Middle East Reduces Dependence on Middle East Oil
Although it would seem like Middle Eastern countries that provide a significant proportion of the worlds crude oil would be the last place that would worry about energy efficiency, quite the opposite is becoming true. However, as major cities in the region have become more crowded and air pollution has worsened, governments have decided things need to change. Officials in the region also want to maximize oil revenues for as long as possible.
In order to facilitate these goals they are initiating programs to encourage the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel. Unlike ethanol or biodiesel, natural gas is plentiful and cheap in the region. Governments in countries like Iran and Egypt hope to have one million natural gas vehicles on their roads by 2010. Pakistan already has over a million natural gas vehicles in use. A conference on natural gas vehicles is being held in Cairo from November 7-9. Click the read link to see the full press release.
[Source: International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Schneegz 11:05AM (10/31/2006)
The irony of it all is that the Middle East is one of the few places on Earth where solar and wind power could actually replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity.
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ssgtakeo 2:09PM (10/31/2006)
Schneegz, you know I thought about EXACTLY that when I was in the Middle East. Large tracts of unaerable land, Blazing, fires-of-hell heat, and steady, strong wind.
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