Natural Gas Vehicles Could Be On The Horizon for Avon Lake

Passers-by at JGD Associates on Moore Road last week may have given a second look at a black Ford F-150 truck sitting outside the building last week, mostly because of the crowd standing around the idling vehicle with the raised hood.

With the exception of a yellow compressed natural gas tank in the bed of the truck, it would have appeared identical to other gasoline-running F-150 trucks. This one however, was drawing a crowd of onlookers to see just how similar the truck—which runs on gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG)—looks and runs.

and JGD principal John Dzwonczyk were touting the vehicles as an option to replace the city’s diesel-run vehicles such as dump trucks, salt spreaders and school buses. Fenderbosch said the city could make an investment in the systems in the next few years.

“It’s cleaner, cheaper and the (return on investment) is very quick,” Fenderbosch said.

Members of JGD and Girard, OH based CNG Solutions were touting the benefits of using CNG and gasoline vehicles, which costs about $6,500 to retrofit, depending on size.

Jim Sutton, an inspector with CNG Solutions, said each of the F-150s could expect to get 200 miles per tank. The savings come in the cost per gallon. Commercial gas stations were selling CNG at $1.85 a gallon last week, compared to $3.45 for regular gasoline. Sutton said engines on those vehicles should also last longer.

Dzwonczyk, who founded the Moore Road-based JGD & Associates in 1995, envisioned a CNG industry reinvigorating Ohio, saying that while

“Natural gas is an advantage here and could revolutionize Ohio,” he said. “It’s a natural resource for Ohio and Pennsylvania; it could create a market.”

Dzwonczyk said of larger network of gas stations would increase the demand and Ohio could also make equipment, resulting in an economic boon to the state.