CALABASAS : Natural-Gas Station May Be Opened

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District may open one of the few filling stations for natural-gas vehicles as part of its plan to expand its fleet of clean-burning cars and vans.

Although the question of whether to become a full public outlet is still up for discussion, the district already uses its natural-gas compressor at near capacity, to power its two vans and a pickup.

The utility is considering joining forces with Southern California Gas Co. to buy a larger compressor, said gas company spokesman Wayne Tanaka. Southern California Gas now operates the only public filling station in Van Nuys for the small but growing number of natural-gas vehicles in the San Fernando Valley.

“We know we need a bigger unit,” said Roger Huff, water distribution superintendent at Las Virgenes. “But we’re not sure how big we want to go. We are budgeting each year to get as many natural-gas vehicles as is feasible.”

Like electric cars, vehicles that run on natural gas cannot travel as far as traditional gasoline-powered ones because natural gas requires more storage capacity than liquid fuel.

But natural gas burns about 90% cleaner than gasoline, resulting in less smog and better-maintained engines. Otherwise, natural-gas and gasoline motors are quite similar, Tanaka said.

Natural-gas vehicles also are cheaper and have more power than those powered by electricity.

Those factors, as well as news that Las Virgenes may buy a larger compressor, helped sway officials at the city of Calabasas to reconsider the planned purchase of an electric car in favor of a natural gas one. Their recommendation will be considered by the City Council Wednesday night.

“I think the council will go for the natural-gas idea,” said City Manager Charles Cate. “The state of the art is changing so rapidly with electric vehicles that I’m not sure we want to get into that right now.”

Cate said the city may opt for a natural-gas pickup or van, which would cost between $15,000 and $23,000.