The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is taking steps towards reducing air pollution in Scotland by purchasing 11 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vehicles for their Regional offices. The vehicles, which can also run on petrol, cause significantly less pollution.

When running on LPG, emissions of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and particulates, the most polluting vehicle emissions, are reduced in comparison to standard petrol vehicles:

• 12% reduction in CO2 emissions
  
• 40% reduction in CO emissions
  
• 38% reduction in particulate emissions *
  *Figures from Energy Powershift
  

The SEPA State of the Environment Air Quality Report launched in June this year, states that these three pollutants are the most damaging to air quality in parts of Scotland. While SEPA does not have a specific remit to control or reduce transport emissions, it takes the problem of these emissions very seriously.

SEPA Chairman, Ken Collins said:
"Clean air is a quality of life issue. Pollution can have serious effects on the health of people in Scotland, especially the most vulnerable members of society. SEPA has a commitment to ensuring clean, healthy air. In our State of the Environment Air Quality Report, we promise to educate, influence and advise on good air quality practices. We can only do this through leading by example.

"LPG is currently only available at a limited number of service stations in Scotland so the process of moving to LPG will have to be gradual. However, we believe we are making a good start, and we are encouraging the suppliers to increase the number of outlets so the product is made more widely available. I hope many other organisations and individuals will consider the use of LPG vehicles."

SEPA intends to adapt all its pool vehicles to bi-fuel as they require replacement.

What is LPG - LPG is primarily propane and is a by-product generated from oil refining as well as being one of the gases cropped from natural gas fields.

Bi-fuel vehicles - Bi-fuel vehicles have petrol engines converted so that they can operate on LPG or petrol. LPG is stored in the vehicle in a special fuel tank and is then introduced to the engine in the same way as conventional petrol. An additional gas fuel filling system is required as well as extra valves and controls.

A simple flick of a switch changes the fuel from petrol to LPG. When available, the converted SEPA vehicles will run on LPG, only utilising petrol when LPG is unavailable.

Operational differences
The reliability, durability and performance of converted engines is very similar to conventional engines.

Financial Benefits
LPG is cheaper due to excise duty being very much lower compared with petrol and diesel. Furthermore, duty on LPG as a road fuel has been consistently reduced recently with the Government committed to increasing the duty gap between petrol & diesel and the cleaner gas fuels.

Comparison of Distance Travelled on £10 worth of Fuel
LPG180 miles
Diesel125 miles
Petrol100 miles

Funding
Funding will range from 25% to 75% (of the additional cost of the Clean Fuel Vehicle over the conventional fuel vehicles of a similar specification) and is dependent on the emissions performance of the vehicle.

Refuelling stations
LPG is gradually being introduced onto a number of existing petrol station forecourts and it is expected that in the next few years LPG will be available for most of Scotland's population. Dedicated LPG storage tanks can also be situated on-site at a relatively cheap cost.

Copies of the State of the Environment Air Quality Report can be obtained from SEPA Public Affairs.