THE IMPERATIVE TO CONVERT TO LPG

The Philippine Star
10/09/09

Liquified petroleum gas or LPG is gaining a lot of popularity these days for use in local public transport vehicles. The number one converts in particular are taxicab drivers who swear to lower fuel costs, often translating to a 100 percent increase in take home pay.

Being a clean-burning fuel, LPG use in vehicles also means reduced maintenance requirements and cost, lesser engine vibration and a power output and torque comparable with petrol engines.

The other less acknowledged benefit of using auto LPG is a cleaner emission. The energy department says that LPG-powered vehicles produce at least 15 percent less greenhouse gas emissions and up to 80 percent less toxic emissions.

LPG also has typically around 20 percent less ozone-forming potential, a measure of the fuel’s capability to generate photochemical smog, which causes cancer and respiratory problems.

The Philippines, however, is a Johnny-come-lately where LPG use for vehicles is concerned. There are more than 10 million transportation vehicles all over the world running on LPG fuel, while we can boast of only about 10,000 taxis converted to LPG.

Furthermore, LPG technology for vehicles has improved so much in countries like Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea, the UK, Taiwan, and many other developed countries for years. In contrast, there are still a number of LPG-converted vehicles that are clumsily retrofitted with questionable kits.

Safety issues

This brings the safety issue in the Philippines as still one of the major reasons for the slow shift to auto LPG. There have not been a few complaints from passengers, even drivers themselves, of feeling nauseous after being exposed to fuel fumes inside the cabs.

There have also been reports of fly-by-night, and therefore illegal, conversion shops that employ unqualified personnel who are ill-equipped to tinker with a vehicle’s fuel system, much less understand the engine’s management system.

These kinds of shops are responsible for those “instant” LPG conversion kits that have had passengers complaining of smelly fuel fumes escaping through the aircon vents. Unfairly, this is what is giving auto LPG its current dreaded reputation.

Because of faulty conversion, fuel inefficiency and loss of power are experienced. So for perceived savings of a few thousand pesos, drivers of converted taxicabs complain of a dramatic rise in their fuel bill and power loss when they have a full cab or going uphill.

Apprehension

The energy department has warned scoundrel businessmen that they face heavy sanctions for continuing to ply their trade without the proper government permits. Taxi drivers are also asked to bring the vehicle’s certification from accredited LPG converters.

Enforcement of existing laws is important if the government is sincere in protecting the safety and health of public utility vehicle passengers as well as drivers, and in pursuing the campaign to partially shift vehicle fuel use to a cleaner energy source.

The downside though, and which must be closely monitored by the proper government agency, is the impact of increased demand of LPG on the traditional cooking sector. LPG supply and distribution could be prone to manipulation by unscrupulous individuals or companies because of a perceived regulatory weakness.

Jeepney conversion

One of the challenges in the government’s auto LPG program is the conversion of the predominantly diesel-fueled jeepneys. These popular public utility vehicles are notorious for their dirty exhausts because of poorly maintained and more than 20-year-old engines.

These dinosaurs of public transport, jeepneys were encouraged to convert to engines that can run on 70 percent diesel and 30 percent LPG. Despite an allocation of P1 billion that jeepney owners may tap with the Development Bank of the Philippines, there have been few takers.

The biggest problem which has surfaced is the reluctance of jeepney drivers to borrow about P70,000 at amortization rates of P80 per day for the conversion hardware despite a demonstration of fuel savings – and therefore, a take-home pay increase.

Second, there have been a lot of critical views as to the wisdom of keeping the old diesel engines, which are largely inefficient and nearing collapse from a combination of old age, poor maintenance, and overwork.

Wouldn’t it be wiser to just change the old engine with a gasoline engine that can run 100 percent LPG or better still, replace with a true certifiable LPG engine? Once again though, the downside to this idea is the cost: a good second-hand gasoline or LPG engine would cost more than P200,000, an amount that no jeepney owner would want to borrow even at zero-interest rates.

Push for clean air

I’ve heard of this alternative proposal by the CEO of Bates 141, an ad agency with offices here in the Philippines. Peter Sandor has been making a sales pitch to companies, Petron included, to use jeepneys as advertising media in lieu of a donation to replace the old diesel engine with one running on LPG.

The ad contract is a whole year, and according to Peter, there is undeniable media value in having your product paraded in major thoroughfares 365 days of the year, plus the benefit of seeing an immediate reduction of harmful and noxious emissions and fumes.

In other countries, like Australia and the UK, governments are giving huge incentives to encourage vehicles to shift to LPG use. But that route does not seem to curry favor from our bureaucrats, either because of the cost on the national treasury or perhaps the absence of other “incentives.”

If the government is not doing enough, then let companies truly committed to supporting a green environment give this concept a try. And Peter’s idea seems worthy of consideration. There are about 55,000 jeepneys in Metro Manila waiting to be converted. Let’s give the race for clean air a big push.

Champions League update

De La Salle Green Archers, the 2008 Philippine Collegiate champion, recently received a special sponsorship in the amount of P1 million from Smart Telecommunications. This award was in lieu of the trip to Serbia for the University Games. The Philippines was not included in the limited number of participants by FISU, University Games organizer, as the country was not in the priority list for being inactive in this international basketball competition for more than a decade.

DLSU’s Bro. Bernie Oca also recently confirmed that the Green Archers, which landed only sixth place in the UAAP, will defend their title as National Collegiate Champion and will go thru the zonal qualifying games at Naga City to earn a seat in the “Sweet 16” Finals.

For updates on progress of teams as they continue the journey towards the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Championship games, visit the official website, www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net or send email enquiries to PCCL_secretariat@yahoo.com.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, SalcedoVillage, 1227 MakatiCity. Or e-mail me at reydgamboa@yahoo.com. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net