A Review on Natural Gas Utilization and Cutting Carbon Emissions: How viable is Compressed Natural Gas for Road Vehicle Fuel?

Abstract

As the world grows and economies develop, global demand for energy will continue to grow dramatically. Demand for natural gas is likely to overtake other fossil fuels due to its availability, accessibility, versatility and cleanliness. For instance, the International

Energy Agency (IEA) proposed in May 2012 that global demand for natural gas could rise more than 50% by 2035, from 2010 levels. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be reduced by 50 to 80 percent by 2050 to avoid dramatic consequences of global warming. In order to meet this growing energy demand and GHG reduction, we must develop all commercially-viable energy sources. As we know that no single energy source can meet the world's growing energy needs. We also need a more diverse energy mix which will enable energy security and help tackle the issue of climate change. Meeting this growing long-term societal demand requires that we develop all economic and environmentally-sound energy sources. Natural gas which is the cleanest compared to other fossil fuels is available to provide the world with a viable alternative. Its abundance, reliability, versatility and accessibility, will be a huge factor.  This paper considers the value of compressed natural gas (CNG) to be used for natural gas vehicles (NGV), and how it could  serve as a long-term emission-reducing energy source. Such uptake would also improve utilisation of natural gas instead of flaring it, thereby minimizing environmental harm and improving public safety.

Keywords: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV), Green House Gas (GHG), Cash Flow Analysis of CNG