[vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]What is a natural gas vehicle?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]A natural gas vehicle (NGV) is designed to be environmentally and economically friendly.  These vehicles can be powered by two forms of natural gas: compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquid natural gas (LNG). Vehicles can either be dedicated to run on natural gas only, or a dual-fuel vehicle to run on gasoline & diesel as well.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_single_image css_animation=”” image=”2340″ border_color=”” img_link_large=”” link=”http://www.ngvjournal.com/en/photos/history” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]How long have they been around?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]According to First Car Now, the very beginning of the natural gas vehicle idea is difficult to pinpoint because alternative fuel experiments have been taking place for centuries. But we do know that there were NGVs on the streets in the 1930s. If you are interested in seeing what some of the early NGVs looked like, check out this photo gallery in the NGV Journal. There are pictures showing first generation cars, vans, buses, signs, and trains that were powered by CNG.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]What does the NGV industry look like today?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]NGVs never really disappeared at any point since the 1930s, they just weren’t as popular because World War II helped with an expansion of crude oil. Today there are about 15.2 million of them all over the world and about 120,000 are in the U.S. It is projected that by 2016 there will be an increase of 7.9% which will raise the 15.2 million to 19.9 million.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Currently the United States does not even make the top 10 list for countries with the most natural gas vehicles, instead coming in at Number 17. However, use of natural gas for transportation is growing and North America is expected to see some of the fastest growth due to its abundance and low cost.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]What do NGVs mean for Cabot?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]They mean opportunity. Cabot strives to be as self-sufficient as possible when it comes to running our equipment. Check out an earlier blog post discussing our use of homegrown energy. With our fleet cars converted, one of our rigs ready to start using natural gas for drilling and a CNG station opening within the next month, Cabot will be able to utilize the very natural gas it is producing from Susquehanna County.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_single_image image=”2341″ border_color=”” img_link_large=”” link=”” img_link_target=”” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Cabot is setting records when it comes to natural gas production. Since the start of Cabot’s Marcellus Shale drilling efforts, we have produced about 354 billion cubic feet of natural gas. That’s enough to provide fuel to 30.5 million vehicles to take all of the residents of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and New York on a road trip from Boston to San Francisco.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The future…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Natural gas vehicles are predicted to number 50 million worldwide in only 10 years. The number for public transit vehicles who use CNG is rising rapidly, specifically for waste collection and transfer vehicles. Airports are even starting to catch on to the phenomenon! More and more people are also starting to convert their vehicles into either a dual system or a CNG only system and vehicles are starting to be manufactured with the ability to run on natural gas.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row animation=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]If you are interested in learning more about what steps you can take to convert your vehicle, take a look at this Q&A offered by Natural Gas Vehicles for America.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]