Natural gas vehicle event wraps up Wednesday

The President of Natural Gas Vehicles of America says now is the time for West Virginia to get in the driver’s seat when it comes to natural gas powered vehicles.

“We’re going to grow no matter whether the government is involved or not,” Richard Kolodziej said at the Appalachian Basin NGV Expo and Conference on Tuesday in the Capitol City.

“If a state like West Virginia wants to encourage the growth to be even greater, then they can step in and provide incentives that will make the economics even better and attract more fleets faster.”

He says the main focus, when it comes to NGV development, is on fleet vehicles, especially those that return to a common location each day.

Kolodziej says such fleets reduce the number of needed natural gas fueling stations.

But Norman Herrera, the Director of Market Development out of Chesapeake Energy’s Oklahoma City Corporate Office, says working to expand non fleet vehicles, powered by natural gas, makes sense as well.

Herrera points to Bridgeport as an example where natural gas producers who operate in the area have brought the first natural gas fueling station online.  “The trick is really going to be, how many times can we replicate Bridgeport all throughout the state?”

The Appalachian Basin NGV Expo and Conference will wrap up today at the Charleston Civic Center.

Hundreds of natural gas and vehicle industry officials from across the United States have been part of it.