INEEL -- THE Environmental Laboratory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 1997

Denver Summit to include INEEL Natural Gas Vehicles

Two Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory Liquid Natural Gas vehicles will have a high profile as part of the Group of Seven Denver Summit June 20-22 in Denver.

President Clinton selected Denver as the host of this year's three-day event. The leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States gather annually to discuss world economic issues. Delegates from the Russian Federation and European Commission sit in as observing members. One of the focuses this year will be on the world's leading transportation technology options.

The INEEL buses are part of the summit's Advanced Vehicle Showcase, sponsored by the summit host committee, the United States Departments of Energy and Transportation, the state of Colorado, city of Denver and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The invitation-only showcase will feature advanced vehicles using a variety of alternative fuels.

One of the INEEL natural gas buses will be used to transport dignitaries and the media to activities during the summit. The second natural gas bus will be prominently displayed near the front steps of the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The Convention Center will be the home base for the estimated 5,000 media representatives covering the summit.

For the past two years the INEEL has been converting some of its fleet vehicles to natural gas, says Marc Carroll, Fleet Operations department manager.

In 1995, the INEEL and Detroit Diesel signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement that provided alternate fuel vehicles to the laboratory's fleet. Under the agreement, Detroit Diesel converted one of the INEEL buses from diesel to liquefied natural gas. Now, six of the 126 fleet buses have been converted.

He says natural gas (methane) was chosen as the alternative fuel of choice for the INEEL because of its many attributes: it is readily and nationally available, provides greater safety compared to other alternate fuels, it is environmentally friendly, high in octane, produced domestically and an economically sound fuel choice for the future.

Between 20,000 and 25,000 people, ranging from trade ministers, journalists and the public, are expected in Denver for the three-day event.

-INEEL-

Media contact: Teri Ehresman, 208-526-7785, ehr@inel.gov

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* U.S. Department of Energy * Idaho Operations Office * 785 DOE Place * Idaho Falls, ID 83401-1562 *