The global transport sector, with its pervasive influence on our daily lives, plays a crucial role in connecting our world. But what if this world could harness the power of eco-friendly natural gas to fuel this dynamic industry? This question served as the catalyst for a GECF workshop held on Wednesday (24 May) and brought together industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders to explore the immense potential of natural gas in the transport sector.
Opening the event, HE Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the GECF said: “Greenhouse gas emissions have shown a sharp increase over the years. In this context, alternatives such as compressed natural gas and LNG are known to have much less carbon emissions, and little to no particulate emissions, when compared with other automotive or maritime fuels. The GECF is steadfast in our advocacy for policies supporting increased gas penetration in the transport sector.”
It is worth noting that many GECF member countries, including Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Iran, Peru, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, and others, have already made significant strides in large-scale adoption of natural gas-powered vehicles.
During the workshop, speakers highlighted the important role in achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). In the context of the transport sector, gas utilisation can be particularly useful towards meetings the SDGs on Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Climate Action. Moreover, presenters explained the pivotal role of global and regional-level policy decisions in promoting natural gas consumption in transport.
Notable presentations were made by Jan Ban from OPEC, Matthias Maedge from the Natural & bio Gas Vehicle Association Europe, Abbas Abdoli from the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, Ahmed Mahmoud from the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, Hiroshi Hashimoto from the Institute of Energy Economics Japan, Saunak Rai from FueLNG, Christos Chryssakis from DNV, as well as speakers from the GECF, Aydar Shakirov, Head of Gas Market Analysis Department, and Imran Mohammed, Gas Transportation and Storage Analyst.
Some key insights shared by the GECF at the event were:
- The transport sector represents a niche market, accounting for up to 2% of total global gas consumption
- Energy policies and economic competitiveness are the two main drivers of natural gas utilisation in the sector
- The Asia Pacific region dominates the market for gas vehicles, and global gas consumption in the automotive sector is set to more than double by 2050
- The global LNG-fuelled fleet is growing annually, with 300 vessels currently in operation, and global gas consumption in the maritime sector is expected to increase by 260% by 2050