According to Professor – Dr. Bùi Văn Ga, Director of the University of Da Nang and Principal Investigator of the research and trial project on using LPG fuel for motorcycles and minibus cars, LPG is currently considered the cleanest liquefied gas for the environment.
With properties such as being non-toxic, non-polluting, having no adverse effects on human health, possessing a high octane number without needing additives, and competitive pricing — LPG holds major advantages to enter the fuel market.
Research conducted by Dr. Ga and colleagues shows that 1 kg of LPG is equivalent to 2 liters of gasoline. Thus, depending on the exchange rate between gasoline and LPG, vehicles using LPG can save 15–30% in fuel costs compared to those using gasoline. Additionally, it’s calculated that soot and smoke emissions from LPG are up to 90% lower than those from gasoline and diesel. Therefore, the use of LPG as engine fuel could be considered a revolution in transport environmental sustainability in Vietnam.
Experts confirm that converting from gasoline or diesel engines to LPG is entirely feasible and causes minimal harm to the engine. Moreover, the conversion process is relatively simple, with a cost of about USD 500–600 per vehicle.
In Ho Chi Minh City in 1997, Saigon Petro first partnered with several units to operate 20 LPG-fueled cargo taxis in the city and constructed an LPG refueling station for vehicles. In 2002, Universal Petroleum deployed a fleet of 7–12-seat LPG minibuses operating interprovincially in Ho Chi Minh City and built two Autogas refueling stations in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho.
In Da Nang, Da Nang University of Science and Technology has successfully researched, tested, and converted motorcycles and minibuses to run on LPG, using standard 12-kg household LPG cylinders. However, these cases remain limited, and many are inactive or have ceased operation.
According to Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Đức Phú, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the adoption of clean LPG fuel in Vietnam is still slow, fragmented, and lacking a broad and synchronized approach, largely due to policy "barriers". Vietnam still lacks specific policies to encourage or support the use of LPG.
With experience from operating a now-defunct LPG-powered taxi fleet, engineer Nguyên shared that Thailand and China have implemented various support policies for LPG usage, including conversion incentives, infrastructure development subsidies, and a 30% LPG price support.
In contrast, in Vietnam, almost none of these supports exist. Enterprises have to struggle on their own, investing large amounts of capital to build LPG fueling infrastructure. Not only do businesses have to bear the initial investment, but they also face numerous difficulties during implementation.
Mr. Nguyên further explained that to operate LPG-fueled vehicles, dedicated LPG fueling stations are required. However, designing and building such stations is no simple task. During the implementation of the project titled:
"Improvement of Technology to Convert Gasoline Vehicles to LPG in Major Cities" (Code: KC.06.DA.09.CN), his company purchased an LPG refueling station from Italy. Yet, to this day, it still hasn’t been installed due to land acquisition issues and stringent fire safety regulations (as LPG is highly flammable, fire protection standards are extremely strict).
Experts believe that it is time for the government to take real action to promote LPG fuel development, such as price subsidies (20–30%), support for fuel station construction, and clear guidelines on which types of vehicles are suitable for LPG usage — since not all vehicle models are appropriate for LPG conversion.
(Ha Noi Moi, October 16)
