The Dominican Republic's Trade and Industry Minister Francisco Javier Garcia announced Monday a strategic plan to convert the nation's vehicles to use natural gas instead of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Garcia said at a press conference that the nation plans to set up 200 workshops to convert 158,000 vehicles to natural gas in the next three years. He said the plan will save the government 275 million U.S. dollars, the amount it spends on subsidies to LPG every year.

He said that the ministry will first convert 22,500 public transport vehicles, distributing conversion kits worth around 700 dollars to LPG vehicle owners.

Garcia said the gas would be transported in containers on highways, in a system he described as "a virtual gas pipeline."