Nun's natural gas car seen in order's future

Natural gas vehicles have several benefits: They cost less to drive, they're better for the environment, and they can outperform their gasoline-powered counterparts. In fact, natural gas race cars can go a quarter of a mile in 9.9 seconds traveling at 142 miles per hour.

If Sister Jean Keating, CSJ, has her way, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet will soon be putting their feet to the pedals of these vehicles -- at a more reasonable speed.

Sister Jean manages the fleet of vehicles for the order. The fleet includes 194 vehicles located everywhere from New York State to Alaska. Recently, she test drove Niagara Mohawk's natural gas van and found it to be an "excellent experience."

Positive trip

"We would be delighted to try it because of the impact on the environment," explained Sister Jean, a biology teacher by training. "It cuts pollution, and the maintenance on the vehicle is reduced. You need fewer oil changes and spark plugs."

The environmental impact of natural gas vehicles, known as NGVs can be great, said Sister Jean. According to the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, use of NGVs can significantly reduce air pollution. Compressed natural gas, which is used in the 700,000 NGVs on the road worldwide, reduces reactive hydrocarbon emission by 80 percent and nitrogen oxides by 30 percent. Those two gasses are the key ingredients in smog. The vehicles also reduce carbon monoxide by 95 percent.

According to the Coalition, 60 percent of gasoline engine pollutants enter the air by evaporation during idling and refueling, but compressed natural gas engines do not release any evaporative emissions.

Ten-year plan

Those features of the vehicles are important to the Sisters of St. Joseph because of their interest in improving and preserving the environment, Sister Jean explained.

The order's Homeland Committee focuses on environmental issues, and the order had a resource audit conducted at the Provincial House to find ways to make it environmentally friendly. The sisters now have a ten-year plan to continue to make improvements. Use of NGVs would allow the sisters to continue to do their part for the environment, she said.

"This is near and dear to my heart," said Sister Jean. "No one had to encourage me to be interested in alternative fuels."

Steps toward future

Her plan is to incorporate NGVs into the sisters' fleet. This can be done by purchasing NGV vehicles or converting gas-powered cars. Sister Jean's long-term goal is to locate a compressed natural gas pump on the grounds of the Provincial House so that the sisters would be able to fill up their cars more conveniently.

While the environmental impact of natural gas is great, Sister Jean is also attracted by the financial benefits of these vehicles. According to the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, natural gas costs 20 to 30 center a gallon less than gasoline. Combined with the reduced need for vehicle maintenance, the savings can be great for a fleet the size of the Sisters of St. Joseph's.

Test drive

Sister Jean reports no difference in the way the NGV drove from other vehicles. She also got comparable miles per gallon, which she reported as 14.22 mpg.

Sister Jean also found the vehicle to be safe. "If the tank were punctured, the gas won't form a pool of flammable liquid," she said. "It won't explode, and it won't ignite."

Sister Jean is anxious to add NGVs to the fleet. "I'm hoping by '98 or '99 to have a natural gas car in the fleet," she said. "There is always the fear of the unknown, but we'll take that risk. Way down the road, I'd like the whole fleet to be natural gas."

(04-17-97) [[In-content Ad]]