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Santo Domingo.- Industry and Commerce minister José del Castillo yesterday certified the 10,000th vehicle converted to natural gas in the country and the Caribbean.

The vehicle was converted in the workshops Pimax, which had also obtained the first conversion license in 2008, and the first to be authorized to conduct the change to natural gas.

The country currently has only 14 natural gas stations;  three in Santiago, one in Bonao (central) and 10 in Greater Santo Domingo, and soon in San Pedro (east), on the Las Americas highway and elsewhere, according to Industry and Commerce Non-conventional Energy director Salvador Rivas.

Del Castillo said the vehicle certification signals confidence that the use of natural gas in Dominican Republic is here to stay because it’s cheaper than other fuels.

Pimax president Solomon Contreras said compared with gasoline using natural gas saves around 59 percent.

More stations

Rivas said the widened use of that most important fuel was spurred by president Danilo Medina’s announcement o build natural gas-fired power plants, which means more uses not only in vehicles, but in areas such as industry and to generate electricity.

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COMMENTS
7 comment(s)
Written by: foresthill, 13 Mar 2013 8:05 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Wait until they tax this gas.
Written by: dreamkiller, 13 Mar 2013 8:30 AM
From: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), The Dentist will see you now
Tax josean and his hot air
Written by: jasfalon, 13 Mar 2013 8:32 AM
From: United States
Wait a minute! Gas is subsidized by the RD government so that Dominicans will cook with it, instead of chopping down trees. This is done to prevent deforestation, as what happened in Haiti. So the prices are set by the government.
And all of my friends have been using it for years, because it's cheaper than gasoline, but unsafely, as many people have done. They all have tanks rolling around in their trunks. It's RD, so i go with the flow. The accidents with these cars are frightening, and I have seen many.
10, 000 may be certified, but there's probably 3 times that which are set up unsafely.
And they can't afford to get them done right, and certified
Written by: dreadlocks, 13 Mar 2013 8:34 AM
From: United States
jasfalon, there is a difference between propane and natural gas. they are not the same thing.
Written by: glomarexplorer, 13 Mar 2013 8:44 AM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes

Greater Sto Dgo could benefit from expanded conversion of the fleet to CNG, particularly because of the reduced levels of CO2 emissions (about 25% less), and also the much reduced operating cost. With those significant cost reductions to operators, perhaps the benevolent association of bus drivers could pass on the cost benefits to the riders and stop those frequent strikes.

Still DR has a great energy problem in that it lacks natural resources of consumable fuels, which means it still has to import all of the fuel it uses, and soon to be at prevailing market cost, since I do not expect Venezuela to continue the present oil welfare system.

Anyone who ever read Taylor Caldwell's " The Captains and the Kings" would know that the "captains" control energy and their allegiance is only amongst themselves and transcends antional, racial and creed interests. They will never make less tomorrow than they did today, so expect gas cost to go up soon, after we are hooked.

MJEV.
Written by: anthonyC, 13 Mar 2013 10:51 AM
From: United States


"Del Castillo said the vehicle certification signals confidence that the use of natural gas in Dominican Republic is here to stay because it’s cheaper than other fuels."

That statement is so stupid that one would think that Del Castillo is a member of the PRD.



Written by: chillinout, 13 Mar 2013 2:28 PM
From: Dominican Republic
I think eventually the gov''t will add taxes to make up for the lost tax revenue as gasoline sales decline. Gasoline is about $1.50 cheaper in Florida even with federal and state taxes included so there musy be a bunch of taxes here. Plus I think there is only one NG distributor on the island which may lead to price trouble down the road.

I wish the article said how much it costs to convert a car and the performance difference.
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