New members welcome to join Study Group 5.3 — Natural Gas Vehicles

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia played host to the International Gas Union (IGU)’s 25th World Gas Conference in June, where reports were heard from Working Committees representing upstream and downstream interests. Natural Gas Vehicles is an important segment of the downstream end of the natural gas value chain and is represented by Study Group 5.3 (SG5.3), which operates under Working Committee 5 – ‘Utilisation’ (WOC 5).

SG5.3, together with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE) Working Party on Gas, released a joint 2009-12 report. According to the Executive Summary, “Today, natural gas and biomethane represent the most practical, realistic and easiest way to reduce pollution coming from road transportation.”

The Summary also states, “the presented papers are intended to present the huge potential that methane/hydrogen blends can bring for the transport sector, as an ideal bridge to a more sustainable mobility, by using the existing NG/biomethane distribution infrastructure.”

The main part of the report is taken up by the ‘Market Profile’, which presents a global overview of NGV status in different continents and countries. Collectively, growth of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) worldwide is more than 12 times that recorded for 2000.

The report cites three examples of rapid change:

• Iran has joined Pakistan at the top of the country list for NGV population
• India has listed 201 cities where CNG and LPG facilities will be installed in coming years and has attained 5th place by NGV population
• China, a relative newcomer to the NGV market, has increased domestic and imported supply of natural gas and has more than 60 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) producing NGVs

The Market Profile also includes information about in-country legal conditions and governmental support, or lack thereof, and presents the main technological trends in production of methane vehicles, high pressure cylinders, refueling and other equipment.

For the first time a section on marine use of LNG is included. In Chapter 7.3 there is an article: “LNG as a bunkering fuel”, which describes refuelling technologies, infrastructure development and environmental effect.

SG5.3 will commence a new three-year period under the leadership of Mr Olivier Bordelanne (GDF Suez). The group will endeavour to fulfil its declared objective for 2012-2015: “To advocate expansion of the use of natural gas by on- and off-road, marine/inland waters, airborne, railroad, farming vehicles thus making world mobility cleaner, safer and cheaper”.

To achieve this, SG5.3 will:

• Prepare World NGV Report 2012 – 2015
• Monitor world NGV market
• Propose Action plan for NGV/CNG in Europe (5% of market in 2020/2025)
• Examine CNG/LNG/BioM technologies, economics, local policies incentives
• Study LNG potential for ground, air, water, rail and other applications
• Observe ‘NG +’ concept: NG + H2, BioMet, Diesel, e-power Hybrid CNG and other that may emerge
• Promote synergy between OEM and retrofit vehicles
• Spread Real life experience: success and failure stories from fleet operators, drivers, local authorities, etc.
• Investigate and compare different requirements to gas composition
• Advocate broader use of gas
• Disseminate information among IGU members via established channels
• Organize special session at the WGC in Paris
• Compose one article for the IGU Magazine

Participation in SG 5.3 is open to all NGV industry members from any country. Interested participants can contact the Study Group Chairman, Mr Olivier Bordelanne – olivier.bordelanne@gdfsuez.com — or the Vice Chairman Mr David Graebe – David.Graebe@gazprom-germania.de — for details of how to participate.

The IGU Working Committee 5 – Utilisation Of Gas: Study Group 5.3 – Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) and UN ECE Working Party On Gas – Joint Report is available by clicking here.

General information about IGU’s activities over the past three years is available by downloading the IGU’s Triennial Work Programme 2009-2012 – Gas: Sustaining Future Global Growth, available on the WGC2012 website. Click here.

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Article source: http://www.ngvglobal.com/igu-study-group-5-3-releases-report-sets-2012-2015-agenda-0717