Despite ongoing concerns about gas shortages, regulatory uncertainty, geopolitical constraints and infrastructure limitations, using compressed natural gas (CNG) for various business and industrial purposes will become more important in South Africa, says energy company CNG Holdings CEO Josua le Roux.

This is owing to the various benefits associated with using CNG as a fuel resource in power generation and industrial applications, including for transportation and manufacturing purposes.

Le Roux notes that the company can provide businesses and industry players with a turnkey solution, whereby CNG is supplied to meet organisations’ requirements, such as providing a business or mine with gas-powered fleets, on-site reserves for power generation or clean burning fuel for burner and heat applications.

The company also has four filling stations for companies and commuters who are using CNG as alternative fuel.

In the realm of CNG Holdings’ ongoing projects, the establishment of virtual pipeline systems for remote industrial facilities stands out as a core component across all applications. This vital infrastructure ensures the efficient delivery of CNG to various industrial sites, representing a cornerstone of its business operations and supply chain solutions.

The company has also developed flexible CNG delivery methods, providing “on-demand access” to natural gas for critical shutdown projects through its virtual gas network of mobile trailers and mobile refuelling stations.

In 2022, CNG Holdings issued a tender for the distribution of its trailers with a dedicated gas truck to an eligible suitor as part of CNG Holdings’ green transport initiative. It also promotes automated gas infrastructure monitoring and tracks customer site consumption patterns using smart metering systems and SMS notifications.

The solutions enable customers to enhance business operations such as increasing the speed of deployment, reducing costs and enhancing scalability.

“Customers can access gas resources where traditional pipelines are not feasible or are cost-prohibitive, enabling them to optimise their operations and reduce reliance on more expensive or less environment-friendly fuel sources,” adds Le Roux.

CNG Benefits

In addition to being “universally applicable”, natural gas, such as CNG, is a “cleaner” alternative to traditional fossil fuels, which makes CNG a resource that contributes to climate change mitigation.

CNG can also be used for power generation, as opposed to coal, diesel or heavy fuel oil, owing to its reliability, flexibility and lower carbon emissions.

“We are the go-to people in the natural gas industry when it concerns CNG delivery and project execution,” Le Roux enthuses.

CNG Holdings has also launched a safety campaign – ‘Safety Starts with Me’ – which aims to ensure that CNG Holdings employees are constantly focused on the company’s safety management system to enhance safety and improve compliance. This ensures that the company can complete its various natural gas projects efficiently and safely.