A Focus on Natural Gas Engine Technology: San Diego Miramar College
The projected demand for the use of natural gas as an alternative fuel continues to rise, especially in the San Diego region. The city is increasingly incorporating the use of natural gas to replace diesel fuel in their heavy duty vehicles. Even the new ships being built in San Diego by General Dynamics Nassco use natural gas engine technology, as do many other vehicle fleets in the region.
The funding awarded to San Diego Miramar College ($192,308) will be used to address this demand by improvements made in the college’s delivery of natural gas engine technical training.
The first step will be to purchase five compressed natural gas (CNG) heavy duty engines, then hold faculty professional development trainings on the new technology. Once the engines and related materials are integrated as lab teaching components, faculty will be able to teach a cohort of students on natural gas engine technology.
New curriculum will be written to expand the dedicated focus on natural gas engine technology, with the existing course to include fuel management and engine performance components of natural gas technology. This new course will allow for the expansion of the evening certificate of achievement into an evening degree program dedicated to natural gas engine technology.
