Natural gas as a transport fuel has potential to improve air quality in urban areas. In addition to low GHG emissions, natural gas is the cleanest hydrocarbon fuel to guarantee particulate-free combustion and drastically reduce NOx and NMHC emissions.
Natural gas vehicles should, therefore, be acknowledged as a key solution to improving air quality. The Clean Vehicles Directive should recognise and label natural gas vehicles as using a cleaner fuel, provide a clear mandate for including natural gas in the criteria for the Clean Vehicle definition and include NGV technology as one of the main solutions for Green Public Procurement.
Natural gas combustion engines have low CO2 emissions; when operated with renewable gas, they can even be carbon-neutral. With their simple and effective technology, natural gas vehicles guarantee close-to-zero pollutant emissions even under the most severe real driving conditions. They should therefore be granted access to low-emissions zones across European cities.
Interest in using natural gas as a clean fuel in the maritime sector is also on the rise. Access to emission-controlled areas (ECAs) and a future cap on sulphur content of marine fuels will demand an increasing contribution from clean fuels.