel to CNG costs 1.3 times the cost of converting to Propane Autogas(LPG) LPG filling infrastructure currently exists in many petrol stations for the sale of cooking gas, unlike CNG filling infrastructure that currently exist in only a handful of locations nationwide.

Co-locating LPG filling infrastructure with existing petrol stations is already widely practiced making its adoption for vehicle fueling relatively seamless.

CNG price per energy unit is slightly higher than current petrol price, Propane price is higher, while petrol price is expected to be higher after removal of subsidy, assuming a price similar to diesel of N700/litre