The Role of Renewable Gas in the Mobility Emission Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

The European Union (EU) ambitious targets planned for 2050, are demanding for zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this context, member countries governments, large companies and SMEs are working to meet their products, services and goods to these new requirements. EU has emphasized measures to mitigate emissions in the transport sector, which represents a quarter of GHG emissions. Therefore, the development of vehicles powered by alternative fuels such as natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and electricity, has been spectacular in recent years. However, alternative second-generation fuels are being developed. They are called renewable gases such as biomethane, hydrogen and syngas which further reduce GHG emissions. The aim of renewable gases is to remove CO2 from the feedstock and/or the production processes, which presents a wide range of R&D opportunities. There are still many barriers such as the high price of vehicles, the availability of refuelling points in large cities and transport corridors, the confidence of all stakeholders in these technologies, the development of low emissions policies and the Administration’s support for fleet renew. Therefore, it is essential to develop R&D projects to minimize emissions and try to reduce the overall costs (production, transport and supply) of renewable gases. Currently, the price of natural gas for vehicles is 60% lower than gasoline 95 and 40% lower than diesel per 100 km. These trade margin are a firm argument for the development of renewable gases for sustainable mobility and for their injection into the grid. This Chapter analyses the state of the art and the necessary lines of research in order to efficiently apply renewable gases to sustainable mobility.KeywordsRenewable gasBiomethaneHydrogenSyngasSustainable mobilityBiogasCO2 emissions