City guarantees natural gas for public transportation

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The city administration will ensure the smooth distribution of natural gas automotive fuel in the city to support its "blue- skies" program.

This is set out in one of the clauses of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on Friday by Governor Sutiyoso, president director of state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina, Widya Purnama, as well as state-owned gas distributor Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) president director WMP Simanjuntak.

"We will guarantee the availability of gas stations (for public transportation)," said Sutiyoso, adding that the current lack of the fuel was one of the main obstacles to boosting the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for city transportation vehicles.

Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo further explained that the administration would help extend the gas pipeline network -- currently managed by PGN -- across the city to reach the remoter areas served by public transportation.

Fauzi said the administration would also invite the private sector to build more CNG stations.

The MOU states that the administration will act as the regulator for CNG utilization with Pertamina providing gas supplies and PGN distributing the gas.

The document also requires the three parties to consolidate their agreement by signing a cooperation agreement within three months after the signing of the MOU.

According to Sutiyoso, the MOU was only the first step in the implementation of Bylaw No. 2/2005 on air pollution, which stipulates that all public transportation vehicles should use CNG. He added that the availability of an adequate number of CNG stations would also encourage private motorists to use the environmentally friendly fuel.

"We will reduce air pollution in the city, which is the third worst polluted city in the world after Mexico City and Bangkok."

Meanwhile, Widya stressed that his company had long been committed to expanding the use of gas by public transportation vehicles as could be seen from its collaboration with private firms for the constructing of 28 CNG stations, 17 of which were in Greater Jakarta and supplied 403,300 liters per day.

"But currently there are only 11 gas stations still operating with total consumption being only 18 percent of total capacity.

Head of the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD), Kosasih Wirahadikusumah, said that during the initial stage, CNG stations would be constructed along the routes of the 15 bus corridors that is planned will be built across the city.

"But these CNG stations will not only be for the bus corridor buses ... other public transportation and private vehicles will also be able to use them," he added.