Gas infrastructure driving towards Sustainable and Smart Mobility

December 9, 2020

The EU gas infrastructure will be a key lever of the establishment of a clean, sustainable and affordable EU mobility system. A voiding stranded assets, it will deliver decarbonisation objectives with costs effective options. In this regard, GIE welcomes the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy presented by the European Commission.

Here is why building on the existing EU gas infrastructure is an excellent opportunity to decarbonise heavy-duty transport and shipping.

“Together, we can make this irreversible shift to zero-emission mobility happen: our industry is committed to supporting the EU in becoming the first climate-neutral region by 2050. We stand ready to share our extensive infrastructure, best practices and capacity to innovate to reduce by 90% the emission in the EU transport.”
Boyana Achovski, GIE Secretary General, stated.

Decarbonise heavy-duty transport and shipping can be done in a fast and cost-effective way .
The existing gas infrastructure, including LNG facilities, are essential when decarbonising maritime and heavy-duty road transport. They massively contribute to reducing GHG. They also improve the air quality in ports which result in preserving EU citizens’ health. Today, LNG used as a marine fuel can meet the EU’s climate and air quality targets. It can lay the ground for the carbon-neutral liquified biomethane (LBM) and liquified synthetic methane (LSM) without almost no additional investment.

“If we want to successfully decarbonise transport, the vital role of LNG infrastructures must be recognised. For instance, LNG facilities can be easily used tomorrow for climate -neutral BioLNG with almost no modifications. Investing in LNG technologies is not locking us in a polluted system. In the opposite, it can set the EU on track to become the entry door to low-carbon and renewable liquified fuels. This means no stranded assets for Europe and only scale up effects for a climate-neutral BioLNG!”
Boyana Achovski, GIE Secretary General, added.

To ensure the deployment of Bio-LNG, supporting LNG infrastructures is indeed essential . Today, there are over 330 filling LNG stations across the EU and we can find 53 ports where LNG bunkering is available, a number that will massively increase over the years. By 2030, the EU should count 2.000 LNG stations which means it will be six times the number we have today. Using the current gas infrastructure will also boost BioLNG cross-border trade in Europe.

Key facts:

• In the shipping sector, 50% of large container vessel orders today are LNG fuelled or ready for conversion to LNG.
• 20% of BioLNG mix in maritime transport would reduce CO2 emissions by up to 34%.
• Recently, the world’s largest LNG bunkering operation to date was completed in Rotterdam supplying 17,300 cubic metres of LNG to a French 23,000 TEU Ultra-Large Container Vessel, 13% of which was BioLNG. LNG meets IMO targets: LNG’s SOx is 1,000 times lower than the IMO 0.5% rule.
• LNG reduces up to 21% GHG emissions compared with oil-based fuels over the Well-to-Wake cycle (see Annex 1). LBM and LSM can reduce them further.
• LNG improves air quality in urban areas and ports: NOx is reduced by up to 95% and particulate matter by 99% compared to heavy fuel oil.
• LNG is worldwide available, ensuring security of fuel supply : DG ENER reported on 7 April 2020 that in Q4 2019 LNG was the second gas source to the EU (up by 42% year-on-year). In December 2019 LNG terminals’ capacities were busy almost 70%, with some terminals reaching their full regasification capacity.

Note to editors

Who is GIE?

Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) is the association representing the interests of European gas infrastructure operators active in gas transmission, gas storage and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification. GIE is a trusted partner of European institutions, regulatory bodies and industry stakeholders. It is based in Brussels, the heart of European policymaking. GIE currently represents 70 member companies from 26 countries. GIE’s vision is that by 2050, the gas infrastructure will be the backbone of the new innovative energy system, allowing European citizens to benefit from a secure, efficient and sustainable energy supply.