DOE exec: Taxis using LPG fuel safe and nonhazardous
Department of Energy (DOE) Visayas Field Office Director Antonio Labios yesterday assured the public that taxis using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) fuel are safe and not hazardous.
Labios said the use of LPG fuel is being promoted by the government. The auto-LPG taxis are safe provided it is using the "right equipment," said Labios.
Labios explained, the fumes coming from the LPG is not "odorous." It is an odorless gas but an "odorant" is included in its composition for the users to distinguish it from other forms of gases. The fumes will help users determine the leaks in the hose that connects to the cylinders, he said.
LPG is obtained from natural gas through fractionation and from crude oil through refining. It is a mixture of petroleum gases like ethane and butane. The higher energy content in this fuel results in a 10 % reduction of CO2 emission as compared to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
The use of LPG fuel is more environment-friendly and cheaper by 30 to 50 percent compared with gasoline. It is an alternative fuel for the taxi, Labios said.
Labios added, there is no medical record or report showing that the use of LPG fuel resulted to the death of taxi driver or passenger in the different areas of the country where auto-LPG taxis are currently in use. Iloilo City is one of the cities in the country identified by the energy department to adapt the technology.
Labios stressed there are three most pressing rules that operators must observe to have safe and hazard-free auto-LPG taxis. He said, they must use the right cylinder and puncture resistance, installation of the conversion kit should be correct and the equipment must be certified by the Bureau of Public Standards (BPS).
The three agencies responsible to monitor the conversion and use of auto-LPG taxis are the DOE, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Land Transportation Office (LTO). The local government unit concerned and the fire bureau also have roles in the regulation of the operation of auto-LPG taxis.
Labios said the energy department takes care of the LPG refilling or dispensing stations for taxi use. The trade and industry department will take steps in ensuring the quality of the conversion equipment and TESDA has the technical people to do the conversion.
On the other hand, the LTO is in charge of the registration of vehicles using auto-LPG. Currently, registration of vehicles does not contain indicators on whether the unit is using auto-LPG. The local government unit, on the other hand, issues the zoning clearance for the specialized LPG refilling or dispensing station while the fire bureau inspects the proposed site of the dispensing station.
Labios added the use of auto-LPG taxi is not new. It has been in use in the 1950s and there are already countries using auto-LPG taxis. Taxi units in Hongkong are 100 percent auto-LPG taxis. Auto-LPG taxis are also operational in New Zealand, Australia, Korea and Thailand.
In Iloilo City, three taxi units – the GDR, Light of Glory and Forbes – are using LPG fuel. DOE has no available figures on how many taxis in the city are using LPG fuel. Nationwide, there are more or less 7,000 auto-LPG taxis, 3,000 taxi units come from Cebu.
According to Engr. J. Rey C. Maleza, DOE's supervisor, when the passenger could smell the LPG fumes inside the taxi, something could be wrong in the installation of the conversion kit. He said the filling valve could be loose and needs to be fixed. The conversion kit costs from P25,000 to P30,000.
In such cases, the accumulated gas inside the chamber or the car's compartment could create fire. Maleza said the installation of the conversion kit should be done by skilled and trained technicians from TESDA.
The taxi units in the city currently have their own refilling stations in their respective garage. However, there are two companies that applied for the auto-LPG refilling stations, the Pryce Gas and Petronas.