Natural Gas a Transition Fuel? Yes, to Renewable Natural Gas

 

"Natural Gas is a Transition Fuel". This statement can be heard in numerous conferences around the World. Finally, it has been accepted that Natural Gas is the most environmentally friendly of available fuels, and that gas powered transport demonstrates on a daily basis that it brings huge benefits for in CO2 reduction and urban air quality improvement. Nevertheless, Natural Gas is still considered (wrongfully in our opinion) a short lived alternative.

Other options for long term sustainability? EVs ? And where do we get electricity to run those vehicles? Coal is still the main fuel for power generation around the world; even in "clean countries" in the EU coal still account for more than 35% of the source for power plants. No sustainability or clean air there. And then, Lithium for batteries is not renewable, so it is not sustainable. And for every ton of lithium, 2 million liters of fossil water have to be evaporated, turning arid regions into even drier environments. Not to speak about cobalt mining through child slave labour (several media have reported more than 40,000 children are currently used to collect cobalt in the PRC). Nothing sustainable there either. Several academic studies calculate that EVs generate at least double amount of emissions than conventional vehicles during manufacture. And last but not least, end of life disposal of batteries is still an environmental liability that has not been resolved.

Hydrogen vehicles may be a future solution, but currently more than 90% of the hydrogen is produced from Natural Gas reforming. Compression or liquefaction of hydrogen is very energy intensive, and storage, handling and utilization still far from developed.

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), on the other hand is currently available, uses the same technology, infrastructure and work-force than fossil natural gas, including end users and vehicles. RNG can be produced from urban or agro-industrial waste, or from methanization of surplus CO2 together with "green-hydrogen" from excess green power (Power-to-Gas).

Natural Gas is the transition fuel towards a real sustainable and clean transportation fuel, Renewable Natural Gas. No need to change power drives, engines, vehicles  or energy vectors.

Finally, policy makers seem to be understanding that the real road to a clean and sustainable tomorrow has already begun, powered by natural gas.

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