Energy Bill Could Accelerate Growth of NGV Fueling Infrastructure

One of the issues of this presidential election year is certainly that of fuel. Not just alternative fuels, but that of things like more drilling. A new House Energy Bill introduced is expected to expand natural gas fueling infrastructure. Also, saying that they are going to require at least one natural gas, and one other alternative fuels pump at retail gas stations.

The energy bill introduced today by the Democratic House Leadership -- the ‘‘Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act’’ – could play a major role in expanding the natural gas fueling infrastructure in the U.S., according to NGVAmerica. Specifically, the bill would: (1) extend and expand the existing income tax credit for installing natural gas fueling stations (including doubling the income tax credit for natural gas home fueling appliances); (2) create Energy Security Bonds for grants and low-interest loans to place natural gas refueling property at retail motor fuel stations; and (3) mandate that, by 2018, each retail fueling station owned by a major integrated oil company shall have at least one natural gas or other alternative fuel pump (and necessary infrastructure and storage facilities).

All of these provisions were originally part of the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act , introduced in July by Reps. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Dan Boren (D-OK). “The NGV industry is deeply indebted to Reps. Emanuel and Boren for their leadership in supporting the growth of natural gas vehicles in America,” said NGVAmerica President Richard Kolodziej. “The industry is in discussions with auto manufacturers to produce and sell more NGVs here. A rapidly growing natural gas fueling infrastructure will facilitate those decisions.”

So...does this bill actually do anything for you? Will there be small business for sale in the fueling sector because they don't want to deal with the regulations? All in all I don't see a huge impact here for anyone. I am always of the opinion that the market dictates what businesses need to do. Since Japan and other countries are killing us in alternative fuel vehicles, you have to believe that eventually our automakers will get on board and build the ones that we demand as well. At this point here is little going on that gives you hope for our auto industry. Will a bill like this help push them that way? You would think that to be the case, but our automakers haven't done anything to keep themselves from losing money the last decade so what makes us think that they will in this one?