10th Oct 2003
Wales can Lead Britain In Cutting Greenhouse Gases and Fuel
Bills
Britain's first facility for converting diesel vehicles to
run on liquid petroleum gas was officially opened today (October
10) at LPG Vision UK's Cardiff base by the Assembly Government's
Deputy Economic Development and Transport Minister Dr. Brian
Gibbons.
Until now, only petrol driven engines have been converted to
burn liquid petroleum gas (LPG) – which is much cheaper and
far cleaner environmentally.
Unique technology developed by the newly formed Welsh company
with help from the Welsh Assembly Government - which has provided
a £35,000 Assembly Investment Grant - and the Welsh Development
Agency now enables diesel engines to be converted for the first
time to run on a mix of diesel and LPG. This means that typical
diesel users such as road freight operations and local authority
bus services can make massive savings.
It's been estimated that in Wales alone, public service vehicles
– such as buses and ambulances - could save more than £80 million
a year on their fuel bills by using the diesel-LPG mix.
Greenhouse gas emissions from engines using the dual fuel are
68 per cent less than those from unconverted diesel engines
- which mean that widespread conversion could also make a major
contribution to the British government's legally binding commitment
to meet the Kyoto targets for cutting carbon gas emissions.
A recent report identified road transport as one of the major
culprits in causing these emissions – which the Government aims
to cut by 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010.
LPG Vision plans to set up a network of conversion centres employing
some 200 people and intends to create Britain's leading centre
for diesel conversion know-how and research in South Wales.
The company, formed last year in Cardiff Bay by local businessmen
Phil Lowndes and John Jones, plans to open a training centre
in Pontypool before the end of this year.
Company founder Phil Lowndes, said: "We believe that Cardiff
can become the industry's centre of excellence for this technology.
"We're breaking new ground and we're years ahead of anyone else
in the field. We're already working with other local companies
to provide things like warranty cover for converted engines
and we're talking to ELWa about training programmes for the
new skills needed.
"Our technology could be applied to trains, to ships, to power
station generators and other diesel users - and I think that,
by working with other Welsh companies and bodies such as the
Welsh Automotive Forum and the Welsh Development Agency, we
have an opportunity to become the main base of expertise in
an important new business.
LPG Vision's conversion units are already being tested on a
Cardiff City Council bus and will soon be on trial in Cardiff
Bay's water taxis. International inquiries have come from countries
as far afield as Mexico - where truck operators shipping exports
to California have serious problems in meeting pollution controls.
Further Details
For more information, please contact: Andy Phillips T: 029
2082 8691
The Welsh Development Agency is a Welsh Assembly Government
Sponsored Public Body whose purpose is to promote the economic
prosperity of Wales.
The Agency's roles include promoting employment and the growth
of business, encouraging greater competitiveness through enhanced
technology and innovation and improving the environment by land
reclamation and urban and rural regeneration. Since 1983, the
WDA has been responsible for attracting inward investment into
Wales and has achieved a track record of outstanding results.
Full information about the Agency and its activities is available
on its website at www.wda.co.uk
|
