Why Nigeria Needs the Autogas System

-By Teddy Nwanunobi

Also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), autogas is a mixture of gases that are present in natural gas or dissolved in oil. The gaseous components at room temperature of LPG (propane and butane) are easy to liquefy – hence, their names.

Nigeria has what it takes to embark on autogas system. According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), domestic demand for natural gas will rise from current levels of 1.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf) to 7.4 Bcf by 2027.

The push by the Federal Government to get Nigerian vehicles run from petrol to autogas is one development that should be welcomed by all and sundry. This is because autogas will provide an alternative to petrol. It is the fuel for a new sustainable mobility.

During the launch of autogas push late last year, President Muhammadu Buhari noted that the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) launch “secured the realisation of government’s commitments to domestic gas utilisation”.

One cannot agree less with the President, who stated that gas is a catalyst for the Nigerian economy. He said that it provides “cleaner, safer and better energy options” for the country, adding that the resource has previously “been used sub optimally” because of a shortage of gas processing facilities.

Now, the sleeping giant is awake, and the Federal Government is encouraging greater domestic consumption of the liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

How does it work?

The NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Malam Mele Kyari, said the Corporation would provide conversion kits for the one million vehicles that the Federal Government is targeting. The car owners would drive their cars to any NNPC location where the necessary things that would recall the gas and receive it into the cars would be fitted into the cars.

Who can benefit?

The conversion is for every Nigerian that owns a car. During the NEGP launch, Buhari said that one million cars would be converted from petrol to auto by the end of 2021.

“The autogas initiative is coming at the right time, especially in light of global crude oil fluctuations, coupled with the deregulation of the local (petrol) market,” Buhari said, adding that the use of autogas “will not only cushion the effect of downstream deregulation but also create new markets and enormous job opportunities for our people”.

By using autogas, one contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases and the improvement of urban air quality. In Europe, for instance, there are more than 15 million autogas vehicles.

The Federal Government hinted that it wants to embark on a conversion of one million “petrol cars from PMS to autogas” for Nigerian car owners. Unlike what usually obtained in the country, this conversion is for free, it announced.

“The Federal Government, through the NNPC, will convert 1,000,000 petrol cars from PMS to autogas free of charge. The conversion is expected to be completed by the end of next year,” Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, tweeted on December 4, 2020.

This free conversion is a gesture that should be appreciated by Nigerians, especially when one realises that this change has a cost that ranges from €1,000 for a basic installation a little more than double for a more attractive and compact one. This would have cost N585,000 to convert one car, going by the parallel market of N585/euro as at Thursday, May 6 by 4pm.

In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to emission reductions through the national Gas Expansion Plan (GEP), the Lagos State Government plans to convert one million petrol vehicles to autogas over a four-year period.

According to the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Olatere Odusote, who made the disclosure at a two-day sensitisation and advocacy workshop on the adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for industry stakeholders last month, the above figure represents 25 per cent of the vehicles in the state.

“Nigeria can showcase Lagos as its flagship economy in addition to other pilot states. Lagos State has over four million vehicles, and our plan is to commence with the conversion of 25 per cent (1,000,000 vehicles) over a four-year period,” Odusote said

The workshop, with the theme: ‘Stimulating Lagos State Socio-economic Growth through LPG Adoption’, was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, with the support of the Office of the Vice President, the National LPG Expansion Plan and the German International Development Agency (GIZ).

Gains of autogas engine

There are many reasons one should key into this autogas project. Top among the reasons is that autogas engines are cheaper than petrol engines. In Europe, for instance, the cost per liter is 50 per cent less than that of gasoline or diesel. As consumption increases around 10 per cent, due to the difference in densities, the net economic saving is between 40 to 45 per cent. Another advantage is that its incorporation into the mechanics does not imply a major modification of the engine.

BeGas (Begas Motor), the first company to manufacture engines 100 per cent Euro6-D autogas with liquid phase injection, approved for trucks and city buses, noted that there is 68 per cent reduction in NOx emissions and 15 per cent CO2, if compared to gasoline; and 99 per cent particles, 96 per cent NOx, 50 per cent noise level and 10 per cent CO2, if compared in diesel or biodiesel.

There is the greater autonomy advantage, as the vehicles that are adapted to autogas multiply their autonomy by two by installing a second tank. Gasoline remains unchanged, and the driver can use both fuels interchangeably. The average autonomy of a vehicle with LPG is 500 or 600 kilometers. But this is double, if the gasoline tank is also used.

Autogas engines obey all the regulations required for the rest of fuels. Its dangerousness does not go beyond other flammable fuels.

There are fewer disadvantages for autogas engines, however. There is loss of the spare wheel, or part of the trunk. This is because it is usually the place where the new tank is placed. However, one can request for an anti-puncture kit (pump and sealant).

There is also loss of warranty by the Brand, regarding mechanical breakdowns.

 Making progress

Already, OMAA, an indigenous energy firm at Igbo Ukwu, Anambra State, made history last month when it rolled out Nigeria’s first locally assembled natural gas-powered buses. OMAA manufactures factory-fitted dual-fuel vehicles to meet the growing demand of vehicles that run on cleaner energy sources within Nigeria and across Africa.

The roll out took place at its facility near Nnewi, in the presence of Dr. Ishaku Abner, Technical Assistant (Downstream) to the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Pat Igwebuike, Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor on Legal Matters, and Dr. Mohammed M. Ibrahim, Chairman of the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP).

The company showcased its facility, and demonstrated its ability to cater to energy demands for the transportation and energy industry with natural gas.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Founder and CEO of OMAA, Mr. Chinedu Oguegbu, declared that Nigeria was about to witness a revolution.

“This is the beginning of a trend that will revolutionise, not just the transportation , but the energy industry in Nigeria, by accelerating utilisation of the abundant natural gas resources we are endowed with,” Oguegbu said.

He noted that the buses are rugged and more durable, because they are adapted to Nigerian roads, adding that the company was also expanding its network nationwide to ensure quality aftersales and availability of spare parts.

The autogas system is reliable since it is already a mature technology. They provide less costly overall maintenance: Automotive gas-powered vehicles double engine life due to less wear on cylinder and engine segments. Gas is cleaner, leaves fewer carbonaceous deposits on combustion, and allows engine oil to stay clean longer. BeGas suggests that liquefied gas can be used to provide lubrication to the combustion chamber and prevent premature valve wear produced by other non-liquid LPG systems.

Autogas is not dangerous. There is the same risk with a traditional gas tank. A periodical revision of 30,000 kilometres is recommended.

Refueling an autogas can be carried out at a conventional gas station, using a procedure similar to that of gasoline. The dispenser incorporates a safety button that must be pressed continuously while refueling lasts.

Finding out how much fuel one has in the gas tank is simple. Each autogas system displays fuel availability via LEDs integrated into the LPG/petrol switch.

The autogas plan is a very good policy. Beginning the 2021 with the autogas-propelled vehicles is a good one for Nigeria. One can only hope that vehicle manufacturers will devote as much attention to autogas vehicles as they do to electronic vehicles (EVs).

It is important that Nigerians should buy into this policy so as not to be left behind. Currently, there are more than 70 countries in the world where autogas is either preferred or is part of the energy mix, with Turkey, South Korea, Poland, Italy and Australia as the most dominant.