SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state is considering using liquefied natural gas to cut its fuel costs by 44 percent.
The Kitsap Sun reports (http://bit.ly/qYMFW8) that the idea would be for six of the agency’s boats.
Ferry officials say that the system burns through 17 million gallons of fuel every year, and it’s one of the fastest growing expenses, expanding $52 million in 12 years.
Under the proposal, six boats built between 1979 and 1982 would be retrofitted with new engines at a cost of $65 million. But officials say the money would be recovered in seven years through fuel savings.
Liquefied natural gas, is like the fuel used for home heating and cooking except it’s supercooled to minus 260 degrees until it condenses into liquid. It takes up 600 times less space as a liquid than a gas, making it easier to transport.
