David Demers


Government can help the natural gas vehicle industry to gain a foothold in the market, but isn’t likely to work as a stimulus in the long run because many executives distrust its abilities to sustain support, according to the head of a leading maker of natural gas engine technology.

David Demers, chief executive of Westport Innovations said incentive programs are always fragile because they are subject to shifting political winds, and can cause serious disruption if they are withdrawn, so business leaders are more inclined to build their models on the basis of market forces. Keep reading →


Westport Innovations said Tuesday it reached an agreement with Caterpillar to use natural gas technology for mining trucks and locomotives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Vancouver-based company makes direct injection, natural gas technology for heavy-duty vehicles. “The substantial price difference between natural gas and diesel fuel is resulting in a strong financial incentive to enable off-road applications to take advantage of low natural gas energy costs without sacrificing operational performance,” said David Demers, chief executive officer of Westport Innovations. Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/06/05/caterpillar-westport-team-up-on-natgas-vehicles/#ixzz1wvszEJsH