Environmental aspects

Urban Emissions

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are generally very clean in terms of air quality emissions i.e. those that affect human health such as particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and the carcinogenic hydrocarbons (HC). Their near-zero PM emissions is a particular advantage when an NGV replaces a diesel, which is usually the case with heavy duty vehicles.

In addition, dedicated NGVs produce little or no evaporative emissions during fueling and use. In petrol vehicles, evaporative and fueling emissions account for at least 50 percent of a vehicle's total hydrocarbon emissions.

NGVs can reduce exhaust emissions of:

Carbon monoxide (CO) by 70 percent
Non-methane organic gas (NMOG) by 87 percent
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 87 percent
Carbon dioxide (CO2) by almost 20 percent below those of gasoline vehicles

Greenhouse Gases

Per unit of energy, natural gas contains less carbon than any other fossil fuel, and thus produces lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per vehicle km traveled. While NGVs do emit methane, another principle greenhouse gas, any increase in methane emissions is more than offset by a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions compared to other fuels. Tests have shown that NGVs produce up to 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than comparable petrol vehicles and up to 15 percent less than comparable diesel vehicles.

(Source: International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles)


Home Conference Natural gas and biomethane as a vehicle fuel Natural gas vehicles Fuelling Environmental aspects Economics and Safety Country specific facts Madegascar - the project Links Imprint	Environmental aspects Urban Emissions Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are generally very clean in terms of air quality emissions i.e. those that affect human health such as particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and the carcinogenic hydrocarbons (HC). Their near-zero PM emissions is a particular advantage when an NGV replaces a diesel, which is usually the case with heavy duty vehicles. In addition, dedicated NGVs produce little or no evaporative emissions during fueling and use. In petrol vehicles, evaporative and fueling emissions account for at least 50 percent of a vehicle's total hydrocarbon emissions. NGVs can reduce exhaust emissions of: Carbon monoxide (CO) by 70 percent Non-methane organic gas (NMOG) by 87 percent Nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 87 percent Carbon dioxide (CO2) by almost 20 percent below those of gasoline vehicles Greenhouse Gases Per unit of energy, natural gas contains less carbon than any other fossil fuel, and thus produces lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per vehicle km traveled. While NGVs do emit methane, another principle greenhouse gas, any increase in methane emissions is more than offset by a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions compared to other fuels. Tests have shown that NGVs produce up to 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than comparable petrol vehicles and up to 15 percent less than comparable diesel vehicles. (Source: International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles)