As a vehicle fuel, LNG (liquefied natural gas) has advantages such as high octane value, good anti knock performance, low engine loss, low fuel cost, and good environmental performance compared to traditional fuel fuels. Therefore, in foreign countries, the research and application of LNG commercial vehicles have been vigorously promoted for a long time.
Commonly used in the field of commercial vehicles
Taking the United States and Germany as examples, the promotion of LNG vehicles has been going on for many years. It is understood that currently operating LNG vehicles are mainly commercial vehicles, such as urban buses, urban engineering vehicles, environmental sanitation vehicles, and logistics transportation companies. This is firstly because commercial vehicles have a large transportation volume, high utilization rate, and natural gas prices are relatively cheaper compared to fuel. Secondly, LNG vehicles have smaller pollution emissions. Compared to the large amount of particulate matter emitted by diesel engines and the noise pollution caused, LNG vehicles have less pollution.
In the United States, logistics vehicles are currently the most commonly used LNG vehicles. In the promotion of the use of medium and short distance heavy-duty trucks, LNG vehicles mainly use a single gas cylinder longitudinally placed on both sides of the frame, which can choose either the ignition combustion method or the hybrid compression ignition method of HPDI (similar to diesel engines). For example, most of the medium and short distance vehicles used by UPS Logistics Group use the HPDI type, which is gradually recognized by developed countries as a control type for pre ignition compression ignition and ignition of natural gas. As early as 2011, UPS purchased 48 LNG trucks and put them into the company in Ontario, California. At the same time, the New York City Transportation Department also operates natural gas buses. Telecommunications companies Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. are also using trucks powered by natural gas.
In Germany, the large logistics company Hellmann began testing LNG fueled heavy-duty trucks in the autumn of 2012 and conducted a 4-week road transportation. From then on, LNG trucks also opened up the market for German LNG logistics suppliers.
Road tests have shown that LNG trucks can complete tasks well. Ren é Stocker, the head of Hanhong Logistics, said that trials have shown that compared to diesel vehicles, LNG trucks can greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, while the emissions of other harmful substances (such as carbon particles and nitric oxide) can be almost ignored.
Natural gas trucks have become a new development trend worldwide. Compared to traditional diesel trucks, natural gas trucks are more environmentally friendly, have lower greenhouse gas emissions, and lower operating noise. Although their prices may be higher than diesel trucks, in the long run, the advantages of natural gas trucks will become increasingly apparent in today's rising oil prices.
In addition to the United States and Germany, the development of natural gas vehicles in countries such as France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal is mainly focused on commercial vehicles, including buses, logistics transport vehicles, and garbage transport vehicles.
Policy guarantee for the promotion of LNG vehicles
Similar to our country, promoting natural gas vehicles through policy support is also one of the means used by some countries. For example, promoting LNG vehicles can be achieved by reducing taxes and providing subsidies. In Sweden, the road tax paid by natural gas vehicles is about 3000 kroner (approximately 2862 yuan) lower than that of diesel vehicles. In Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, from 6:30 to 18:30 on Mondays to Fridays, every vehicle entering and exiting the city is required to pay a traffic congestion fee. However, energy-saving and environmentally friendly vehicles such as natural gas vehicles are exempt from paying traffic congestion fees, and each environmentally friendly vehicle can save up to approximately 14400 kroner per year. In Pakistan, customs exempt all imported natural gas equipment, vehicles, and modified parts from tax, and tax authorities also exempt sales tax on natural gas vehicles. In Bangladesh, the introduction of equipment, modified parts, and natural gas vehicles for refueling stations is eligible for tax exemption policies, and banks and leasing companies can provide loan support for the modification of natural gas vehicles. The Asian Development Bank once helped the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka, to purchase 10000 sets of natural gas vehicle modification parts and gas cylinders for vehicles at once. In addition, Thailand not only implements preferential tax policies for natural gas original vehicles, engines, and modified parts, with the tax rate first reduced from 40% to 20% and finally to 0%. In addition, for each individual modified natural gas vehicle, the Thai government will provide a subsidy of 10000 Thai baht (approximately RMB 2122).
In the process of developing natural gas vehicles, Croatia has made new explorations in organizational form, providing reference for other countries. In 2009, Croatia established the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund Financing Agency. After its establishment, the organization mainly promoted the development of the clean energy vehicle industry through two measures. One is to improve the application of alternative fuels and fuel cells in passenger and freight transportation systems by managing bridge fees and traffic congestion fees, controlling the transportation of goods within the city, and constructing urban transportation facilities, thereby promoting the development of clean vehicle projects; LNG and CNG vehicles are prioritized for use in commercial, public transportation services, taxis, driving schools, and public service companies; Support the construction of new LNG and CNG refueling stations through financial means. Another approach is to collaborate with the Ministry of Oceans, Transport and Infrastructure, as well as the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Enterprise, to implement a "transportation plan to reduce the impact on environmental quality.". The main task of this plan is to replace buses, trucks, and school buses that do not meet environmental standards, and provide a subsidy of 50000 kuna (approximately 6750 euros) per vehicle through financing institutions.
The limited number of refueling stations restricts the application of LNG vehicles
Similar to China, insufficient construction of refueling stations is an important factor restricting the development of LNG vehicles. The United States is the world's second-largest natural gas producer, and research and development of LNG technology began in the 1930s. But according to the US Energy Information Administration, as of 2009, only 110000 natural gas vehicles were in operation in the United States. The United States has abundant resources and advanced technology, but it has not widely applied LNG vehicles, which is related to the only 66 LNG refueling stations distributed in 10 states throughout the United States.
A spokesperson for a foreign engine company stated that the petroleum fuel used has a network of gas stations spanning continents, as well as natural gas, but it enters people's homes and the power industry through pipelines. The challenge now is to establish a ubiquitous network form similar to diesel stations. UPS spokesperson Kara? Gerhard? Ross also stated that converting 1000 out of approximately 17000 heavy-duty trucks owned by UPS into LNG trucks was their long-term goal, and the inability to achieve the goal now is simply due to limitations in refueling stations.
It is understood that one of the largest private energy enterprises in China, New Austrian Group, is vigorously promoting the infrastructure construction of heavy-duty trucks powered by natural gas in the United States. The background is that the abundant natural gas resources in the local area will help the US transportation industry break away from the dependence on imported crude oil to produce diesel. The relevant person in charge of Xinao Group recently stated that the group has indeed started building LNG refueling stations in the United States, but in a new market and field, there will be various variables in its development process. So this year's goal is to build 50 LNG refueling stations.
It is worth noting that Clean Energy, the largest transportation and natural gas provider in the United States, is also constructing a "US Gas Highway" project. It will build 150 LNG truck refueling stations on major transportation arteries in the United States and plans to enter the entire downstream industry chain of natural gas vehicles, including refueling stations, transportation, taxis, airport transportation, and municipal vehicle markets.
In fact, most natural gas vehicles on American roads belong to government or corporate fleets with centralized refueling stations. In a July 2010 report, an investment analysis firm in the United States mentioned a decision by American automakers such as General Motors to provide cars that can use natural gas in their domestic market. US natural gas suppliers will also provide support to help companies convert fleet cars into natural gas vehicles and build natural gas refueling stations.
Although natural gas is cheap, the total cost of building LNG refueling stations in the United States is not low or comparable to that in China. According to market insiders, the cost of each gas station in the United States is about $1 million (approximately RMB 6.22 million), while the construction cost in China is about millions of RMB. Jiang Yu, the international business manager of New Ao Group, pointed out that the price difference for building gas stations in different parts of the United States is very obvious. Overall, the cost is still higher than in China, such as purchasing local equipment, hiring local personnel, hiring local companies for design, etc., and the cost is higher than in China.
On the premise of utilizing abundant natural gas resources and advanced natural gas technology, Germany has promoted the application of LNG vehicles in its domestic market by accelerating the construction of LNG refueling stations. It can be said that the development of natural gas vehicles in Germany mainly benefits from the close cooperation of stakeholders such as natural gas companies, the government, and automobile manufacturers. As of the end of 2010, data shows that Germany has become the country with the highest number of natural gas refueling stations in Europe, reaching 900, and about 91500 natural gas vehicles, mainly concentrated in urban heavy-duty vehicles, including buses and garbage transport vehicles.