A GOOD number of vehicles are being converted from gasoline to environment-friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) mode every day in Abu Dhabi emirate.
These converted vehicles are safe to drive, save almost 30 per cent of the fuel expenditure, reduce the CO2 emission by 25 per cent and decrease carbon monoxide emission by 80 per cent.
Emirates Transport, the UAE Federal government corporation, has three conversion centres across Abu Dhabi, in which some 18 to 22 vehicles are converted to CNG mode per day (at all three centres). Emirates Transport general manager Mohammed Abdullah Al Jerman says the target is to convert 25 per cent of the government fleet in the emirate by the end of 2012.
“At the three centres, we have converted 1,450 vehicles so far,” he says.
Abu Dhabi Island’s Khalifa City (A) Conversion Centre is the biggest in the UAE and has 12 vehicle conversion bays, while the second centre is in Manaseer in the Capital and the third in Zakheer area in Al Ain.
Besides these, two more centres are operated, by CG Tech (Compressed Gas Technology) – one in the Mushrif area in the Capital and the other at Al Dhafra in Musaffah on Tarif Road. “Our target is to convert 22 vehicles per day as now, we are converting only 15 to 18 vehicles per day,” Al Jerman says.
In reply to a question about fuel consumption and monetary savings in comparison with conventional cars, Sheikh Reaz, assistant project manager of Emirates Transport, says one can save up to 30 per cent in expenditure as compared to a petrol-run car. “For example, if one spends Dh1,000 on petrol cars in a month, he/she will have to spend only Dh700 for CNG for as much use in a month,” he says.
Recently, the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police signed an agreement with the Emirates Transport to convert its vehicle fleet to the CNG mode from gasoline. Major-General Khalil Dawood Badran, Director of the Department of Finance and Services at Abu Dhabi Police, and Al Jerman signed the agreement.
Badran says the conversion of police vehicles is under the guidelines of Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to coordinate with the public and private sectors to achieve the developmental goals of the country.
Shaikh Saif, in a statement, says the Abu Dhabi Police are the first government entity which adopted the conversion of its fleet to CNG. A total of 380 police vehicles have been converted so far.
“This step of the Abu Dhabi Police is a great boost for us and we are taking all measures to provide a high standard of quality and services,” Al Jerman says.
Whereas CG Tech is concerned, it has converted over 300 vehicles including police vehicles and taxis so far.
It has three conversion centres in Abu Dhabi in which only two are operational now, says Sharun Viswanathan, project manager at CG Tech. “Besides, we have three conversion centres in Sharjah, of which one is going to be opened this month,” Viswanathan says.
The total cost of conversion per vehicle from gasoline to CNG is Dh7,400 for 4-cylinder vehicle, Dh8,000 for 6-cylinder and Dh9,400 for 8-cylinder vehicles, Mahir Al Sayed Al Rafaee, manager for CNG Centre, says.
It takes approximately four to six hours to convert one vehicle. The time for conversion differs as per the make and model of vehicles, says Al Rafaee.
