Commodity Online
At a time when concerns over pollution and carbon foot print are mounting up, natural gas vehicles (NGVs) hold potential of capturing of as much as 9% of the world transport fleet by 2020 by claiming its place as a dominant fuel choice after gasoline and diesel.

Looking at the growing interest in alternative fuels is expected to add more than fifty million NGVs on the world’s roads in the next ten years believed the International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles (IANGV) in the lead up to their biennial conference and exhibition, NGV 2010 in Rome this June 08-10.

Drawing on projections first made in 2006, which have proved conservative to date, the association says that the diversity of applications for natural gas as a vehicle fuel puts it outside the limitations of other alternative fuels and makes continued growth certain for the fuel that now powers more than eleven million vehicles worldwide.

Association Executive Director, Brett Jarman, said that while many fuels and technologies were proving themselves in particular niches, natural gas has already proved itself in a broad range of applications over a number of years.

“Among the 11 million NGVs on the road are motorcycles, three wheelers, forklifts, cars, trucks, buses, tractors, airport tugs, refuse trucks, rail locomotives, and even 150 tonne ‘road trains’ in Australia,” he said. “We can add to that the growing number of ferries, fishing boats, cargo ships and other marine vessels. No other alternative fuel, and not even gasoline for that matter, can claim the same level of diversity as natural gas,” said Jarman.



Coupled with the broad geographical distribution of natural gas, Jarman says the range of benefits of natural gas vehicles is proving to be compelling for both government policy makers and fleet operators around the world. “Natural gas delivers on energy security, economic and environmental grounds. It’s clean, safe, reliable, versatile, affordable, readily available and even renewable,” he added.

Adding to industry momentum are recent comments by leading OEM vehicle manufacturers. Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was quoted in the Economist “World in 2010” online publication late last year saying, “Natural gas is the only real, immediate alternative to petrol.” And in the heavy-duty sector, Lars Mårtensson, Environmental Director of Volvo Trucks in Sweden echoed the sentiment saying, “Methane gas (natural gas) is by far the most accessible fuel as an alternative to diesel.”

IANGV, which is the peak international body servicing the rapidly growing natural gas vehicle (NGV) industry worldwide, is organizing a three-day exhibition and conference on "Creating a Revolution in Transport” theme for this year. Together with their global network of affiliated associations, the association represents more than 300 companies and organisations.

Appropriately, Italy was chosen as the host country for the event as its own quiet revolution has led to the longest established NGV industry in the world and natural gas taking its place as a major national fuel. In 2009 more than 130,000 NGVs were purchased off Italian showroom floors, representing more than 6% of new vehicles sold and in addition to 17,500 'aftermarket' conversions.


(Courtesy: PRWeb)

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