Gasrec Chairman To Highlight Air Quality And CO2 Benefits Of Natural Gas At International Conference
Patrick Mocatta, Chairman of Gasrec will address leaders of Europe’s natural gas transport industry on the benefits of using biomethane and natural gas to improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions from heavy transport, at an international conference in Helsinki, Finland, on Tuesday 17 March. He will also discuss the importance of introducing ‘open access’ infrastructure supply networks for this low emission fuel.
The ‘Natural & Biogas Mobility and Infrastructure in the Baltic Sea Area’ conference is being run by Europe’s Natural & bio Gas Vehicle Association (NVGA). Understanding the latest thinking around introducing natural and biogas infrastructure for transport is particularly relevant for Finland, which is one of the first countries to implement the new EU Directive on alternative fuels infrastructure.
Mocatta will highlight Gasrec’s experiences in developing the UK’s bio-LNG (liquefied biomethane and LNG) refueling infrastructure from which his company now fuels over 60 per cent of gas powered HGVs on UK roads from 11 strategically located filling stations.
Mocatta will also stress that delivering an effective infrastructure for alternative fuels is a crucial step in providing essential long-term security for investors in vehicle and fuel technology across the sector. The objective is to provide all stakeholders with the same user experience as they get with using diesel powered vehicles. Only with an open access refuelling network will a second hand market develop, which in turn will allow leasing companies to provide ‘diesel equivalent’ leasing packages.
“Gasrec is at the forefront of the fast-growing NGV market in the UK,” notes Mocatta. “We pioneered the development of low emission bio-LNG and have taken great care to work collaboratively across the supply chain to ensure the sector grows and that fuel is increasingly available through a strategic network. We also help retail and logistics operators, and manufacturers, to understand the commercial and environmental benefits of this technology – and we work closely with governments and policy makers to ensure the advantages of gas fuels are fully understood and encouraged.”
“Road transport is the only major sector in the EU where greenhouse gas emissions are still rising,” explains Mocatta. “While HGVs represent less than one per cent of road vehicles, they generate a disproportionate 20 per cent of road transport greenhouse gasses. But there is a way to reduce emissions from HGVs that travel long distances with heavy payloads where electric or hybrid technology can’t meet the power output or weight requirements. It involves the use of bio-LNG and LNG, which effectively lowers the carbon footprint of the HGV fleet and leads to improved air quality. Importantly in the UK as in most European countries LNG is cheaper than diesel too. So what is not to like?”
