First CNG station on
S'pore mainland to open
TODAYonline November 22, 2007
THE green drive will get a boost early next year when the first
compressed natural gas (CNG) retail station on the mainland opens
to the public at Jalan Buroh.
The station, in the western part of Singapore, is a joint
initiative between Singapore Petroleum Company and SembCorp Gas.
The only other CNG refuelling station now is on Jurong
Island.
Calling it a significant development, National Environment Agency
chief executive officer Lee Yuen Hee said: "If more CNG retailing
stations are set up across the island, it would help pave the way
for more Singaporeans to opt for CNG-powered vehicles."
According to SembCorp Gas director Francis J Gomez, there are plans
to build "three or four" more CNG stations in expectation of
increased demand and going forward, there would be services to
convert petrol-fuelled cars to CNG.
Also in the race to provide CNG is taxi operator Smart Automobile,
which has plans to set up similar stations by next year. In
September, its affiliate Smart Energy held a ground-breaking
ceremony at the site of its station in Mandai, which is expected to
be ready by February.
Another station at Serangoon North is scheduled to open later next
year.
Smart Automobile operates the first and largest fleet of CNG-taxis
here with more than 110 plying the roads.
As of September, there were about 240 privately-owned CNG-fuelled
vehicles and 130 CNG-powered taxis on the Republic's roads.
Compared to diesel-fuelled vehicles, CNG-powered vehicles produce
76 per cent less carbon monoxide and about 99 per cent less of the
cancer-causing chemical benzene. sheralyn tay
