NGVs - Energy Security

Natural gas vehicles promote energy independence and a strong economy.

NGVs offer a proven and reliable technology that has the potential to increase the United States’ energy security. Experts say the United States has a 120-year supply of natural gas, and that number continues to increase due to technological advances allowing new sources of gas to be retrieved.

As an abundant, domestically produced fuel, natural gas reduces the United States’ dependence on foreign oil and creates jobs for America. According to America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA), the natural gas industry supports more than 2.8 million jobs in the United States and in 2008 contributed $385 billion to our nation’s economy.

Natural gas is produced right here in the United States. 98% of the natural gas used in the U.S. comes from North America:

• 85% is produced in the U.S.
• 13% is produced in Canada

Plus, the infrastructure that gets it into our homes and vehicles is already established.  New discoveries are outpacing consumption.  Due to changes in energy economics and improvements in production technology, the amount that can be produced is actually increasing. 

According to NGVAmerica, America used 22.9 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas in 2007.  Of that amount, the 130,000 NGVs operating on U.S roads used no more than 0.052 percent!  Even if the number of NGVs were to increase 100-fold in the next ten years, or roughly 5 percent of the entire vehicle market, the impact on natural gas supplies and the natural gas delivery infrastructure would be small -- about 4 percent of total U.S. natural gas consumption.