Peruvian compressed natural gas (CNG) station operator, Peruana de Gas Natural (PGN) has reportedly announced that, by the end of 2010, they expect to see 105,000 NGVs on the road in Peru. Media outlets in Peru are reporting that to serve that growing market, PGN also announced the construction of up of 10 new CNG stations in Lima by year end, which would bring their total to 35 stations in the Lima area. Currently 86% of NGVs are public transportation units, PGN General Manager Edgardo Escobar Ochoa is quoted as saying.
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Category: Country Reports
Peru Expects 105,000 NGVs On Roads by End 2010
MIT Study Recognises Importance of Natural Gas as Bridge to Future
Natural gas truly is a bridge to a low-carbon future,” said MITEI Director Ernest J. Moniz
Recommendation for transportation sector: remove policy and regulatory barriers to natural gas as a transportation fuel
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has completed a two year study which examined the scale of U.S. natural gas reserves and the potential of this fuel to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Undertaken by the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), the study concluded that natural gas will play a leading role in reducing GHG emissions over the next several decades.
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Iran’s Push for Fuel Self-Sufficiency Drives NGV Growth
Iran’s natural gas vehicle industry is expected to continue growing amidst increasing energy related sanctions imposed on the country. The sanctions are driving Iran toward being fully self-sufficient in vehicle fuels by 2015, according to a Dow Jones report. Refinery upgrades are reportedly being implemented along with policies aimed at reducing domestic consumption, including gasoline rationing, a lifting of fuel subsidies and the expansion of natural-gas-powered vehicles (NGVs).
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Education the Key to NGV Take-up in Australia, Not Technology
SAE-Australasia’s first two-day conference, held in Melbourne, has highlighted the need for selling the message about the efficiencies and environmental benefits available to fleets and private users, through the adoption of natural gas as a fuel for transportation. Tony McMullan of Australia’s Truck Industry Council quoted Professor David Cebon, an Australian academic and engineer from Cambridge University, who said that as an industry we do not have a technical problem we have a marketing problem. SAE will renew its focus on educating the public and then going to government and identifying policy that will assist in the greater acceptance and take up of gaseous fuels, seen as a key role for SAE-A.
Malaysia on Target for 200 NGV Filling Stations
The Malaysian government is well positioned to fulfil its goal of having 200 natural gas vehicle filling stations operative throughout the country, according to Bernama. “To date, 144 NGV stations have been built and are in operation, comprising 86 in the Klang Valley, 28 in Johor, 11 in Negeri Sembilan, 7 in Melaka, 3 in Penang, 4 each in Kedah and Perak, and one in Terengganu”, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Deputy Minister Datuk Rohani Abd Karim reportedly said in the Dewan Rakyat (Malaysian House of Representatives).
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Austrian Trial Biomethane Facility Overcomes Barriers
A biomethane demonstration project in Bruck an der Leitha, Lower Austria, has been recognized by the Austrian government for its contribution to the development of renewable energy and reduction of emissions. Austria’s Infrastructure Minister Doris Bures characterized the “Biogas Grid Connection” pilot project as the trend for the future. Speaking at the facility, Minister Bures read the certificate: “The biogas technology contributes to the development of renewable energy, creating green jobs and is part of the energy strategy for Austria,” declaring that Austria has moved a step closer to renewable energy by the removal of technical and economic barriers to biomethane supply.
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NGV Fuelling Station Network in Netherlands Grows

A newly installed "Green Gas" filling station in Amersfoort, gas supplied by OrangeGas.
Subsidies assist in development of stations
In the Netherlands, national coverage of stations with alternative fuels is approaching. The NL Ministry of Transport and Water has provided an update of subsidies made available through the Alternative Fuels Filling Station program (TAB – Tankstations Alternatieve Brandstoffen). Almost 3.6 million Euros in grants have been made, to provide fill points for natural gas, ‘green’ gas (biomethane), ethanol (E85) and biodiesel (B30), with the vast majority (53) going to natural/green gas.
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NGV Australia Steps Up Local Activity
Australia’s recently formed national NGV association, NGV Australia, is ready for action following a strategic workshop of key industry members in Melbourne earlier this week. Industry stakeholders represented included heavy, medium and light duty commercial vehicle and engine OEMs, gas suppliers, LNG fuel suppliers, CNG refueling equipment suppliers, converters, and component suppliers. NGV Australia Chairman, Tony Middleton, said the half day workshop facilitated by IANGV Executive Director Brett Jarman, helped the association determine current priorities and actions required to help increase momentum in the Australian market. “Evaluating current industry barriers in a strategic manner proved valuable and we ended the day with some very specific time based actions and commitments from members to make them happen.”
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Swedish Figures Demonstrate Scope for Renewable Biogas
Figures recently released by Gasföreningen show Sweden is able to consistently produce 60+% of all methane vehicle fuel from renewable sources. For the 2009 calendar year biomethane accounted for 62.14% of total methane delivered in Sweden for vehicle fuel, or 42,251,770 Nm3 out of a total 67,988,450 Nm3. With biomethane volume increasing into 2010, March peaked at 64.93%, the highlight of a first quarter outcome of 63.48%. The following graphs display volume and percentage for biomethane and natural gas from January 2009 to March 2010.
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NGV Refuelling Increases in Bulgaria
Bulgaria continues to build capacity to service regional natural gas vehicles. The number of CNG refuelling stations has climbed to 81, up from 77 at end of June 2009. Further information including station locations and contact details and the number of dispensers is available here.
New NGV Statistics for Europe
NGVA Europe has published new natural gas vehicle (NGV) statistics, available on their website. The data indicates more than 1.3 million NGVs on the road in Europe as at the end of 2009, which account for a market share of 0.4% of all road vehicles — up from 0.3% compared to June 2009. The number of NGVs grew by almost 16% or nearly 200,000 vehicles during that period.
Bolivia Commences New Phase of LPG to CNG Conversions
The cities of La Paz, Santa Cruz and Sucre are the starting locations for a new drive to convert LPG public transport vehicles to natural gas. The free conversion program, initiated by Bolivia’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy, is carried out under the directives of Supreme Decree No. 448. It also includes replacement and redevelopment of NGV cylinders, reports Observatorio Boliviano de Industrias Extractivas (OBIE). The first stage aims to convert 7000 vehicles. To date, the total number of vehicles converted to CNG in the country is reported to be 121,908 units.
Medellin Buses Go Natural Gas
The city of Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city, had decided to operate its mass transit system, Metroplus S.A., on natural gas. The buses will service routes to Cartagena, Santa Marta, Sincelejo and Bogota, according to a report carried by Portafolio. Colombian compressed natural gas (CNG) station operator Gazel reportedly states that other cities will follow if more can be done to increase the take-up of natural gas in his country.
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Bangladesh NGV Operators Stand to Benefit from ADB Loan for Gas Network Expansion
The approval of loans to the value of $266 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help Bangladesh address natural gas supply constraints in a bid to spur economic growth and cut poverty could have far-reaching benefits for the country’s natural gas vehicle industry. “This project will address priority supply and network constraints to ensure sustained growth in the gas sector that is critical to the country’s economic development,” said Priyantha Wijayatunga, Energy Specialist in ADB’s South Asia Department.
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Bolivia to Update Gas-Export Contract with Argentina
More than 1.8 million Argentinian natural gas vehicle drivers will be comforted by news that the presidents of Argentina and Bolivia will meet next week in Bolivia to update and sign a 2006 natural gas contract. In a Dow Jones report, a spokesman for Bolivia’s state oil and gas company, Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) said, “The leaders will amend the contract to gradually boost the export of gas to Argentina to 27.7 million cubic meters per day.” The contract amendment will call for that to happen by 2017, increasing Bolivian exports from 5 million cubic meters a day currently.
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