A new study by Natural Gas Vehicles Association Europe quantified the greenhouse gas emission reduction benefits of natural gas for light duty and heavy duty transportation.
Alongside data from the major European vehicle and engine makers, Westport Fuel Systems made GHG emissions data, specific to the Volvo V60 Bi-Fuel passenger car that uses natural gas technology and Westport High Pressure Direct Injection 2.0 for heavy duty trucks, available for the study.
The detailed well-to-wheels lifecycle analysis concluded that natural gas fueled passenger cars offer a 23 percent GHG emission reduction benefit compared with gasoline, and 7 percent compared with diesel assuming an European Union average upstream gas mix for compressed natural gas.
In heavy-duty applications, trucks fueled by CNG or liquefied natural gas offer GHG emission reduction benefits of 15-16 percent using EU average gas mix. When the highest upstream carbon intensity originating source of LNG (from Algeria) is removed and Westport HPDI 2.0 technology is used, reductions of 18 to 22 percent were identified. These GHG benefits are amplified when blends of renewable natural gas or biomethane are used with well-to-wheel emissions being reduced by 80-95 percent depending on the fuel source and production pathway.
The study analysis was performed by Thinkstep, a global consultant specializing in lifecycle analysis, who collected and scrutinized the most up to date data from more than 50 industry participants across the natural gas value chain to determine the potential of natural gas engines and vehicles to deliver GHG emission reductions and contribute to the de-carbonization of the transport sector.
The study is available for download at http://ngvemissionsstudy.eu/. [Editor's note: To view the study, the link will ask for basic information, like name, email address and company. Once provided, a confirmation email will be sent, along with a link to the content.]
"Lifecycle emissions from the transport sector and the sustainability impacts of fuel are complex calculations that depend on different inputs and variables," said Karen Hamberg, vice president of Natural Gas Industry and Government Relations. "This study represents a significant effort to quantify lifecycle emissions in an evolving industry already deploying new technology to dramatically reduce or eliminate the largest sources of GHG emissions from both upstream and vehicle sources. As major metropolitan areas are facing increasing air quality concerns, natural gas vehicles in all segments represent an immediate opportunity to improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions."
