Fuels: which should you choose to decarbonise your mobility?

40% of French CO₂ emissions come from mobility, with 30% from road traffic. Decarbonising this sector is a pressing need, and will allow us to respond to the targets in the Energy Transition for Green Growth Law, bringing us in line with European strategies such as Fit For 55, aimed at reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% between now and 2030, and finally achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

One efficient way of contributing to the energy transition is by choosing more sustainable mobility, particularly through the use of low-carbon fuels, such as renewable gases and green electricity.

Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV) and its renewable version, bioNGV, a compound derived from biomethane, offer excellent alternatives to traditional fuels.

NGV, already available from many filling stations, has many advantages:

• virtually zero particulate emissions;

• NOx emissions less than half the Euro VI standard;

• a range of up to 400 km for a light vehicle, and as much as 800 km for a heavy vehicle;

• refilling at the pump which is just as fast as diesel or petrol;

• an average price that is 20 to 30% lower than diesel;

• qualifies for the Crit’air Level 1 badge, giving access to urban centres and low emission zones (LEZ);

• a pleasant driving experience, with noise levels less than half those of diesel engines.

The acceleration of biomethane using different processes – methanisation, methanation and gasification – is opening up the way for bioNGV to gain ground. It will enable us to go even further in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting CO2, NOx and fine particle emissions to a quarter of present levels. The development of biomethane for mobility is something that road transport and local authority federations are particularly keen to see.

Lastly, NGV/bioNGV vehicles are available at competitive prices: light vehicles, lorries, buses, dustcarts and more. Those internal combustion vehicles that are already on the road can also be converted to NGV/bioNGV power, in a process known as retrofitting.

The availability of filling stations where NGV vehicles can fill up is essential for the rise of low-carbon mobility. Currently there are nearly 300 across the country, and the target is to have a public filling station every 150 km by 2025. Long committed to this process, Teréga is working to strengthen the network in the South West of France, and is supporting public and private actors in their NGV/bioNGV station plans. In particular, the Group offers connections to its gas transport network: its high pressure (45 bar on average) halves the electricity costs associated with compression. Over 10 to 12 years, such a connection could result in savings equivalent to the cost of the station itself (excluding civil engineering).

Teréga also supports the rise of the bioNGV sector, helping biomethane producers connect to its gas network. This is precious support for project owners, who benefit from the Group’s expertise both on a technical level and through relationships with stakeholders and plant neighbours.