Number of natural gas refuelling stations to reach 39 000 by 2025

Due to its abundant supply, low price, and ability to reduce operating costs, natural gas is an increasingly appealing alternative for fuelling ground vehicles. As fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards become increasingly stringent in world markets, particularly for medium and heavy duty vehicles, where electrification is less practical, the use of natural gas is also an effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

According to a new report from Navigant Research, ‘Natural Gas Vehicle Refueling Infrastructure’, the total number of global natural gas refuelling stations is expected to grow from 23 001 in 2015 to 38 887 in 2025.

“In the arena of alternative fuels for transportation, natural gas has proven to be one of the most popular alternatives to traditional liquid fuels in many global markets, either in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), with the former being by far the more common,” said Sam Abuelsamid, Senior Research Analyst with Navigant Research. “However, in order for any alternative to gasoline or diesel to be viable as a transportation fuel, readily available refuelling infrastructure is an absolutely necessary component of the ecosystem.”

Despite the advantages of natural gas, the density of global refuelling infrastructure varies widely and is often tied to government incentive programmes, according to Navigant Research. In addition, without a critical mass of vehicles in need of fuel, station operators are unwilling to invest in equipment, and without ready access to stations, retail customers will not buy natural gas vehicles.

For more information, please visit the Navigant Research website.

Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/29072015/number-of-natural-gas-refuelling-stations-to-reach-39000-by-2025-1188/