Phill files for bankruptcy

When it comes to alternative fuels to run tomorrow’s cars, Compressed Natural Gas seems like a real winner. First it is abundant in the U.S, secondly it is relatively cheap to produce, and third any car can be converted to use CNG cheaply. So what’s not to like here?

We’ve seen Honda take up the mantel for nat gas vehicles, but their effort has slowed, seemingly in favor of  hydrogen power. Most experts in the field will tell you that mass use of hydrogen to move machines is at least 10 years away, but Honda is making their FCX Clairity today.

As further evidence of their shift in focus they bought Fuelmaker last year, didn’t really want the company, but turned down offers to sell the system to the likes of Boone Pickens and his company Clean Energy Fuels.

Fuelmaker makes the Phill system, which allows one to attach their home gas lines to the Phill compression unit and fill their CNG vehicle in their garage. Pickens wanted the system because he believes like many that CNG is the best alternative fuel as an interim technology before we go all electric to power vehicles. The U.S. has vast reserves of natural gas and tapping them would greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and help reduce greenhouse gasses, which has been the idea all along.

It remains to be seen how all of this will play out, but my bet is that Pickens will pick up the pieces of Fuelmaker and fund some new R&D on the product then renew his push for CNG in cars all over the country.