Natural gas and biomethane could be mentioned as being good alternative fuels in the mandatory process of substitution of oil. In the communication on clean vehicles released earlier this year by commissioner Antonio Tajani, NGVs were put among the efficient solutions, in particular considering the possibility to go towards the use of biogas and its injection in the energy grid.
Methane appears to be particularly suitable for road transport in the medium distance, but some pilot projects for methane-powered heavy trucks may also be considered. LNG may serve for boats, ships, heavy trucks and buses, but it is necessary to create a net of infrastructures, or “blue corridors”, in ports and on the roads.
EU Commission is also considering legislative measures and incentives to reinforce the presence of public refuelling stations, which are mainly located in countries like Italy, Sweden -leader in the biomethane sector- and Austria, but not in France and Spain, where they are used only for urban transport.
You will find the complete article in the November edition of The GVR. You can subscribe to the hard copy magazine through subscription@thegvr.com or download it for free here.
By Cristina Marconi, GVR correspondent in Brussels.
