Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

Gas refueling stations

This is the first step in a viable alternative for cars powered by fossil fuels: cars powered by natural gas. Gas refueling stations are necessary for a viable alternative.

Authorities, businessmen, guests, media,... the moment is worth it. It is the inauguration of the first gas refueling station in the Basque Country linked to the gas network. It’s like a gas station, but in the place of gasoline, it sells gas, just like natural gas, used in the kitchen or in the stoves of homes. It has been expanded by the EDP company and is the first step in a viable alternative for fossil fuel powered cars. With the aim of being a model, EDP itself is changing all the cars of the company, becoming a gas user. This is one.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: Normally, cars and vans that run on natural gas are bifuels, that is, they are capable of running on gas and even gasoline. They usually have special equipment for this, especially the double input to the engine is required. A centralita will know if the car is running with natural gas or gasoline and will make the appropriate air mixture that each one needs. One engine, two fuels.

IÑAKI LETURIA; Elhuyar: The driver or the consumer may ask this question, should I press a switch? Operate a billet to choose gasoline or gas?

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: No, the car does this automatically and without touching anything, from natural gas to gasoline and to make the opposite route you don’t have to do anything. Natural gas is the preferred fuel and leaks into gasoline when the pressure drops below 6 bar.

There is a transformation of a gasoline car to use gas, but more and more serial cars bring this option from the factory and are offered in world markets.

JUAN RAMON ARRAIBI; EDP: This is a trend all over the world, the big car manufacturers are all over the world, not only here, this is a global trend. you’ve seen this is a real alternative that works and is the only alternative we have today. In the end, the cars are the same, but they're not gasoline, they're gas.

There are 18 million cars in the world right now. Iran, Pakistan, Argentina and Brazil are the top ranking countries. On Iran’s roads, for example, more than 3 million cars run on natural gas. In Spain they do not reach 20,000, but every year the number grows by 20% and therefore the need for gas stations. by 2020, 60 million cars in the world will be powered by natural gas.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: Since the engine runs on two fuels, it carries two tanks. What's underneath here is the gas tank. 13 kilos of gas enter it and with it you can travel 350-400 kilometers.

Compressed natural gas should not be confused with liquefied petroleum gas that has recently begun to sell to certain gas stations. The natural gas is methane by nature, and the other is a mixture of propane and butane.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: And inside you can see that it has two indicators, one for gasoline and one for gas. It automatically jumps from one to the other when the pressure in the tanks drops during operation, without you noticing it.

Natural gas is cheaper than conventional fossil fuels, it is between 30 and 50% cheaper. It results in less CO2 emissions, but mostly in the disappearance of almost 100% of sulfur and nitrogen oxides and other polluting particles.

IÑAKI LETURIA; Elhuyar:It has two plugs, one will be for gasoline...

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP:... and the other, superior, for compressed natural gas.

The engine has to work less to burn natural gas and it’s safer: if there was a leak, it would go up because it’s lighter than air.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: This is a standard connector, NG1, designed to adapt quickly and recharge quickly. And it's loading. The price of fuel, as you can see, comes in units of mass, that is, in euros per kilo

The pressure difference is what drives the gas from the pipe to the tank. The pressure in the dispenser is 250 bar and again just 6 in the empty tank.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: when it reaches 200 bar, it will jump. A utilitarian like this could load 13 kilos, but in addition, this capacity can vary, you can ask the factory for a tank with the autonomy that you want.

IÑAKI LETURIA; Elhuyar:He's whistling.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: Yeah, it means he's finished when he makes three, Lixto.

Using a simple rule of three, knowing that with those 13 kilos it travels 400 kilometers, this car would need approximately 3 kilos of gas per 100 kilometers, which is 3 euros. It is also true that the deposit takes up more space, especially in cases where the conversion is carried out. On the other hand, in new cars, it comes integrated and is not noticeable.

The above-mentioned savings of between 30% and 50% depends on the installation. If we throw fuel into the gas station, we take advantage of this infrastructure, but we can have our own gas station, either at home or at work. This one is also from EDP. Anyone could have a similar supply point. A normal connection to the gas network is sufficient for this purpose and a compressor. Depending on the strength of the compressor, the load will carry more or less. A basic gas station costs 3,000 euros and fills the tank in 8 hours. That’s how you can save 50%. You have to do the math to find out if it's worth it or not.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: At this station, two cars can refuel at the same time every 5 minutes, without interruption all day. The gas comes through this trench with a pressure of 250 bar.

And this is the connection that connects the gas supply station to the general gas network. It's like a gas station is directly connected to the refinery's pipelines.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP: This is what differentiates this in itself from a gas station, it is a continuous supply, it does not have to come to be filled intermittently by a truck, because the gas distribution is connected to the network. This is a compressor because the net pressure is 10 bar and the compressor raises it to 250.

Higher pressure, shorter charging time. An example of that. Madrid is home to one of the largest gas stations in the world. Public transport bus depots are loaded here: it only takes 3 minutes and can charge up to nine at a time.

ALVARO MARCÉ; EDP This is a warehouse, a bottle battery. The gas is stored in these 10 bottles at a pressure of 250 bar. In this way the compressor does not have to be constantly working and the service is faster, because we already have the gas stored, at the required pressure, 250 bar. When the vehicle comes di-da goes to 200 bar.

Natural gas is still missing to be conventional, but it has started with the advantage that, unlike fossil fuels, methane can be produced, for example, using organic waste. Technologically, the countries of northern Europe are very advanced in this area. And with the remnants of wind energy, such as those generated at night, and the process that contains hydrogen and carbon dioxide as raw materials also results in gas that can be used as fuel. And many well-known brands are also being investigated.