On February 2021 ,12, Total inaugurated France’s biggest natural gas for vehicle (NGV) and bio-NGV filling station in Gennevilliers. The event highlights Total’s ambition to become a European leader in the distribution of NGV and bio-NGV. Natural gas is an alternative vehicle fuel and a key path to energy transition in the transportation of people and goods. A look at the different solutions and Total’s commitment to developing natural gas for vehicle fuel.

WHAT IS NATURAL GAS FOR VEHICLE (NGV) FUEL?

There are two different forms of NGV.

Stored at a pressure of 250 200 bar, compressed natural gas (CNG) can be used to fuel passenger cars, city buses, light commercial vehicles and trucks, making it a highly versatile mobility solution. A truck running on CNG can travel approximately 550 kilometers without refueling.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled to °120- or 162-C° to convert it into a liquid. It is particularly suited to long-haul trucks on the highways of Europe and the United States, since it offers a driving range of up to 1,600 kilometers. The maritime transportation industry also uses LNG to power cargo vessels, tankers, and soon, ferries and cruise ships.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): one of NGV’s false friend

Not to be confused with NGV, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a mixture of light hydrocarbons, chiefly propane and butane: %40 of all LPG is produced during the refining of crude oil and %60 is extracted from natural gas fields. It is stored in liquid form.