COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS VEHICLE FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE - Natural Gas-powered Cars and Trucks: Options and Issues - page 49

E QUIPMENT C OSTS

Actual equipment costs vary based on equipment size, specifications, and
manufacturer.

Equipment Cost Range Description

Compressor
1-8 scfm
(1-4 gge/hr)
20-40 scfm
(10-19 gge/hr)
50-75 scfm
(24-36 gge/hr)
100-150 scfm
(48-71 gge/hr)
250-650 scfm
( 119-310 gge/hr)

$4,000-
$550,000
$4,000-$22,000
$50,000-
$90,000
$80,000-
$150,000
$100,000-
$250,000
$200,000-
$550,000

The compressor takes inlet gas at low pressure and
compresses it to the pressure necessary for filling a
vehicle to 3,600 psi. The compressor's horsepower (HP)
rating and the inlet pressure (psi) determine the flow rate,
which is measured in standard cubic feet per minute
(scfm) or gasoline gallon equivalent per hour (gge/hr).
Compressors that offer similar flow rates vary in price
based on their horsepower rating and manufacturer.

Dispenser $25,000-

$60,000

At fast-fill stations, drivers use a dispenser to quickly
transfer CNG to the vehicle tank. Dispensers vary in cost
depending on the number of hoses, fuel management
system, and other features.

Dual-hose time-
fill post

$4,000-$7,000 At time-fill stations, vehicles are connected to a simple fill

post, typically overnight. The tanks are filled as fuel is
available, which depends on the compressor flow rate and
the number of vehicles. Two vehicles can connect to a
dual-hose time-fill post.

$70,000-
$130,000

Once natural gas is compressed, it can be stored in tanks
for later use.

Storage tank

The storage capacity and compressor size are balanced to
ensure that fuel is available within the necessary
timeframe and the number of times the compressor turns
off and on is minimized.

Card readers allow the driver to access fuel using a fleet
card or credit card. A fuel management system is
software that enables tracking of driver and vehicle
fueling habits.

Card reader/fuel
management
system

$10,000-
$30,000

Gas dryer $10,000-

$300,000

A gas dryer removes moisture from the gas prior to
compression, which is a good practice for all CNG
stations.