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NATURAL GAS VEHICLES

VEHICLES, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT

YEAR 11 - n. 1 - MAY 2010

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Natural gas vehicles

CONTENTS

Vehicles, energy, environment Milano, May 2010 Year 11 - Issue 1 Six-monthly magazine Reg. Tribunale Milano nº 416 del 9 giugno 2000 Registro operatori di comunicazione n° 8654 Editor in chief: Alfredo Zaino Editor: Com-Media S.r.l. Via Serio, 16 - 20139 Milano Tel. +39 02-56810171 Fax + 39 02-56810131 E-mail: info@watergas.it Internet: www.watergas.it Publisher: Com-Media S.r.l. Page layout by: Briefing - Milano Advertising: Com-Media S.r.l. Printed by: Multigraf S.r.l. Via Colombo, 61 20155 Gorla Minore (VA)

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TRENDs

CNG or LPG?

Long term targets Notwithstanding the zealous declarations released by the politicians of the international organisms, the atmospheric pollution in Italy and in the rest of the world is growing constantly. As all the other forms of pollution, come to that. In the last announcements on radio and newspapers, and in particular during the COP conference in Copenagen, they went so far as to pompously promise a strong reduction (e.g. by 50%) of the polluting emissions by 2050. In more than 40 years. Today’s politicians have hence taken noble commitment, which target will anyway have to be met by our descendants. Meanwhile, we keep on increasing our polluting emissions instead, on the wrong presumption that we have plenty of time. The only factor which in this very period is limiting to a certain extent the emission increase, is unfortunately enough the reduced production rate of firms, due to the financial and economic crisis. But obviously the financial economic crisis is neither a recommended nor a desirable environment protection measure. Sometimes the countries which have signed the Kyoto Protocol show strong difficulties in respecting the limits to the CO 2 emissions they have committed themselves to. Some of them, including Italy, at the end of the day will probably have to pay big penalties for this. In this situation it is obvious that we must do something very soon. We need to take profit in a rational and determined way of all the available environment friendly solutions. The

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potential of each one of them must be deployed as much as possible. Each one must be placed in the most suitable and effective application field. The use of each one of them must not impair the full application of all the other solutions equally viable. By this way only we can hope to leave our descendants a better world than the one we got from our parents, and not a just more poisoned one, only full of good intentions and of not deployed solutions. In Italy, in the transport sector, and in particular in the car sector there are two good and clean fuels which struggle to get more room, with variable results. Sometimes fighting each other undercover, rather than planning the better strategies for both. Of course we are speaking about CNG for NGV and LPG. The differences Nowadays the public opinion still tends to make confusion between the two, by adopting for both the term “gas”, with a sort of “lazy thinking” which in some instances has resulted even dangerous. The “gas” is characterised instead by a remarkable “dimorphism” on the side of the chemical and physical characteristics and on that of the applied norms. This word defines in fact two products which are extremely different from each other. One of them is always in gaseous form, except in the very rare cryogenic applications when its temperature is about minus 160 Celsius. The other one is always in liquid form except at the inlet of the engine intake manifold and in combustion chamber; and sometimes it is in liquid form even there, with the modern liquid LPG direct injection technology. CNG, imposes to the storage and management infrastructures the application of very high pressures, i.e. 200 bar. For LPG a pressure ten times lower is sufficient; thus its tank is lighter and cheaper. CNG weighs about half as much as air; if it were not flammable, it could be used to inflate children’s balloons at fairs. In gaseous form LPG weighs nearly two times as much as air; if leaking from a pipe, it vaporizes and settles down on the ground, where it will keep for long, waiting for a spark or a hot cigarette end. Natural gas is available in enormous amounts, at the same level of crude oil; and maybe far more, if it is true that the bottom of the oceans all around the world are rich of gas hydrates. LPG is just a marginal product of oil and gas production and treatment. Its availability has been estimated to be equivalent to about 5 or 6% of the proven reserves of crude oil. It is anyway a globally interesting amount of energy, which we

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The synergies These two fuels have also some similarities, no doubt about that; and they take profit of some synergies. In both cases the combustion process is intrinsically less polluting than in the case of the other more traditional liquid fuels. Some of their management appliances are similar. The engine laboratory research can provide a benefit for both. All the component manufacturers, or most of them, offer products for both fuels, which coexistence on the market has always allowed the manufacturers higher global production rate, hence better economic turnover. During hard times, this may make the difference between keep on with the activity of shut down the firm. An interesting aspect of the synergy between

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CNG and LPG is that of norms. Usually the preparation of specific norms for one of them is just the prelude of the immediate redaction of similar norms for the other with the due technical adjustments needed because of the chemical and physic differences among the two fuels. Sometimes LPG is the first to come, immediately followed by CNG. A recent example was the decree 11 September 2008 “Modifiche ed integrazioni al decreto del Ministro dell'interno 24 maggio 2002, recante norme di prevenzione degli incendi e di progettazione, costruzione ed esercizio degli impianti di distribuzione stradale di gas naturale per autotrazione”, covering the self-service delivery mode. Some other time, the first norm is for CNG, and is followed by LPG. A recent example of this was the multi-fuel dispenser. The initiative was started by the CNG experts; and the end result was the publication of the decree 23 September 2008 which title is: “Amendments and integrations to the annex A of decree 24 October 2003, n. 340, covering safety requirements of appliances for the delivery of LPG for road transport applications”. Another example of norm replication is the result obtained by the experts with the amendment of the decree 01/02/1986: “Norms for fire protection of construction and operation of garages”, which originally forbade the underground garaging of vehicles fuelled with a gaseous fuel with relative density higher than 0.8 (i.e. LPG). That provision has been partially amended by the decree 22 November 2002 “Provisions for the garaging of vehicles fuelled with LPG in garages as a function of the relevant safety system”, which allows also to LPG vehicles the parking in underground garages, but only down to the first underground floor, and not below, and only if the LPG on-board system of the vehicle has been certified to the UN ECE Regulation R67; which means that on the vehicle are installed some particular safety devices. Maybe the rationale of this amendment is the consideration that all in all, the gaseous LPG has more or less the same physic characteristics as the gasoline vapour. So, if the garage is suitable to gasoline vehicles, it must also be so for LPG vehicles. Both CNG and LPG must rise the interest of public opinion, and remove its wait and see attitude, which is also a result of the spell of “technology mermaids” like the hydrogen easily within reach, the new light and inexhaustible

TRENDs

need to be able to consume. About 60% of all the LPG which is consumed today is a by-product of the natural gas production process. The remaining 40% is the by-product of the crude oil refinery process. The net heating power of CNG in gaseous from is roughly equivalent to that of a litre of diesel oil. The net hearing power of LPG in gaseous form is more than twice as much. But CNG for NGV is sold by kilogram of gas; LPG instead is sold by litre of liquid. And one kilogram of natural gas is roughly equivalent in terms of energy, to about two litres of LPG in liquid form. Natural gas, in the case of biogas can even be quite easily produced by means of the bio-chemical processes for the treatment of waste solid or liquid substances, with interesting local and global benefits for environment. And this way it becomes a renewable energy source. In the case of LPG this is not as easy. Natural gas always flows through though and well protected underground pipelines, which have no impact on road traffic, and nearly no architecture’s impact. LPG is transported by tankers, more or less as gasoline and diesel oil, with the only difference of the higher internal pressure. Natural gas never needs to be stored in large amounts by the customer, hence it must not be paid before its use. Of course we refer here to the case of the CNG refuelling station which buys natural gas from the gas company. In the refuelling station, a few cylinders are enough to efficiently damp compressors pressure pulsations. The installation of a few more cylinders is recommendable to optimise the compressor load curve, with a variable trend of incoming vehicles to be refuelled. But it is always a matter of a limited amount of stored energy. In the case of LPG instead a big high pressure underground tank is always needed, more or less as it happens with gasoline and diesel oil, still here except the higher service pressure. And the product which fills the underground tank is immediately invoiced as soon as it reaches the refuelling station, and not at months end, as it happens to natural gas. We will discuss in more depth all the differences between CNG and LNG later on in this article.

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electric batteries, the emission killing hybrids, the ultimate alternative energies. Both CNG and LPG must struggle hard to map out and settle their growth and development path, to enlarge their niche in the automotive market, still ruled (and it will be so for long) by traditional liquid fuels.

A pill of history The first to come on the market was CNG, before the Second World War. To take more profit of the one and only domestic fossil energy source which was available on the national territory with inherent abundance, and which was to be used for house heating and industry, but also for vehicles. It did allow the country some self-sufficiency, imposed by the hard political situation of that time, when Italy acted as ambitious colonial power and was punished with the embargo. Then, on more recent times, with the far and wide spread of oil and its derivates, LPG has joined in. It is produced by condensation from natural gas, but it is mainly produced by oil refinery as top gas from the distillation tower. Finally, it was also found in limited amounts in its own underground reservoirs in the country (e.g. the wells of Malossa, near Treviglio, at a depth of some kilometre). Since its entry of the market, LPG has succeeded in quickly developing an automotive market share. Even if keeping at the level of niche, it has firmly settled on a prevailing position over CNG, and today its market share is about three times as that of CNG, in terms of vehicles in circulation, number of refuelling stations, and amount of fuel consumed by the light duty vehicle sector. Opposite, its penetration of the heavy duty vehicle sector, a niche of the niche, has always been harder. Here CNG is absolutely prevailing. In the residential and commercial sector, in some cases the opposite process has occurred. Here in fact LPG has often been the pioneer one in the marginal areas, with the installation of tanks for isolate locations, such as rural settlements, restaurants or hotels too far from cities and towns and their gas networks. And often it has also allowed to build small local pipe networks for the distribution of a mixture of propane and air, having more or less the same net heating power as natural gas, in areas still not connected to the natural gas national pipeline system. This way LPG made thus possible in many places the application of the technologies, and the diffusion of the culture of a gaseous fuel, waiting for the natural gas national pipeline network to reach those areas in a subsequent time, at which point natural gas would inexorably suppress the pioneer LPG. For example in Sardegna at present there are only propane air mixture pipeline systems in operation as in that region the natural gas pipeline system do not yet exist at all. But in the future a submarine one, the Galsi, will reach the region, carrying natural gas from the near Algeria. The development of natural gas pipelines, which

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in the past were more intense compared to the present situation, has thus progressively displaced those initial applications of LPG, causing a surplus, hence a gradual increase of the relevant offer as automotive fuel. It is a process quite similar to that of the substitution of diesel oil and fuel oil for natural gas in the heating plants in the urban areas affected by the development of the natural gas city network. The process was driven by the energy market rules, but mostly so by the need for environment safeguard. In the recent past, the increasing availability on the market of new diesel vehicle models had created some sale problems to the gaseous fuels, and in particular to LPG, which, opposite than the case of CNG, is burdened by not negligible excise duties, even if lower than those applied to gasoline and diesel (excise duty in application since 1/5/2008: gasoline 0.564 €/l; diesel 0.423 €/l; LPG 0.125 €/l; CNG 0.00291 €/ m3). The diesel oil, also the amount displaced by natural gas in the heating plants, was available in large amounts and was offered at competitive prices. The concurrent entry to the market of a number of car models offered by all OEM with more than acceptable performance, made diesel oil suddenly very attractive for all kinds of customer. With diesel, far longer specific running range is allowed by the remarkably higher Diesel engine efficiency compared to the Otto engine, and there are no difference in acceleration and power. These features had for some time put in jeopardy the market share of CNG, and even more so that of LPG, in a frightening way. But the market is a living thing, which reacts promptly to any stimulation. And it has reacted quickly enough to the strong rise of the demand for diesel oil as fuel, with a consequent sharp increase of the prices at the pump. Also because a part of the diesel oil demanded by market must be imported from abroad, as exceeding the maximum possible production rate of national refineries. This has substantially restored the former market balance, based on the price competitiveness of LPG, let alone CNG. Furthermore, meanwhile the average pump price of LPG has kept low, even if slightly higher than the average pump price of CNG, and the offer on the market of OEM LPG vehicle models has also widened, quickly dwarfing the offer of OEM CNG vehicle models, growing as well, but at slower pace. The market Nowadays there are on the market in Italy more than 90 models of LPG private passenger cars, whereas just about 20 CNG car models are on sale. Many models are then available in a number of different version and arrangement, which further widens the choices offered to customers, as well as the spread between the LPG vehicles choices and the NGV choices.

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The OEM cars fuelled with gaseous fuel on the market in Italy

CNG models

Gran Picasso

dr5 Panda Punto 5 porte Grande Punto Punto Evo

Qubo Doblò Multipla Focus berlina Focus S.W.

C-Max

Classe B

Manufacturer LPG models Micra Nissan Note Corsa Opel Astra Astra S.W. Meriva Zafira 207 Peugeot 207 S.W. Renault Twingo Clio Storia Clio berlina Megane Modus Grand Modus Kangoo Scenic Espace Koleos 9-7x Saab Seat Ibiza 3 porte Ibiza 5 porte Leon Altea Altea XL Shuanghuan Ceo Skoda Fabia Fabia S.W. Octavia berlina Octavia S.W. Roomster Subaru Justy Impreza Forester Nuova Legacy Nuova Outback Suzuki Alto Swift Splash Tata Indica Indigo Toyota Yaris Aygo Volkswagen Fox Polo 2001 Golf Touran V50 Volvo Totale modelli 96

CNG models

Zafira

TRENDs

Manufacturer LPG models Chevrolet Matiz Aveo Lacetti Nubira Cruze Epica Captiva Nuova C3 Citroen C3 berlina Sandero Dacia Logan berlina Logan MCV Daihatsu Sirion Materia Terios DR dr5 Panda Fiat Punto 3 porte Punto 5 porte Grande Punto Punto Evo Bravo Idea Ford Fiesta Focus berlina Focus S.W. Mondeo berlina 4 p. Mondeo berlina 5 p. Mondeo S.W. C-Max Hyundai i10 i20 i30 berlina i30 S.W. Tucson KIA Picanto cee'd 5 porte cee'd S.W. cee'd Soul cee'd Sportage Lada Niva Lancia Ypsilon Musa Mazda Mazda 2 Mercedes Mini Ray G Mitsubishi Colt Nissan Pixo

Berlingo

Indica Indigo

Caddy Touran Passat berlina Passat S.W. 21

[source: QUATTRORUOTE]

It is worth outlining that practically all the CNG models on the market are real OEM, i.e. they are designed and manufactured in CNG version by the manufacturer. Instead, almost all the LPG models offered to the market as OEM, and as

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that considered by the norms covering the grant of incentives, in real terms are something quite different, which is less “valuable” than a real OEM. In fact, they can be considered as QVM (qualified vehicle modifiers). They are built by

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the manufacturer in gasoline version, more or less prepared for a subsequent conversion, then they are converted to LPG by special workshops, anyway under the direct control of the manufacturer. So they are some sort of good compromise between a real OEM and a mere retrofit conversion done in one of the 2,000 conversion workshop disseminated over the national territory. But for the end customer all this is not so important. All he knows is that if he wants an LPG car he is bound to find one on the price-list, choosing among the models he mostly likes, and those which are more suitable to his need, without any compromise on the side of brand and style, while this is not the case sometimes for those who want to buy a CNG car. He will take profit of the incentives offered by the government for the purchasing of OEM gaseous fuel cars; if available. Even if to be true, the last incentive of 1,500 Euro offered by DL 10 February 2009 n 5, which has expired in December 2009, was offered only to OEM CNG cars. And he will be offered the full warranty of the manufacturers, as if nobody had ever put the hands on his car after the original manufacturing. For the manufacturer instead, things are a lot different. The design and construction of a real OEM requires an investment far higher that that required by the QVM option, which also results in higher sale prices. This over-cost sums up to the

over-cost of the CNG on-board system, which is burdened by the cost of the high pressure (200 bar) CNG cylinder. For example, a Grande Punto has a price of 15,400 € in the CNG version, and 14,150 in the LPG version; a Ford Focus costs 19,400 € in the CNG version, and 17,900 in the LPG version. One might ask himself why in the world the car manufacturers don’t adopt the cheaper QVM option also in the case of CNG models. At least when the room required for the installation on-board of the CNG cylinder don’t penalise too much the load space. This market could get some benefit for sure from this. And the resulting solution would be acceptable on the technical and legislative side, as it is in the case of the LPG vehicles. There is a big difference in favour of LPG also on the side of the “aftermarket” conversions done by the workshops operating on the territory, which are all able to make both CNG and LPG conversions. Nearly 90% of the conversions done in 2009, and the relevant incentives granted by the government have been LPG conversions. In 2009 as much as 167,000 cars have been converted to LPG, whereas a ridiculously smaller number of cars have been converted to CNG: 17,500 units. Another explanation of this is that the normal cost of the CNG conversion is twice as much that of the conversion to LPG, applying the same level technology.

The market of the gaseous fuels in the automotive sector in Italy

CNG

LPG

Car registrations 2006

~ 29.200 (1,10%)

~ 6.400

Car registrations 2007

~ 64.000

~ 28.400

Car registrations 2008

~ 86.000 (~ +33% vs. 2007)

~ 74.000

Car registrations 2009

~ 141.000 (~7% on the total car registrations; ~+64% vs. 2008)

~ 340.000 (~14% on the total car registrations; ~+400% vs. 2008 )

Conversions 2008

~ 38.000

~ 170.000

Conversions 2009

~ 17.500

~ 167.000

Total vehicles 2008

~ 536.000 (1,3%)

~ 1.100.000 (2,7%)

Total vehicles 2009

~ 640.000 (estimate)

~ 1.500.000 (estimate)

Refuel. stations 2000

~ 340

~ 1950

Refuel. stations 2009

~ 750 (of which ~20 on motorways)

~ 2.350 (of which ~200 on motorways)

[fonte dati: elaborazioni Federmetano, Assogasliquidi, Ecogas]

National consumption of natural gas and LPG

Year

total NG billion m3 (thousand TEP)(*)

CNG million m3 (thousand TEP)(*)

total LPG thousand ton (thousand TEP)(*)

automotive LPG thousand ton (thousand TEP)(*)

2002

68,83 (56.440)

448 (367)

3.719 (3.942)

1.313 (1.392)

2003

75,89 (62.220)

442 (362)

3.714 (3.937)

1.209 (1.282)

2004

78,75 (65.570)

442 (362)

3.549 (3.762)

1.106 (1.172)

2005

84,27 (69.100)

436 (358)

3.528 (3.740)

1.029 (1.091)

2006

82,53 (67.670)

376 (308)

3.301 (3.499)

989 (1.048)

2007

82,95 (68.020)

515 (422)

3.140 (3.328)

944 (1.001)

2008

85,00 (69.700)

610 (500)

3.194 (3.386)

1.004 (1.064)

2009 (stima)

78,00 (63.960)

740 (607)

3.199 (3.391)

1.087 (1.152)

(*) net heating power: NG = 8,200 kcal/m3; LPG = 10,600 kcal/kg; TEP = 10,000,000 kcal source: Ministry of Industry; Oil & Gas Journal

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this time on the side of the refuelling station network. Comparison between the chemical and phisical characteristics

characteristics

CNG (methane)

propane

butane

LPG (50% propane-50% butane)

formula

CH4

C3H8

C4H10

Molecular weight of fuel

Molec. weight of required oxygen

160

208

184

Molec. weight CO2 emissions

132

176

154

Molec. weight H2O emissions

Emissions CO2 kg/kg

2,75

3,00

3,03

3,02

Emissions CO2 g/MJ

55,0

65,8

67,0

66,4

Emissions CO2 g/kWh

198,0

236,8

241,2

239

density Kg/Nm in gaseous conditions

0,72

2,02

2,7

2,36

density Kg/l in liquid conditions

0,41(GNL)

0,51

0,6

0,55

Main components % mass

75C, 25H

82C, 18H

83C, 17H

Ratio H/C of atoms

2,7

2,5

2,525

Nhp MJ/Nm3 in gaseous conditions

120

106,5

Nhp MJ/l in liquid conditions

21,1 (GNL)

Nhp MJ/kg

45,6

45,3

45,5

Nhp kWh/kg

13,89

12,67

12,58

12,62

Boiling Temperature °C

-162

-42

-0,5

air fuel mixture Nhp MJ/m3

3,18

3,48

Self ignition temp. °C (*)

650

470

365

theoretic combustion air kg air / kg fuel

17,2

15,6

15,4

15,5

Ignition limits in air % vol. of vapour, at atmospheric pressure (upper ÷ lower)

5÷15

2,2÷9,5

1,8÷8,4

RON

133

111

Cethane Number

Evaporation heat J/kg

0,5

0,43

0,39

0,41

2,4

2,3

2,35

-187 ÷ -138

Spec. heat of liquid kJ/kg°K Flash point °C (**)

<-161

Density of vapour at 1 bar kg/m

0,72

1,83

2,42

2,12

REID vapour pressure (20°C) absolute bar

10,0

2,5

TRENDs

The CNG refuelling station network is still poor in many parts of the country. In Sardegna it does not exist at all; and in Valle d’Aosta there is only one service station. Opposite, the LPG refuelling station network is well developed everywhere in the country, including Sardegna, and refuelling with LPG is never a problem not even on the motorways. It is not by chance. The technological part of an LPG refuelling station has more or less the same cost of the equivalent one for gasoline. The CNG refuelling station has a cost far higher than that. It is more than twice as much, even in the cases of the simplest solutions. The CNG refuelling station must be connected to the gas pipeline system, and also the connecting pipeline has a remarkable cost. The initiative to build a new CNG sale point is thus challenging, and is subject to long pay back times, which may discourage the operators who are not enough motivated, or who are not offered financial incentives for that initiative. Also for this reason the tendency today is to prefer inserting a CNG filling point in existing multi-fuel refuelling stations, or building multi-fuel refuelling stations which includes CNG, rather than building new dedicated CNG refuelling stations, like those which were built in the past. But also in this case, the investment costs are high, and the pay back times are long, in case of lack of financial incentives from government or regions. And the road to equalize in numerical and quantity terms the CNG and LPG refuelling station network is still long. It is necessary to get it shorter. In some regions and in some autonomous provinces (e.g. Piemonte, Lombardia, Trentino, Liguria) some financial contributions are granted to this aim. This is a good start. Then, in the case of an increasing number of regions, new norms are enforced to regulate fuel sale, which impose to include a low environment impact fuel, be it CNG or LPG, in all the newly built refuelling stations, so they get permission to go in operation. But if the financial support offered by regions will not be restricted to the CNG sale points, or preferably destined to them, there is the concrete risk that who will build new multifuel refuelling stations will always choose LPG, to reduce the required additional investment imposed by law. Obviously this would not be a sensible choice on the side of the operator, given the already sufficient coverage of the national territory of the LPG refuelling station network. And one should also consider that notwithstanding the sharp increase of LPG cars sale over the last period, the sales of LPG as fuel have increased with a far smoother pace. But without a dam, the water streams downward: it’s easier. Also in this case we could face a further widening of the gap between the two fuels,

1 MJ = 239 Kcal; 1Kcal = 0,004 MJ; 1 MJ = 0,278 kW; 1 kW = 3,598 MJ (*) at atmospheric pressure (**) the flash point of a fuel is the lowest temperature at which a flammable mixture can be done with air. At this temperature the vapour stops burning as soon as the ignition source is removed. At a slightly higher temperature, an ignition point is defined, at which the vapour keeps burning after having been ignited. No one of these parameters has to do with the ignition temperature of the fuel, which is far higher. The flash point of a liquid fuel is measured with the Pensky-Martens device. In the Otto cycle engines the fuel should be pre-mixed with air until it reaches its flammability limit and heat up until it reaches its flash point, at which point it is ignited by means of a spark plug. The fuel should not be subject to early self ignition when entering a hot combustion chamber. For this reason gasoline has a low flash point and a high self ignition temperature. In the Diesel engine, the compressed air is heated up until it reaches the self ignition temperature; fuel detonation occurs at the maximum pressure point, in the presence of a finely atomised air-fuel mixture. In this case there are no ignition sources. As a consequence the diesel engine requires a fuel which has a high flash point and a low self ignition temperature.

The strategies During 2009 the consortium NGV System Italia, grouping the main firms of the NGV sector,

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CNG or LPG? with the exception of those operating on the distribution side, (20 manufacturers and gas companies) has carried on some specific initiatives for the promotion of this sector. For example the workshop titled: “La filiera industriale del trasporto a metano oltre la crisi” (“The NGV industry beyond the crisis”) held in Rome, on Tuesday June 9th, at the Conference Room of Palazzo Marini of Montecitorio (our magazine has described this event on the last issue). On Wednesday September 30th the White Book of NGV, prepared by Centro Studi Promotor, has been presented to press. Then, within the Attività produttive alla Camera, the examination has been started of the project of law 2172 Disposizioni in materia di utilizzo del metano come carburante per autotrazione.(provisions for the use of CNG as automotive fuel) presented in February by the under secretary of the Ministry of industry, Stefano Saglia. The project of law 2172 deals with some important specific aspects and structural problems of NGV in Italy, such as: • t he rules for gas transport, and the elimination of the contractual penalties (penalties for exceeding the booked amount of transported gas); • t he actual application of the automotive fuel specific rules to CNG; • s pecific norms aimed at the development of CNG refuelling stations network, easing the connection of new service stations to the natural gas pipeline system. This project of law also aims at making the financial subsidies available only to CNG, instead of them being offered to both CNG and LPG as it has been the case so far. The reason for

this particular proposition is not to penalise and discriminate LPG, which must be allowed to fully play its role on the clean fuels scenario. The intention for that is rather to reduce as much as possible the remarkable market gap nowadays separating CNG from its competitor fuel. It is good that they run together the race; but without ballast. Instead CNG has heavy ballast. It is necessary that between CNG and LPG there is a real competition, based on really equal market conditions. Mainly in terms of number of selling points and car models offered to market, as OEM or similar solutions. The development of the LPG market must not relent; but the development of CNG market must accelerate. These are not conflicting statements. It is absolutely possible; room for that is there. These initiatives carried on by the NGV sector have been mirrored in October 2009 by Assogasliquidi and Consorzio Ecogas, with the organisation of the conference “Carburanti gassosi: il futuro europeo di una tecnologia italiana” (“Gaseous fuels: the future in Europe of an Italian technology”) which has been held in Roma. During the conference the proposal has been done to also include LPG in the project of law 2172. In the opinion of the organisers of the conference, the project of law 2172, besides including some measures as those described above, which are specific for the CNG needs, also contains some measures which would entail a discrimination with LPG, that is hardly justified. In particular: • the creation of a fund fed with the royalties imposed to the distribution of oil products, to settle an incentive system only offered to CNG; • t he exemption from the car ownership tax allowed to the CNG cars; • t he exclusion from the traffic circulation limitation measures; • t he prolongation over time of the present favourable taxation. Today these points are common to both gaseous fuels because of their lower environmental impact as compared to gasoline and diesel oil. The project of law 2172 was followed by some other projects of law, submitted by other members of parliament, with similar content and targets. Analytical Comparison between CNG and LPG – general aspects Affect of ambient temperature - In general, the CNG vehicles are not sensitive to extreme ambient temperature variations. For the LPG vehicles, opposite, low temperature, can be a critical issue. The LPG vehicles can have two different fuel supply systems. They can feed the engine either taking the gas under pressure

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some serious risks for safety. Costs – the operation costs of CNG delivery can reach up to as much as four times those for LPG delivery. The conversion of a vehicle to LPG has a cost which is by 40 to 50% lower than the case of CNG. One of the consequences of this is that the number of vehicles converted to LPG is nearly ten times higher than the case of CNG. Delivery - CNG is delivered in gaseous conditions and is sold by kg, whereas LPG is delivered in liquid conditions and is sold by litre. Distribution network – the distribution infrastructure of LPG is already mature and scattered in a capillary way over the whole territory, including the motorways and highways, and the areas which are instead poor of CNG infrastructures, or where natural gas itself is even absent at all, such as Sardegna. The distribution system of LPG is similar to the distribution system of gasoline and diesel, with which it is well integrated. Opposite, the distribution infrastructure of CNG still needs the support of public administrations and main operators, on the side of the increase of the refuelling station network of incentives and of reduced excises. Economics - The different sale units (m3 or kg for CNG; litre for LPG) may cause some confusion in the customer perception of economics. Thus, when comparing prices, the comparison should be based on energy content (lower heating value as a reference). So it could be expressed in Euro per MJ or per kWh (1 kWh = 3.6 MJ). In Germany for example, CNG is more than 30% cheaper in Euro/MJ or in Euro/kWh than LPG. In Italy this advantage gets down to 5% at present. In the long term, the production costs for bio-methane may make this option financially more attractive than natural gas. As a consequence of this, the price advantage of CNG (average of natural gas and bio-methane) over LPG is likely to increase. Emissions - The tailpipe CO 2 emissions driving on LPG (propane) are 19.5% higher (236.8/198.0) than when driving on CNG (for butane 21.8% higher). In some cold countries the LPG used as vehicle fuel is only propane, in the warmer countries butane is also used, particularly in the summer season. As an average figure, it can be said that the CO2 emissions of LPG cars are 20% higher than those of the CNG cars. In other words, the CO2 emissions from NGV are in average 17% lower than those from LPG cars. LPG is, after gasoline, the highest CO2 producer, even worse than diesel, the other exhaust products are better than those from gasoline and diesel vehicles, but never as good as those from CNG engines. Engine efficiency - In the case of bi-fuel engines (gasoline/CNG or gasoline/LPG) the energy efficiency is identical, whether

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from the gaseous phase in the fuel tank, or by pumping gas from the liquid phase (this is the less common, and more expensive system). The vapour pressure of propane and butane is very much depending on temperature. At very low ambient temperatures (e.g. -15°C), the pressure in an LPG tank may be not sufficient to provide on demand full fuel supply, especially in the case of high butane content. So, for example, the only LPG passenger cars ever produced in Europe as real OEM, and not QVM, (the Volvo S80/V70/ S60/S40/V40) used a self pressure system which included an automatic switch to petrol drive at a temperature below -15°C. This also because the manufacturer considered to be a safety feature the engine being capable to providing full power, regardless of the outside temperature. Availability - In Italy, also as a consequence of the financial/economic crisis, there is at present a certain production/import surplus of natural gas compared to the demand of market. A certain portion of this product, probably even increasing by the time, is thus available for the automotive market for the years to come, whereas the production of LPG deriving from the oil industry, is limited as already seen, to about 6% of the availability of oil and natural gas. Reduced demand for natural gas means reduced production, hence reduced availability, of the deriving LPG, to the same extent. An issue on the side of LPG might be on the availability of fuel, since LPG, as well as the far more abundant natural gas, is intensely applied as feedstock for the petrochemical industry. Billing – natural gas is compressed and retail sold (to the driver, who is the end customer), as soon as it reaches the refuelling station through the gas pipeline. This way, the station’s operator gets immediately his money for a product which he in his turn will pay for to the gas supplier (the gas company) far later on. In the case of LPG instead the billing rules are more or less the same as for diesel oil and gasoline, and the same applies to the long residence time of the product in the refuelling station’s underground tank, waiting for retail sale. Connector - With the (important) exception of Italy, all the EU nations use the NGV-1 (LD) and NGV.2 (HD) CNG refuelling connectors, without the need for adaptors. Opposite, the LPG industry, has still some problems because of the 3 or 4 different types of refuelling connectors still in use. One common standard for refuelling connectors, and no use of adaptors, would for sure increase the general safety level. In some countries, the LPG sold for house heating purposes may sometimes be cheaper then the LPG sold at refuelling stations for automotive applications. This might tempt people to use home made filling devices, which is carrying

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CNG or LPG? driving on CNG or LPG. In case of aspirated bi-fuel vehicles (at present, almost all of the NGV and LPG vehicles are bi-fuel), there is no significant difference in the engine efficiency whether driving on methane or LPG. CNG should, however, in the middle to long term have an advantage, thanks to the higher octane rating of CNG compared both to gasoline and LPG, which allows for a higher thermodynamic efficiency. This feature can be fully exploited in case of mono-fuel engines, but also in case of turbocharged engines. In fact, turbo charging allows tuning the bi-fuel engine to the best compression ratio, both when running on gasoline and when running on the gaseous fuel, thanks to the possibility of switching among two different boost curves of the supercharging turbine. Garaging - Natural gas is far lighter than air (its density is slightly more than a half), and in the case of a potential leakage from a vehicle, the gas will easily escape into the atmosphere through the ventilation system of the garage; even natural ventilation can be enough. LPG, opposite is far heavier than air, (nearly two times as much) and will not escape in the same way; its behaviour in this case, resembles rather that of petrol, diesel or ethanol. For this reason, the vehicles fuelled with CNG can be parked in any garage, even underground with no limitation. In general LPG vehicles are instead not allowed underground parking. In the case of the Italian legislation, since 2002 also LPG vehicles are allowed underground parking, but only on the first underground floor and not below, provided the LPG on board system is certified to the UN ECE regulation R 67. Maybe, if petrol, diesel and ethanol vehicles had been invented today, the same restrictions would also have applied for them. In the case of heavy duty LPG vehicles, most attention must be paid to the aspect of their garaging also in the case of above ground parking garages. In these garages in fact, there are very often trenches for maintenance, to access to the vehicle’s under floor space. In these trenches the possible escaping gas heavier than air might collect, leading to a dangerous build up of flammable mixture. So, no doubt CNG has some advantages over other presently available fuels with regard to the fire hazard in enclosed spaces. Offer of vehicles – Over the last months, the sale of OEM LPG vehicles has been about three times more than the sale of OEM CNG vehicles. Nearly all car manufacturers are offering today some models fuelled with LPG, whereas not more of four or five car manufacturers are offering also some few models fuelled with CNG. As a matter of fact, just one of them, i.e. Fiat, which has a pioneering role, covers about 90%

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of this small market. Production – in real terms, natural gas cannot be considered as an oil refinery product, whereas LPG is an oil refinery product. LPG is coming from the production and treatment of crude oil and natural gas. About 60 % of all produced LPG is a by-product from production of natural gas. The other 40 % is a by-product from crude oil refining. At present, neither propane nor butane are produced from any renewable resources. Bio-methane instead can be made from all organic waste, and can also be made, more efficiently, from specially grown crops. Reserves – the world proved reserves of natural gas are about 180,000 billion cubic metres, i.e. about 150,000 million TEP. In terms of energy they are just equivalent to the world proved reserves of crude oil, (1,150,000 million barrels, i.e. 155,000 million TEP). The world reserves of LPG are about 5-6% of the reserves of oil and natural gas. Running range – CNG is always in gaseous form, even when it is compressed at 200 bar. Its tank is hence heavy and cumbersome, and this imposes some compromise in terms of running range. Generally the running range on gas of a bi-fuel vehicle is 300 or 400 km, to which the normal running range on gasoline is to be added. LPG is stored in liquid form under a relatively low pressure. Its tank, even if it is still substantially a pressure bottle, can have a shape which is more suitable to make a better use of the space on board, and is lighter than the CNG cylinder with the same internal water capacity. Notwithstanding the safety need to keep at least 20% of internal capacity free of liquid LPG, the running range on gas of an LPG bi-fuel vehicle is remarkably higher than the case of the NGV, as it is generally equivalent to he running range on gasoline. This is a great advantage of LPG versus CNG. Tank - CNG is stored onboard vehicles at pressures up to 200 bars. LPG is stored at pressures less than 20 bars. The higher pressures require special design criteria for CNG cylinders. The standard ISO 11439, and the UN ECE R110 regulation, provide extremely tough testing requirements and precautions. In particular, two types of safety devices are used: temperature or pressure based safety valves, to avoid risky situations even under extreme or abnormal service conditions (e.g. car fire). The CNG cylinders must withstand by design a maximum pressure of 450 bars, and they are tested at 300 bars. The LPG cylinders must withstand a maximum design pressure of 90 bars, and are tested at 30 bars. The CNG cylinders are designed for a maximum service life of 20 years, and must be subjected to periodic inspection or test once every 4 years. The LPG cylinders last no

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conclusions The question: “CNG or LPG?” in the title of this brief article is (deliberately) wrong; or pointless. It is not indeed a matter of making a choice between the one and the other. Both can (and must) play their role to the maximum possible, desirable, and rationally opportune extent. It is rather a matter of painting a picture in which they, and for that matter all the other environment friendly fuels, and energy sources, can provide the needed potential benefit. But without the need to force or to upset the present general system on the technological, political, commercial or financial side. For example, at the level of the planetary energy system, we can not accept any longer that the oil and gas companies flare every year over 100 billion cubic metres of good combustible

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gases, mainly composed of methane and LPG. Those gases must be consumed by the productive industry, and vehicles. But before this can be done, we must create the demand for them, and as a consequence, we must build up a system capable to collect them and transport them in an economically viable way to the consumption areas of the globe. Neither can we accept that the excessive competition between them frustrates all the efforts done by the governments and the industry to maximise their penetration in the field of transport at local or global level. And we cannot accept that sometimes the short-sightedness of some operators constantly keep out of reach the more rational and desirable targets, preventing the sector of one or the other from reaching a better maturity. The answer is thus: CNG and GPL; in the most opportune proportion.

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more than 10 years, after which they must be destroyed. They are not subject to any periodic re-qualification inspection or test during their service life. Technology - The characteristics of LPG and CNG technology are similar with a slight advantage on the CNG side. The technology of the use of CNG as vehicle fuel is very similar to that of hydrogen, hence the diffusion of NGV can be considered as the preparatory phase of the possibly widely diffused application in the future of hydrogen as transport fuel. It would in fact be possible to use most of the same distribution infrastructures. The same does not apply instead to the case of LPG. Technology of dispenser – the technology adopted for dispensing of CNG is based on one or more mass flow meter dispensers which receive the compressed gas from powerful high pressure compressors, whereas in the LPG refuelling stations the dispensers receive the product sent in liquid form by low pressure pumps which such it from the underground tank, and convey LPG to the end customer, i.e. the car tank to be filled. Transport – generally natural reaches the CNG refuelling station by means of a gas pipeline. LPG instead is stored in underground tanks which are regularly filled by tankers, more or less as in the case of gasoline, diesel, bio-diesel and ethanol.

Some more details GALSI - The pipeline “Galsi”, starting from the northern African coastline, will take to Italy more than 8 billion cubic metre/year of natural gas from Algeria, crossing the territory of Sardegna. Out of the total amount of transported gas, an amount of 2 billion cubic metre/year is destined to the consumption of the island. It will be crossed from south to north by the gas pipeline coming from Algeria, which will then proceed through the sea to reach Piombino, where it will connect to the existing national pipeline system. This could be the long awaited for occasion to have also CNG in use in Sardegna. The gas flare - The gas flare is used, among other minor applications, mainly on oil and gas wells, oil and gas drilling rigs, natural gas well completion activities, in refineries, chemical plants, and in natural gas processing plants. Its function is burning the waste gas released, in normal or abnormal circumstances, during the operation of the plant equipment. The flared gas is a variable mixture of combustible and non combustible gases, where the combustible gases are usually prevailing. The combustible gas portion is mainly constituted by methane, ethane, propane and butane, in different proportion, depending on the location and the kind of processing plant. The released gases

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CNG or LPG? and/or liquids are burned as they exit the flare stacks. The combustion converts these gases into water and CO2, so, as one of the components, i.e. methane, is 23 times more powerful as greenhouse gas than CO 2, the greenhouse effect is reduced in proportion to the methane content of the flared gas. But a huge amount of precious energy is wasted this way every year all around the world. On the oil production rigs, in refineries and chemical plants, the primary purpose is as safety device to protect vessels or pipes from over-pressuring due to unplanned upsets. But another function is get rid in a quick, safe and more acceptable way, from the point of view of environment, of the combustible gas released by the plant operation, which cannot be economically piped or bottled for trading, nor can it be re-injected in the underground well. In order to keep the flare system functional, a small amount of gas is continuously burned, like a pilot light, so that the system is always ready for its primary purpose as an over-pressure safety system. The continuous gas source also helps diluted mixtures achieve complete combustion. This adds some more waste of precious energy. Flaring and venting of combustible gases at oil and gas wells is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Its contribution to greenhouse gases has declined by three-quarters in absolute terms since a peak in the 1970s of approximately 110 million metric tons/year and now accounts for 0.5% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. The World Bank and other sources estimate that between 100 and 160 billion cubic metres of combustible gas are flared or vented annually, equivalent at least to the combined annual gas consumption of Germany and France, twice the annual gas consumption of Africa, three quarters of Russian gas exports, or enough to supply the entire world with gas for 20 days. This flaring is highly concentrated: 10 countries account for 75% of emissions, and twenty for 90%. The largest flaring operations occur in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The leading contributors to gas flaring

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are (in declining order): Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Algeria, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, and the United States. In spite of a ruling by the Federal High Court of Nigeria (that forbade flaring) in 2005, 43% of the gas retrieval was still being flared in 2006. It was prohibited by law in 2008. Russia has announced it will stop the practice of gas flaring as stated by Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov on Wednesday September 19, 2007. This step was, at least in part, a response to a recent report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that concluded Russia's previous numbers may have been underestimated. The report, which used night time light pollution satellite imagery to estimate flaring, put the estimate for Russia at 50 billion cubic meters while the official numbers are 15 or 20 billion cubic meters. The number for Nigeria is 23 billion cubic meters. [Wikipedia] Nowadays, gas flaring is really unacceptable, given the hunger for energy that the entire world is experiencing, and the green-house effect it causes, even if burning the gas. It is highly recommendable that this gas be traded and used in some way. The components heavier than methane and ethane, i.e. LPG, can be easily bottled and shipped. Methane and ethane, if piping is not economically feasible, can be liquefied with a cryogenic process, and shipped all around the world. In fact the world LNG trade is increasing in a constant way. So a market to accept this product is there. Otherwise, they can be converted into synthesis gasoline or diesel oil with a petrochemical process, such as the FisherTropsch, and then profitably commercialised as traditional liquid fuels. Part of the original energy content would be lost in both these options, and there would be some not negligible release of CO2 to environment during the liquefaction or gas-to-liquid processing, but the global energy and greenhouse gas emission balance would be deeply improved, compared to flaring. This is just another reason to promote the use of both natural gas and LPG in all possible and suitable applications.

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FOCUS ON NGV

REGIONAL NORMS ON FUEL DISTRIBUTION TO LIBERALISE? YES, BUT BEWARE OF THE QUALITY OF SERVICE

In the history of the fuel distribution network in Italy, the enforcement of the law 133 of 6 August 2008 represents an important and controversial step. It in fact determined the end of a period in which a number of national (D.Lgs. 32/1998 and subsequent) and regional provisions were essentially aimed at limiting the proliferation of small size service stations, and to avoiding their concentration in some areas preferably, leaving other areas with a poor network development, or even with no network at all. These provisions were originated by the need to align the Italian network (and their retail prices) with the network existing in the other European countries, where instead the number of refuelling stations is smaller, the service stations are all multi-fuel, the yearly average delivered amount of fuel is higher, the prices are lower and the service has a better quality. After more than a decade spent in the rationalisation of the network, the Law 133/2008 starts the liberalisation period, a turn which is also connected to the new commercial framework of the country and to the ingress of the GDO in the sector of the distribution of the automotive fuels. With the art. 83 bis1 of this provision, in fact, the national authority directly and strongly acts on the fuel legislation, giving the regions well defined directions for their planning activity. But how can we liberalise without putting in jeopardy all the efforts done in the last years to obtain a network which is modern and “European style”? The Regions – assisted by the sector associations, including Federmetano – have promptly given an answer To this need. Some of them, acting quickly, have elaborated some provisions which, while adopting the Fig 1 Trend of the CNG distribution network 2000-2010 (data liberalisation criteria as of 12/04/2010) – source: Federmetano enforced by the government, kept as target the development of an efficient and high quality network. It is worthwhile to underline that many of the regions that since August 2008 have enforced new fuel distribution regulations thus eliminating the commercial limits such as minimum distances and surfaces (Valle D’Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Province Autonome di Bolzano e Trento, Liguria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Toscana, Abruzzo, Basilicata e Sicilia), have strengthened the framework of the technical requirements on the quality of service imposed for the allowance to put in operation new service stations – requirements that are clearly oriented towards environment protection – which nowadays in most cases include: • Delivery of at least three products, generally gasoline, diesel oil and another product which is

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to be chosen between LPG and CNG, but also hydrogen, blends (biogas, hydrogen(CNG) and power; • Photovoltaic plant or a high efficiency cogeneration system fuelled with CNG or LPG (with a power generally in the field 8 - 12 kW); • self service pre-pay and/or post-pay; • canopies on the refuelling areas; • toilets suitable also to handicap people; • a cabin for the operator (generally with a surface of at least 25 m2); • suitable parking areas. In addition to the obligation to deliver at least one of the low environment impact fuels in all of the new refuelling stations, built on the normal roads and on motorways, some of the local public administrations (Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Lombardia, Emilia Romagna, Toscana, Basilicata), accepting the proposal done by our association, have gone so far as to enforce well defined requirements for the CNG delivery, to ensure the quality of service (at least one double connector dispenser, and a minimum compression capability level for the compressor), while offering financial incentives for the construction of new CNG refuelling stations (Lombardia, Piemonte, Liguria, Valle d’Aosta), and allowing departure from the general rules on the business hours of the CNG refuelling stations. It is also worth mentioning the choice taken by two local public administrations: Province of Bolzano enforced an obligation to deliver CNG in all of the new refuelling stations built in the areas where a natural gas pipeline is available, and in all of the new refuelling stations on the motorways in case of mayor restructuring operations; Regione Lombardia has set a minimum number of CNG refuelling stations to be built in all of the regional areas where there is an important number of cars in circulation, and until this number is reached, the obligation is not only to include a CNG delivery system in all new refuelling stations on the ordinary roads, but also to include it in the refuelling stations on the motorways, in case of concession issuing/ renovation. All in all, Federmetano can point out that some positive results have been obtained so far, by means of a persevering policy of information and a constructive dialogue with the local public administrations, and with the other associations; a policy aimed at seeing to it that CNG may be properly included in the scope of legislative provisions. On this respect, Federmetano is following with high attention the project of law which has been recently proposed by the under secretary of the ministry of industry, On. Stefano Saglia. The project of law includes requirements for the adjustment and update of the Network Codes. It sets incentives for purchase of NGV or CNG conversion of gasoline vehicles, and some provisions on the taxation of fuels. Some points are also included aiming at creating general criteria

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1 (Law 133/2008 of 6 August 2008, art. 83 bis, point 17: “The installation and operation of a refuelling station can neither be subject to the previous shut down of existing service stations, nor to constraints, for commercial implications, concerning the total number, minimum distance between service stations, and minimum surface of the commercial

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Fig 2 CNG refuelling station number by region 2000-2010 (data as of 12.04.2010) – Source Federmetano

areas. It cannot be subject either to any constraint or obligation concerning the allowance to sell, in the same service station, integrating services or activities”; and point 21: “The regions and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, within the scope of their capabilities of planning of the territory, must promote the improvement of the fuel distribution network and the dissemination of the environment friendly fuels, following criteria of efficiency, adequacy and quality of service for the customers, meeting all necessary requirements for non discrimination, enforced by point 17 of the law for environment, urban area management and safety”)

FOCUS ON NGV

for the accomplishment of the regional plans for the development of the CNG distribution network. While taking into due account the market dynamics and the features of the pipeline system, these plans should impose the construction of CNG refuelling stations in the suitable proportion to the specific local inhabitant rate, with particular consideration for the urban areas and the motorways network. The project of law also addresses the simplification of the administrative procedures (e.g. request for pipeline connection) for the construction or re-powering of CNG refuelling stations. We will keep an alert eye on the progress of this important project of law, in the harsh climate we have drawn. The difficulty is in fact undeniable, to compromising between the liberalisation criteria enforced with the Law 133/2008 on the one side, and the still present need, admitted and underlined by On. Saglia himself on the other side, for a reduction of the number of refuelling stations in operation in Italy (from 22,500 to 15,000 – 16,000), in order to increase the average amount of delivered fuel, thus reducing the difference between the Italian and the European average pump price.

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FOCUS ON NGV

THE BIGGEST BIOGAS PLANT IN THE WORLD

In the Madrid surroundings is today in operation the largest biomethane production plant in the world. It is based on the production from two different plants, one in Las Dehesas, the other in La Paloma. The project is successfully carried out by the municipality of Madrid. Its main targets are the reduction of the polluting emissions of GHG, and higher energy efficiency at global level. Over the last period the city has adopted a series of measures to this end: • Air quality local strategy (2006). • Energy diversification of the fleet of vehicles managed by the local administrations. • Participation into European projects for the experimentation of new alternative fuels • Plan for the application of sustainable energy and prevention of the climatic changes (2008): coordinated management of all municipal services to meet the target of reducing the emissions of GHG. Targets of the city of Madrid 1. To contribute to the effort for meeting the national target set with the signature of the Kyoto protocol: to contribute to limiting the increase of the GHG emissions by 37% in the period 20082012 compared to 1990. For the city of Madrid, this means at 2012: 20% reduction of the emissions compared to the case of no significant interventions; 1% reduction of the emissions compared to 1990; 14% reduction of the emissions compared to 2004; avoided emissions of 3,296,000 ton of CO2 in comparison to the scenario in which no emission reduction measures are adopted. 2. Orienting the operation capability of Madrid so that the city can play its role in the additional commitment of the European Union in the fight against the climate change. In particular, to get a global reduction by 20% of the emissions at 2020, compared to 1990; to be further increased up to 30%, if some other industrialised countries and other developing countries, as per their respective capability, will commit themselves to an equivalent extent. To get energy efficiency increased by 20% of the EU, and a renewable energy coverage of 20% of the global energy demand at 2020. To ensure the bio-fuels covering a minimum of 10% of the transport system fuel consumption at 2020. Quantified targets: reduction by 20% of the emissions of GHG at 2020; reduction by 50% of the emissions of GHG at 2050. 3. Promotion and support of the energy saving, energy efficiency, and use of renewable energy.

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Madrid’s council wants to reduce by 20% its consumption of fossil fuels at 2020, compared to 2004. 4. Reduction of energy dependence from abroad. 5. Increase of the capability of the environment to absorb CO2, by means of more vegetation. 6. Increasing the general awareness about the rational use of energy and about the climate change. 7. Dissemination of information on causes and effects of the climate change, in order to succeed in preventing or mitigating its impact. 8. To stimulate the participation of the city of Madrid to the institutional cooperation fora at national and international level. 9. To get a sustainable management of the urban solid waste. The present situation The GWI (Global warming index) represents the contribution of each greenhouse gas to the global warming of our planet. It is used for the calculation to convert the emissions of each greenhouse gas into ton of CO2 equivalent. GWI of some gas

Gas

Endurance in atmosphere years

GWI (IPCC 1995)

GWI (IPCC 2001)

Methane (CH4)

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

114

310

296

hydrofluorocarbon HFC-23

260

11,700

12,000

Sulphur hexafluorine (SF6)

3,200

23,900

22,200

Contribution of each gas to greenhouse effect

GHG

Contribution to greenhouse effect %

CO2

CH4

NOX

other gases

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Distribution among sectors of the total emissions (direct + indirect) of CO2 equivalent - Combustion in space heating, and commercial sector: 50% 36% - Transport: - Combustion and industrial processes: 7% - Treatment and elimination of wastes: 3% 2% - Use of solvents and other products: - Energy: 1% 1% - Other: - Agriculture: 0% Source: Third informative evaluation report of the Intergovernmental Panel of experts on Climate Change (IPCC)

Indirect emissions means those coming from other areas, and due to the power consumption of the city of Madrid. The urban areas heavily contribute to the emissions of GHG because of the high energy consumption of the transport of people end goods, space heating and air conditioning, energy consumption of in buildings. For example, the energy consumption of Madrid, is 5,5% of the total of Spain. Madrid produces 5% of the total GHG produced nationally. The residential, commercial and services sectors, consumes 50% of the total energy consumed. The sector of transport consumes 41.7%. The industrial sector consumes 8%. The city of Madrid produces 2.6% of the primary energy which is consumed. As much as 40% of the primary energy produced in Madrid is made from urban solid wastes and biogas (landfills + depuration of sewage liquids) The technological site of Valdemingomez The technological site of Valdemingomez is the group of plants installed by the Council of Madrid

Energy production systems

Cogeneration

59.8%

Urban wastes

18%

Biogas

17%

Special residues

4.7%

Thermal solar energy

0.3%

Photovoltaic solar energy

0.1%

The fuels used for public transport and garbage collection

Fuel for public transport

Nº of vehicles

(%)

Diesel

792

38.92

Biodiesel

857

42.11

CNG

351

17.259

Hybrid (Biodiesel/Electric)

0.98

Ethanol

0.25

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Distribution among sectors of the direct emissions of CO2 equivalent 47% - Road transport: - Other means of transport: 6% - Combustion in space heating, and commercial sector: 33% - Combustion and industrial processes: 5% 5% - Treatment and elimination of wastes: - Other: 4%

Electric

0.4

Total public transport

2,035

100

CNG

418

96.54

Hybrid (electric/diesel)

3.46

Total garbage collectors

433

100

Fuel for garbage collectors

for the treatment and the elimination of the solid urban wastes. It is including: – 3 plants for packaging classification – 3 compost plants – 1 sealed landfill with gas separation and combined heat and power generation – 1 active landfill – 1 plant for energetic exploitation – 1 furnace for animal carcasses – 2 biomethane production plants – 1 plant for treatment of biogas to produce biomethane The activity done in the technologic site of Valdemingomez ensures some important benefit

Energy sources of the city of Madrid

Energy source

Amount consumed (%)

Oil derivates

47.48

Power

24.88

Natural Gas

23.8

Urban wastes

1.65

Coal

1.25

Biogas

0.65

Special residues

0.29

Solar energy

0.01 Fig 1 the technologic site of Valdemingomez

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THE BIGGEST BIOGAS PLANT IN THE WORLD volume of urban solid wastes to be put in landfill of about 430,000 ton/ year, with a consequent assessed reduction of GHG emissions of about 350,000 ton/year of CO2 equivalent. The amount of produced power is sufficient to cover the whole yearly power consumption of the public road illumination system in Madrid.

FOCUS ON NGV

The treatment of the organic material (biomethane production and compost production process) ensures a significant reduction of the quantity of organic material to be disposed of in landfill, and an estimated reduction of GHG emissions of about 300,000 ton/year of CO2 equivalent. The estimated power production is equivalent to the yearly consumption of 25,000 households.

The combustion of the biogas produced by the landfill in Las Dehesas and Valdemingomez allows an estimated reduction GHG emissions of more than 200,000 ton/ year of CO2 equivalent.

Fig 2 Scheme of process Fig 3 Plan of the installation Fig 4 Estimated production

for environment. The recovery of the recyclable materials which is done there allows a saving in raw material which has been assessed as about 595,000 ton/year, and an assessed GHG emission reduction of about 547,000 ton/year of CO2 equivalent. Estimated energy saving: equivalent to the yearly power consumption of 390,000 households. The energetic exploitation of the solid urban wastes allows an estimated reduction of the gross

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Characteristics of the biomethane project • Investment: 79 million € (34 million are financed by UE) • Digestion in anaerobic conditions (no oxygen) of the bio-degradable material of the residues in digesters. Pressure, moisture content and temperature control, to accelerate the natural fermentation process. Control of the bacteria population which is carrying on the process. • 2 module Bio-methane production plant (Dehesas and Paloma) • Nº of digesters: 9 (having inside diameter of 16,5 m and height of 22 m) • Technology designer: Valorga • Type of bio-methane production process: dry • Dilution: 30% solid material + 70% water • mesophila maximum bacteria activity temperature (35-38º) • Monophase • Residence time: 21 days • Pneumatic stirring system • 400 injectors on the digester bottom The bio-methane production project of Madrid has a pioneer character. It is the largest biomethane production plant in Europe. Thanks to these plants, a renewable energy will be available for the first time in Spain (biogas from bio-methane production) to be injected

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into the natural gas distribution pipeline system. These plants will produce in a continuous process an amount of biogas of 34 million Nm3/year. With this product, it will be possible to deliver biogas to feed the urban public transport buses and to generate power.

And there would be a surplus of 13,000,000 Nm3/year of biogas with 54% of methane, which could be used to generate about 25,000,000 kWh/year, equivalent to the yearly power need of 7,800 households.

Fig 5 biogas purification plant

Calculation parameters: • Methane content of biogas = 50 - 54% • Power production per Nm3 of gas with 50-54% of methane = 1.925 kWh/Nm3 • Estimated consumption of buses = 0.84 Nm3/ km (98% CH4 ) • Average yearly bus mileage = 55,000 Km/year per bus • Yearly gas consumption of each bus =46,000 Nm3 • Total yearly gas consumption of the 250 buses = 11,538,000 Nm3

FOCUS ON NGV

Power generation could get up to 65,450,000 kWh/year, which is equivalent to the power consumption of 20,500 households, or to 4% of the total power demand of the industry of this city. This way, every year the emission will be avoided of 300,000 ton of CO2 equivalent, from the organic material of the treated residues. The total biogas production is sufficient to cover the yearly consumption of 250 urban buses, managed by the Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT) in Madrid, which is close to 20% of the whole fleet. The buses will consume 20,938,910 Nm3/year of biogas, which is originally containing 54% of methane, and will be previously converted into 11,537,767 Nm3 of bio-methane, with 98% methane.

The firm Greenlane has built and installed the two biogas purification systems in Las Dehesas and La Paloma, having a production capability up to 4,000 m³/h (2,000 m³/h each), and the compressor

COMPARISON BETWEEN DIFFERENT BIOGAS TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

technology

Maximum CH4 recovery

max CH4 attainable purity

advantages

disadvantages

Chemical adsorption Amines, hot carbonates, etc.

Nearly total elimination of H2S

Expensive chemical component

water scrubbing based on physical adsorption of the gases dissolved in liquids. Take profit of the fact that the solubility of CO2 and H2S is higher than that of CH4.

Elimination of gas and polluting particles. High purity and efficiency. Simple technology, with no use of chemicals or special devices. Neutralisation of corrosive gases.

Maximum size: 3,000 Nm3/h per unit. Does not eliminate inert gases (N2 and O2).

Physical absorption (PSA Pressure swing absorption) The gas mixture is exposed to an adsorbing filter under high pressure.

Low power consumption. Adsorption of N2 and O2

filters can deteriorate – replacement is necessary. An additional device is needed to eliminate H2S.

Separation or cryogenic distillation Separation by distillation, compression and cooling of gas up to the optimum conditions.

High purity and flow rate. Cumbersome plants (large No need for chemicals nor special devices. amount of components)

Membrane separation Systems based on porous semi-porous structures through which some chemical components pass more easily than others.

89,5

Compact and light devices. Low maintenance. Low power consumption.

An extra device is needed to eliminate H2S. Low purity and efficiency. Membranes are expensive

Source: Eindhoven University of Technology, 2008

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THE BIGGEST BIOGAS PLANT IN THE WORLD

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to increase the purified biogas pressure up to 72 bar, to inject it into the local pipeline grid, so it can be utilised as fuel for vehicles, or for internal combustion engines for power generation. The plants will allow the community to save GHG emissions of 300,000 t/year CO2 equivalent. They will be able to collect up to 369,000 t/year of organic material (60% coming from the houses in Madrid). The Valdemingómez plant will collect 4,400 t/day of garbage coming from Madrid. It will be possible to inject up to 2,600 Nm3/h of purified gas in the natural gas pipeline network.

The alternative energies in Europe (in 2007)

The biogas depuration process; how it works (Greenlane process) •b iogas is compressed up to a pressure of 6-9 bar (approximately 3 times the inner pressure of an automobile tire). •C ompressed biogas interact with the water of the Scrubber tank. The CO2, l’ H2S and the siloxanes are adsorbed by water. • Water is then transferred to the Flash tank, where the molecules of CH4 which were adsorbed, are recovered and conveyed to the start point of the process.

• The produced gas is dried and analysed on site before it is sent to consumption applications. • Water is sent to the Stripper tank and it is cleaned by an air stream, after which it goes to the Scrubber tank, to start the process again from the beginning.

Fig 6 the biogas rotating blades compressor

The bio-methane produced with this process is totally oil free. It is possible to use biodegradable lubricants based on vegetables. Gas compression, water flow and the system temperature determine its operation, the dimensions and the energy efficiency. All these parameters have been optimised to attain the best operation of the purification system at the lower cost and with the highest energy efficiency. With the Turbo Recovery option is then possible to further improve, and minimise the energy consumption. The systems produced and installed by Greenlane are designed having the Ro-Flo® rotating blades compressor as the focal point. It is a robust machine, which combines the advantages of an exceptionally reduced maintenance, in applications with dirty and corrosive gas, with the possibility to stand high levels of H2S in gas. note Taken mostly from the papers: “PROYECTO DE BIOMETANIZACIÓN DEL AYUNTAMIENTO DE MADRID (PARQUE TECNOLÓGICO DE VALDEMINGÓMEZ): EXPERIENCIA PIONERA EN ESPAÑA PARA EL USO DEL BIOGÁS DE RESIDUOS” presented by Myriam Sanchez Porcel, and: “LA MAYOR PLANTA DE PURIFICACIÓN DE BIOGÁS DEL MUNDO: VALDEMINGÓMEZ – MADRID, ESPAÑA” presented by Johann Hudde, at the NGVA Europe Conference in Madrid, 17th June 2009 Contact persons Greenlane: Johann Hudde johann.hudde@greenlanebiogas.com johann.hudde@flotech.com Warwick Bethell warwick.bethell@greenlanebiogas.com warwick.bethell@flotech.com www.greenlanebiogas.com www.flotech.com

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IL MONDO NGV 21

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NATURAL GAS COMES EVEN WITHOUT A PIPELINE NETWORK Liquid natural gas: a consolidated technology which opens new pathways to diversification and energy efficiency.

FOCUS ON NGV

When you see it, it seems just another CNG dispenser. Actually, who stops there to refuel, does not notice anything different. He waits for a while, then he pays and goes away. In reality, in Villafalletto, behind a CNG dispenser there is a proposal for a technology and an industrial application which is totally new, and is based on the transport of natural gas in liquid form.

Atmospheric LNG vaporiser LNG pump

It is a pilot plant, even if it is operating and open to public. It has been built by Vanzetti Engineering S.r.l., an Italian firm which is a leader in the production of cryogenic components. The distribution and supply of LNG are done by POLARGAS, a firm of the Vanzetti Engineering groupo in collaboration with TRANSPORTES HAM, a Spanish company which has built up more than ten years of experience in LNG transport. The idea is simple: to transport liquid natural gas from coastal receiving terminals where it is stored in liquid form under very low temperature conditions to the CNG refuelling stations by means of cryogenic tankers. The cold chain which keeps natural gas in liquid form is hence extended from the p ro d u c t i o n p o i n t s to the consumption points. This new system has many advantages:

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• it allows delivering natural gas also where there is no pipeline; • i t (the LNG) is easy to transport, because it concentrates a large amount of energy in little space (about 600 litres of gas in a litre of LNG); • i t uses a cryogenic technology which is fully tested and consolidated (it is the same technology which has been used by the industry of the technical and medical application gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, etc.) •h aving been liquefied, LNG does not contain water, carbon dioxide, and non condensable components, hence it is a natural gas with a higher purity that pipeline quality natural gas; • t his system has been already in application in some other countries for some time now; • i t is not subject to any binding limitation in terms of pipeline connection time and cost; • t he production of CNG from LNG requires a far lower power consumption as compared to the traditional system, as compression is done on natural gas in liquid form. To compress 600 m3/h it just takes 11kw; so the classic and elaborated electric system is not required; • t he station requires lower investment and maintenance costs (maintenace cost is reduced by 70%); • besides the traditional filling with CNG there, it is possible to directly refuel also with natural gas in liquid form (LNG); the availability of LNG refuelling stations allows extending the possibility to use natural gas also to the long and very long haul heavy duty vehicle sector. The cryogenic tank is comparable to that of diesel oil in terms of hindrance, weigth and running range. The direct refuelling with LNG allows in addition to that, an energy saving by more than 90% compared to the case of the CNG service station. From the point of view of the energy policy, the availability of LNG allows a more capillary distribution network development, by means of the installation of refuelling stations also in the areas which are poor of natural gas pipeline infrastructures, or anyway in areas where the pipeline connection cost is too high. THE PLANT IN VILLAFALLETTO The service station owned by Agip in Villafalletto (small town near Cuneo, with 3,000 inhabitants)

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At the station LNG is stored in a tank having a capacity of 30,000 litres. From the tank two lines depart: • a line, which at present is not in service, destined in future to refuelling of heavy duty vehicles with LNG; • a linea dedicated to the refuelling of CNG vehicles.

FOCUS ON NGV

has recently been implemented with a dispenser foe CNG, supplied by an LNG storage and regasification plant operating at – 160 °C and 6 bar. Liquid natural gas is taken there from the LNG terminal on the coast by tankers having a capacity of 45,000 litres. The LNG tanker is designed to ensure minimum heat dissipation and the maxximum safety both when transporting LNG and in case of an accident.

The re-gasification of LNG is done automatically by means of a plant designed and built by Vanzetti. It is composed of • a cryogenic pump to increase LNG pressure at 300 with a flow rate of 600 Nm3/h • a vaporiser to evaporate LNG, and get it in gaseous form; • a bank of buffer storage cylinder system containing high pressure gas to ensure continuity and speed to delivery at CNG dispenser; • the CNG dispenser in the service station. The pilot plant in Villafalletto will start the large scale dissemination of similar plants, thus allowing to get the capillary network of stations which is the basis of a further development of the NGV market. The technology developed by VANZETTI for LIQUID NATURAK GAS can be applied in new sectors such as fuelling of marine diesel engines, electric generators and the energy applications in the areas which are not reached by the natural gas pipeline system. In this regard, VANZETTI, also tanks to the flexibility of the designed systems, has already started a number of research and experimentation projects in Italy.

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G.I. & E.’S CNG COMPRESSOR

G.I. & E. S.p.A., Ghergo Industry & Engineering, is made of specialised divisions, complementary and synergic, which share the same vision. Dynamic and energetic approach, quick reaction and innovation represent the spirit of the company, in which the strong family roots have played a really important part to define the future scenarios of growth. It was born in 1974 as a small company focusing on electrical and instrumental equipments. In 2002 G.I.&E. bought the Nuovo Pignone plant in Porto Recanati and today it employs about 350 people and has 2 operative plants in Italy and a research centre in Sweden. The activity of the company in the Oil & Gas sector has made G.I.& E. S.p.A. one of the international leader in the production of hot parts for gas turbines, reciprocating compressors for pipeline and CNG for automotive applications, granting assistance and maintenance services. G.I.&E. is present in the field of CNG compressors and its offer ranges from the simple delivery of compression modules up to turn key installation of the whole station, with a discharge capacity from 120 to 1800 sm3/h. G.I.&E. has recently developed the module “GREENGAS”. It is made of a reciprocating vertical compressor with two full load cylinders specifically designed for natural gas refuelling. Depending on the configuration, the “GREENGAS” compression can have from 1 to 4 stages. Its structure allows a strong reduction of vibrations compared to traditional products, which improves the reliability and reduces the acoustic emissions even in the heavier running conditions (>1000 rpm). This module has been conceived for combining the energy efficiency and simplicity of manufacturing with

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low maintenance costs. The “GREENGAS” can be driven by a gas engine with a hydraulic transmission, with the possibility to locate the engine in a safe area. This solution allows the “GREENGAS” to work in the “stand alone” configuration, which is useful in places where the electrical energy supply is absent or not guaranteed. The high quality standard of the equipment and the strong innovative figures of the “GREENGAS” compressor put G.I.& E. on top of market level. The “GREENGAS” strengths are: • s eparate lubrication with the function of preheating and pre-lubrication, to get a better machine efficiency and reliability; • c ylinders made with pressed steel liner for an easy and economic maintenance; • l iquid cooling system for cylinders and gas, for a better reliability and flexibility of the plant; •d irect transmission with elastic coupling for better efficiency and lower energy consumption; • f ull load cylinders to get high discharge capability in small dimension. In the growing worldwide interest towards the LNG (liquefied natural gas) field, G.I. & E., together with the University of Marche, developed a small equipment of natural gas liquefaction. This kind of systems are useful where the availability of liquefied natural gas is difficult. The equipment is able to work without any connection with the power grid (stand-alone configuration) and the natural gas taken by the pipelines can be used both as row material to get LNG and as fuel for the plant. G.I.&E. will attend the NGV 2010 in Rome from 8th to 10th June. The company will be glad to welcome you at the booth F6.

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IL MONDO NGV 25

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938 e l’anno Pietramala a lano: SAPIL

olamento al articolo 232

The norms in the field of the gaseous

fuels: tradition and recent development

FOCUS ON NGV

Renato Gaudio and Andrea Oceano CUNA – Commissione Tecnica di Unificazione nell'Autoveicolo

1. History The use of gaseous fuels is not a novelty for Italy. Already at the time of the second world war there were a try to cope with the lack of liquid fuels by using the natural gas which was present in a certain abundance in the Po valley1 and by using the low calorific value synthetic gas produced by means of a gas generator which was usually installed on-board of the vehicle, and which did burn wood in a low oxygen tight chamber. And already at that time CUNA, a body federated with UNI for the production of norms in the automotive field, had in its catalogue the norm Tabella NC00320 “Test modality for engines…” published in October 1940. in paragraph III, engines fuelled with synthetic gas there was the recommendation to shake every now and then the gas generator, to simulate the real shake which happens on the road, and to improve operation of the generator! The use of natural gas in Italy continued after that time with variable success, mainly limited by the difficulties in converting big and old cars for economic reasons. This allowed anyway the development of an Italian industry of components and refuelling stations which has over the time refined this technology and its reliability of its products. The installation of CNG components on-board was covered by the regulation for application of the Road Code2. There was no reason to create an international norm on Norm CUNA NC 00320 this field, as the interest for this fuel in all the other countries was D.P.R. 420/59 APPROVAZIONE DEL practically inexistent. REGOLAMENTO PER L'ESECUZIONE DEL TESTO UNICO DELLE NORME SULLA DISCIPLINA DELLA CIRCOLAZIONE STRADALE.

2. The turn in the years ’90: the Regulation R110 During the years ’90 of last century all countries developed progressively and inexorably an awareness of environment protection needs, and natural gas was newly “discovered” as privileged fuel because of its low polluting emissions. But the real turn happened when at long last the car manufacturers committed themselves to design and reduce natural gas vehicles (the “OEM” – Original Equipment Manufacturer) and the demanding requirements of the mass series production proved themselves as beneficial also for the components for the aftermarket conversion of vehicles in circulation (“retrofit”). The increase of the number of CNG vehicles in circulation, and consequently the increase of the number of refuelling stations was faint at the beginning, but then it grew with an increasing “tumultuous” pace, also fostered by government incentives, and in 2009 there were 700 refuelling stations in operation, and 155,000 new NGV added up (of which 90% OEM), and there are prospects for further development. The Italian industry, thanks to its long tradition in this field, succeeded in fostering this development with innovation and improvement of quality. The Italian industry plaid a leader role when, since the beginning, it was clear that there was the need for an international set of norms which allowed the registration of CNG vehicles outside of the national borders, even if this implied the renouncement to the test methods which had been created in Italy specifically for national applications. So within UN-ECE (Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations, located in Geneva) a new international regulation for NGV was created, with the contribution of all competent ministerial bodies, supported by industry. It was published

ART. 341 GENERALITÀ ART. 342 SERBATOI PER METANO ART. 343 SERBATOI PER G.P.L. ART. 344 INSTALLAZIONE DEI SERBATOI ART. 345 VALVOLE ART. 346 TUBAZIONI AD ALTA PRESSIONE ART. 347 RIDUTTORI DI PRESSIONE E APPARECCHI DI CARBURAZIONE ART. 348 RUBINETTO ART. 349 TUBAZIONE A BASSA PRESSIONE ART. 350 APPROVAZIONE DEI TIPI ART. 351 CONTROLLO SUI VEICOLI

Road Code

CNG conversion – fifties of last century

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Modern multi-valve for CNG cylinders certified to R110. It includes a manual valve, an automatic valve, a flow limiting valve and a fusible valve (PRD)

Regulation UN ECE R110 (December 2000) – Classification of components

3. The activity in ISO the contribution from CUNA In the meanwhile, on a wider scope in ISO, the experts were creating the standards for the vehicle on-board systems. It is worth to notice that in this regard, the normalisation activity has been orienting for many years now on an international scope, with the aim of “harmonising” rules that are applicable on an increasingly wide geographic context, with obvious advantages for the technical development and for trading. So also the activity of the Italian normalisation bodies, and of CUNA specifically for the automotive sector, has moved its centre of gravity towards both European bodies (CEN) and international bodies (ISO and IEC)

CNG car CNG train engine Bus fuelled with synthetic gas produced on-board

FOCUS ON NGV

back at end 2000 and it was adopted in Italy the following year. This regulation, the very famous R110, included a rigorous classification of components, of test conditions for their certification and prescriptions for their installation on-board of vehicles. It was allowed to Italy a transient period during which both the new regulation and the old national regulation kept in application at the same time. At last it was thus possible also for the CNG vehicles, or at least for the OEM, that a certification issued in one member country, was applicable in all the other European countries, with obvious benefits for this industry.

The organisation of said bodies is articulated in technical committees (in ISO they are at present about 200, in their turn articulated in different sub committees) each one is responsible for a certain sector. They create the norms, taking profit of the work of experts on a world basis. Each committee/subcommittee has a chairman and a secretary, who, among other things, are responsible for the timing of norm preparation.

Organisation of the normalisation and regulation bodies

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The norms in the field of the gaseous fuels CUNA, as a boy federated in UNI, hence as Italian norm body, is responsible for various secretariats in ISO. Furthermore, through its technical committees, it coordinates all the Italian activity of support to the international normalisation activity, by means of the so-called “mirror committees” which express the Italian agreed opinion on the international normalisation activity. All in all, the membership of CUNA, i.e. of a body which is accredited at ISO through UNI, is the means offered to the Italian industry to have an option to contribute to the technical evolution of norms. It is important to underline here that both the chairmanship and the secretariat of the subcommittee ISO TC22/SC25, ”Gaseous fuel road vehicles”, are Italian, and this is a recognition of the Italian “supremacy” in this technical field. Within ISO TC22/SC25, a first important result was the publication of the norms on refuelling connectors, which profile was not covered by R 110 regulation. The standard ISO 14469, was published, defining at last, starting in 2004, the harmonised refuelling connector/receptacle profile for CNG light duty vehicles (14469-1) and, that with a higher flow

rate for heavy duty vehicles (14469-2). This way it was put to an end the trivial and troublesome problem of the non compatibility of refuelling connectors, which for a long time had been distinguished in two types: the “Italian type” and the “non Italian type”, thus fostering the not exactly desirable utilisation of various “adapters” to refuel “foreigner’s” vehicles. At the same time the activity carried on of the preparation of the standard for the qualification of NGV on-board system competent persons, with particular attention to safety issues. The technical basis for the ISO experts is the world 3, so to a certain extent, the published norms were more demanding than the regulation R110. The ISO standards were the result of a compromise between the technical requirements coming from the contribution, needs and experience of experts from European, American and Asian countries. In this regard, the ISO standards are not mandatory, opposite than UN ECE regulations adopted by member countries: They are just technical reference, which can be adopted as guidelines by countries that are outside of the “regional” coverage of UN ECE. During the first half of the first decade of the present century ISO experts published the standards of the series ISO 15500 (concerning the CNG on board system components), 15501 (safety and test methods of the CNG on board systems) and the ISO 14469, refuelling connectors. It was a rather complex work, which lead to the publication of as much as 25 standards, in a seven year period. Meanwhile, another technical committee, the ISO TC 58 (Gas Cylinders) published the norm on CNG cylinders.

Universal character of ISO (ISO Focus +, Jan 2010)

CNG refuelling connector ISO 144691

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of about half of the norms on CNG onISO 15500-1:2000 Part 1: General requirements and definitions ISO 15500-2:2001 Part 2: Performance and general test methods board components and ISO 15500-3:2001 Part 3: Check valve systems. This activity is ISO 15500-4:2001 Part 4: Manual valve at present in progress, ISO 15500-5:2001 Part 5: Manual cylinder valve and is expected to end ISO 15500-6:2001 Part 6: Automatic valve in 2011. Without going ISO 15500-7:2002 Part 7: Gas injector ISO 15500-8:2001 Part 8: Pressure indicator in too much detail, we ISO 15500-9:2001 Part 9: Pressure regulator want to mention here ISO 15500-10:2001 Part 10: Gas-flow adjuster that this revision work ISO 15500-11:2001 Part 11: Gas/air mixer entails long and intense ISO 15500-12:2001 Part 12: Pressure relief valve (PRV) technical discussions ISO 15500-13:2001 Part 13: Pressure relief device (PRD) ISO 15500-14:2002 Part 14: Excess flow valve within the technical ISO 15500-15:2001 Part 15: Gas-tight housing and ventilation hose committee working ISO 15500-16:2001 Part 16: Rigid fuel line groups, as over the ISO 15500-17:2001 Part 17: Flexible fuel line years the NGV market ISO 15500-18:2001 Part 18: Filter has grown widely over ISO 15500-19:2001 Part 19: Fittings ISO 15500-20:2007 Part 20: Rigid fuel line in material other than stainless steel the world, in Europe Road vehicles - Compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel systems and America (Argentina ISO 15501-1:2001 Part 1: Safety Requirements in particular) and as a ISO 15501-2:2001 Part 2: Test methods consequence there is a Road vehicles - Compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling connector new awareness of the ISO 14469-1:2004 Part 1: 20 MPa (200 bar) connector ISO 14469-1:2007 Part 2: 20 MPa (200 bar) connector, size 2 application conditions ISO 14469-1:2006 Part 3: 25 MPa (250 bar) connector and of the validity of the Gas cylinders (ISO TC58) technical solutions that ISO 11439:2000 High pressure cylinders for the on-board storage of natural gas are on the table. as a fuel for automotive vehicles In short, the work of ISO 11114 Parts 1-4:1997-2005 Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas contents revision is aimed at Main ISO norms concerning components and systems for CNG vehicles making the certification and design tests more coherent with the actual service conditions (e.g. 4. The revision of ISO 15500-15501 the overpressure tests now prescribed on artificially The rules for nor activity in ISO prescribe that a “aged” component) and at privileging some safer new norm is re-confirmed or revised after three technical solutions (e.g. the safety devices on years from its publication, and subsequently, once cylinder, going in operation in case of fire). The every five years, to keep pace with the technology experience built-up in the preparation of norms for progress or to cope with emerging needs. CNG, is now widely applied to he new gaseous The decision to re-confirm or revise the norm is fuels, as mentioned in the following paragraphs. taken by means of a public ballot among all the countries which are member of a technical 5. The new fuels: the CNG-hydrogen blends committee. Based on these rules, the decision In the “tumultuous” research process carried on has been taken in the last years to do a revision

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Road vehicles - Compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system components

Sunset on the Commission, through coloured glasses

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o metano/ della regiodia

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The norms in the field of the gaseous fuels over the last years on the field of the new fuels which are capable of reduce the local environmental impact, and more recently the greenhouse effect, it is substantially expired the “illusion” on a close large scale application of hydrogen, and the not very new idea has came back of using instead some blends of CNG/hydrogen, which promise some advantages in terms of emissions, but without suffering from the drawbacks hampering the affirmation of pure hydrogen. Italy has been promoting within ISO, of the timely creation of a set of standards covering the vehicle on-board systems for these fuels, so to avoid any confusion, like it happened in the past in the case of CNG connectors/receptacles we mentioned above, also because some experimental fleets of vehicles are in circulation on the roads, under the initiative of various public administrations.

The project CNG/hydrogen of regione Lombardia

Under the Italian leadership, with the secretariat role covered by CUNA, a new working group has been formed to work on this scope, with the aim of creating a set of norms, starting from the refuelling connector, which must be specific for this fuel, to avoid mistakes at refuelling stations. In fact, on the one hand the conventional CNG vehicles cannot be refuelled with CNG/hydrogen blends (regulation R 110 absolutely forbids, to have a hydrogen content in excess of 2% in CNG, to avoid problems for the used materials) and on the other hand the vehicles running on

European prototype of LNG truck

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CNG/hydrogen blends cannot be refuelled with pure hydrogen, because of the obvious incompatibility of the relevant engines. It is interesting that the pilot initiatives now in progress have demonstrated that it is possible to use blends up to 30-35% hydrogen without major modifications of the present internal combustion engines, with a previous re-mapping of the CPU, so we define as “blends” those with a content of hydrogen in the field 2% to 30-35%. Above this percentage, it is necessary to tune and design the engine for pure hydrogen. Besides that for the connector, the norms for the components of the on-board system will be created, including 100% hydrogen, in collaboration with ISO TC197, hydrogen technologies. 6. The new fuels: liquid natural gas Also “cryogenic” LNG liquid natural gas is brought back to the attention of the operators for the application as fuel for vehicles. Mind you, opposite than LPG, natural gas at ambient temperature is above its “critical temperature” so it cannot be liquefied by compression (for this reason it is transported in cylinders at 200 bar). Vice-versa it is transportable in liquid form at -162 °C, and about 5 bar, in double wall tanks. The obvious advantage is to have a specific energy density per volume which is about 2.5 times that of CNG (and about half as much that of diesel oil). The adoption of the complex cryogenic system is only justified on heavy duty industrial vehicles; some applications of this are in USA and there is some prototype under experimentation in Europe. Inside ISO the preparation has been started of a standard for application on the vehicles, after an initiative of New Zealand and with the concrete contribution of the experts from the Czech Republic (chairmanship) and Spain. At present the norms are in preparation for refuelling connectors, on-board components and tanks (in collaboration with the equivalent TC220 in ISO). The whole scope is under the supervision of TC22/SC25, gas vehicles, due to the specific character of the vehicle applications (e.g. the problem of vibrations and the safety in case of crash). Finally, it is worth to mention that ISO is starting (probably in a newly formed technical committee) the preparation of standards for

An American model: 450 CV – LNG tank 680 litres – running range 900 km

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Scheme of a refuelling station for CNGLNG (Vanzetti Engineering)

7. Conclusions With this article we want to give an idea of the width and consistency of the work which is done for the preparation of technical norms in Italy in the field of the gaseous fuel vehicles. This activity ends up in the international normalisation, but it has a solid basis on the Italian reality, thanks to the experience and prestige that the Italian industry was able to gain in this sector. The couple of the Normalisation bodies UNI and CUNA (federated into UNI for the automotive sector), which are institutionally

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connected to ISO, constitutes the way on which the specialists of the industry can contribute to the evolution of the norms of this sector, offering their professionals for the environment condition improvement, and all in all, for the improvement of the “sustainable development”, which is so important nowadays. Bibliography ISO Focus +. (Genn 2010). ISO. Paoloni, C. (1988). Storia del metano. Milano: SAPIL Editrice. Vanzetti Engineering. Stazioni di rifornimento LNG. Convegno LNG Regione Piemonte Febbraio 2010. NOTES 1 Natural gas had been found near Rovigo in 1938 and in the following year they built the first natural gas pipeline from Pietramala to Firenze [Paoloni, C. (1988). Storia del metano. Milano: SAPIL Editrice]. 2 Articles n. 341 to n. 351 of D.P.R. n. 420/59 (regolamento al previgente codice della strada, in vigore ai sensi dell’articolo 232 del D.Leg.vo 30.4.1992, n.285) 3 For example, the contribution to ISO of the American standards CSA (originally: Canadian Standards Association) has been very important. CSA on behalf of ANSI (American National Standards Institute) is dealing with all the norms concerning gas appliances and “alternative energy products”, including NGV systems and components.

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refuelling stations for LNG. Also in this field the Italian technology has a leader role, (see simplified scheme of the following picture).

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Aspro and Samtech submit: SCA50 and IODM 75

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In an effort to expand its range of natural gas compressors to meet the many more applications products with more specific and targeted, Aspro has added the series of compressors “historic” IODM115, IODM115-DC and IODM70, the compact and SCA50 IODM75 series.

The pioneer IODM115, born with electric drive and transmission by belt, is now also available with an electric motor in line with engines up to 200 kW, according to the use the compressor is available with 2, 3 and 4 stages of compression. For very low suction pressures (<1 bar), the compressor IODM115 solution is proposed in the 5-stage compression with pre-dedicated compressor (model IODM115-5-4R). All range of IODM115 can be supplied in DC version, configured “twin” with overall power to 320 kW. This version finds particular application in the units dedicated to gas refuel by night of heavy fleets (buses, etc..) and by day on the square outside, thanks to the flexibility of managing their technical characteristics. The historic IODM70, born only for the engine in line, is available with capacities from 45 to 110 kW in configurations with 2, 3, 4 and 5 stages of compression. Particular interest deserves the 5-stage solution with pre-compressor, compressor and electric motor on the same axis of rotation and can suck up to a pressure of 0.02 bar. The excellent performance of this solution, thanks to the redistribution of compression in 5 stages, allows us to positively assess the feasibility of facilities connected to low pressure pipeline, commonly called “city”, traditionally considered inappropriate.

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To meet the needs of private fleets and at the same time proposing a solution that allows us to encourage and put natural gas wherever, Aspro has developed the compact SCA50. The particularities of this solution are: rapid installation, civil works almost absent, location of the unit directly on the delivery area, management flexibility and ease of construction. All these characteristics are collected in a skid that combines: compact compressor from 2 to 5 stages, storage, electrical, cooling compressor and mass flow meter with two filling connections line. The accurate stainless steel 4” panels, properly soundproofed, completes the compact solution of SCA50 and adds to it safety, reliable, quality, durability and design fresh and sophisticated. Last but not least, the recent IODM75, born only for engine in line with powers up to 400 kW, available in configurations 2, 3 and 4 stages of compression. This model deserves particular interest because It can be configured with several bodies in line powered by the same shaft and motor. The modularity of bodies “standard” reproduced here allows us to offer high performance compressors in scope (ex. 3200 Sm³/h at 14 bar), with the advantage of using the same mechanical components that we can translate into lean and simple management of spare parts, more consolidated. Finally, the series IODM70 and IODM75 for special needs are available with gas engines (engines CAT) without the use of electricity. Each compressor can be supplied with following features: for local compressor, for outside installation and with cylinders in transportable container.

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2010: WILL IT BE THE YEAR OF NGV?

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Metano & Motori outlines the situation of the development of the NGV use in the transport system, interviewing the main Italian operators of this sector. The result of this is an interesting scenario, as NGV is the one and only element of the energy system which helps the mobility system keeping on the straight route, and growing, in the middle of the market storm that affects all other fuels, with sudden rises and decreases driven by short term opportunity.

INTERVIEW TO PAOLO VETTORI, PRESIDENT of ASSOGASMETANO At the international level, natural gas is an energy source which is as important as fuel oil, except in the automotive sector. In the very last years, the increasingly important environment protection issues, and the rise of the oil prices seemed to offer a definitive chance to the development of CNG as automotive fuel, but opposite the market, at least on the short term, is still preferring an oil derivate, the LPG. What’s cooking? LPG represents an “easier” solution for gas propelled vehicles, compared to CNG. The refuelling station and the on-board systems are simpler and cheaper. This is the reason why the development of LPG is more quick and it gets more acceptance from the automotive industry which “rides the opportunity” to get high production rates in the short term without worrying too much about the possible implications of this choice. I want to make it clear. There are taxation and safety problems, but first of all in prospect, a strong growth trend like that happening now in terms of LPG in circulation, and LPG consumption, might create a problem on the side of LPG availability. CNG don’t have any of these problems. What future scenarios do you foresee in the automotive sector, and what role will CNG play? The Italian NGV sector is facing a favourable period, with a well balanced growth. The three elements which characterise this sector, vehicles in circulation, number of refuelling stations, delivered gaseous fuel, have been growing consistently over the last years; and this is the necessary condition to create a solid system. But if one of these three elements shows a different trend than the other two, the

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consequences for the whole system are negative. This is a phenomena which has been confirmed by the history of NGV. What are the favourable and the negative conditions for the development of NGV? For sure the availability of a full range of OEM car models has been a fundamental element of the success of NGV. Another positive element is the growth of the number of refuelling stations as a natural consequence of the increasing consumption, which in their turn are the natural consequence of the growth of the number of NGV in circulation. On the side of the unfavourable elements there still is the scarcity of CNG refuelling stations on the motorways. Our sector is struggling to provide a suitable solution to this actual problem. What role do you assign to the various components of the transport system (vehicle and part manufacturers, public administration, energy distributors, side industry etc.) in creating the conditions for the evolution of the transport system? All industrial components of the NGV sector are ready since long to cope in a satisfactory way with a substantial growth of the market, in Italy, in Europe, and in the world. The only component, as you call it, which has not yet taken the due decisions on this matter, is the central and local public administration. The lack of accurate and constant directions, is still leaving room to choices which are based only on the logic of the industry, and not on the mobility needs of the population. Instead, a policy choice should revert the paradigm: the mobility needs come first, then the industry reacts to meet these needs.

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INTERVIEW TO MICHELE ZIOSI, DIRECTOR - NGV SYSEM ITALIA

At the international level, natural gas is an energy source which is as important as fuel oil, except in the automotive sector. In the very last years, the increasingly important environment protection issues, and the rise of the oil prices seemed to offer a definitive chance to the development of CNG as automotive fuel, but opposite the market, at least on the short term, is still preferring an oil derivate, the LPG. What’s cooking? Let me say that CNG, over the last years, has lived a season of significant development, thanks to the increasing number of CNG models put on the market by OEM, to a consequent development, even if quite gradual, of the CNG refuelling network, and thanks to the fact that the national authorities realised that the environmental benefits of NGV are important, thus they have granted subsidies for the purchase of them. Also at the level of the European policies, CNG and its renewable version (bio-methane) is more and more considered as an effective option (note 1: some examples: For the reduction of the emissions of CO2: Regulation (CE) N° 443/2009 – Emissions of CO2 from cars: for bi-fuel gas vehicles (natural gas, biomethane or blends), the amount to be used when calculating the average emissions discharged in the atmosphere by the models produced by the manufacture is that relevant to the gas operation. As renewable source (bio-methane): Directive 2009/28/EC no renewable sources: inclusion of bio-methane in the definition of ‘bio-fuels’ hence recognition of its contribution to meeting the target of 10% penetration of the automotive sector applications in the context of the target of 20% of coverage of energy needs with renewable energy sources by 2020. As a bridge technology towards hydrogen: Directive 2007/46/EC – certification of hydrogen fuelled vehicles: it dictates that in the technical norms for the certification, the vehicles fuelled with a blend of CNG and hydrogen are considered as hydrogen vehicles, thus filling the normative gap which did impose an ad hoc procedure for the certification of CNG/hydrogen blend fuelled vehicles, de facto impeding their development. To answer the question, the reasons that make attracting for the customer the purchase of an LPG vehicle are quite obvious: lower cost of the system together with a more efficient refuelling station network. It has been estimated that, without incentives, whereas the LPG vehicle market could

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settle around 40-50% of the LPG market in 2009, the market of the CNG vehicles might fall down in a more dramatic way, settling at 20% of the CNG vehicle market in 2009. I want to point out that designing and building an OEM CNG vehicle has a higher cost compared to the traditional vehicles, and in particular to the LPG vehicles, by about 1,500€; and that it is notorious how the CNG refuelling station network, compared to that of LPG, is less developed and less homogeneous on the territory: it is worth reminding here of that more than 90% of the CNG vehicles sales in 2009 is concentrated in 9 regions which all together, have more than 50% of the total CNG refuelling stations in operation in the country. In this context, I believe it is necessary that the political authorities focus their action in particular on creating favourable conditions for those alternative fuels which have a very high potential for development and which have widely recognized environment friendly characteristics, such as CNG, rather than allocating resources to other fuels like LPG, which are very useful as integrating energy sources, to optimise the energy framework, but have already expressed their maximum potential. What future scenarios do you foresee in the automotive sector, and what role will CNG play? It is of paramount importance to outline that today there is not a unique solution for the diffused sustainable mobility, but some different alternatives are available. CNG ranks high among them, and offers an additional benefit in that it has a strategic role to play as link to the technology of hydrogen and it can set the basis for the development and the dissemination of an even more environmentally sustainable solution. I refer to methane produced from renewable sources, also called bio-methane. Natural gas is the one and only real alternative to crude oil today available. In addition to that, the emission from CNG vehicles are more environment friendly compared to those from the traditional vehicles and LPG vehicles (in particular lower emissions of CO2 and of the more noxious unburned hydrocarbons). On this regard, a recent study done by Università Bocconi, has confirmed the environmental and social benefits which would be given in Italy by an hypothetic increase of the market in the period 2010-2011 with the same increase tend of the last years. The analysis done shows a potential reduction by 25% of the CO2 emissions, and a saving in terms of social costs of 15 million Euro. The study underlines that in the case of substitution of a certain amount of gasoline vehicles

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What are the favourable and the negative conditions for the development of NGV? The negative conditions, in my opinion, are the structural problems which have so far slackened the development of NGV. I mean the persistence in force of technical and administrative norms on CNG which are not in line with the technology innovation development of this sector, the fragmented and episodic offer of incentives for CNG vehicle purchase, the uncertainty on the duration in time of the support in terms of favourable taxation (excise duties), the lack of general principles to be applied by the regions when enforcing their plans

for development of the CNG distribution network, adopting the suitable criteria for a balanced development on the territory, favouring the areas where the refuelling infrastructure is poor, the bulky bureaucracy affecting the construction of new refuelling station, the lack of norms for the tariffs dedicated to CNG as automotive fuel. The favourable conditions are for sure the high commitment of the whole Italian industry to research and development, to manufacturing and commercialisation of more and more performing solutions, and new products; the capital investments in communication, and the commitment of the national public administration to the offering of incentives for NGV, at least, so far. What role do you assign to the various components of the transport system (vehicle and part manufacturers, public administration, energy distributors, side industry etc.) in creating the conditions for the evolution of the transport system? The integrated approach is the basis for an efficient transport system. Maybe this is the one and only certainty I can afford when outlining the development of a sustainable mobility. To ensure the CNG market growth, and to capitalise the environmental benefits of NGV, it is necessary to carry on with a coordinated action which involves the main operators of this sector (NGV industry, refuelling stations, institutions), and which entails the widening of the vehicle offer, the development of the refuelling infrastructure, and the stabilisation of the fiscal and normative framework.

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for CNG vehicles, the benefits are larger than in the case of substitution of the same amount of vehicles for LPG ones. The gasoline vehicle substitution for CNG vehicles would provide a higher reduction of CO2 emissions by 40% compared to their substitution for LPG vehicles, and a higher social benefit by 17%. The theme of electric vehicles is very popular, and certainly interesting, but it is of fundamental importance not diverting our attention from those which are the solutions to disseminate a sustainable mobility: I want to remind of the fact that the internationally shared vision is predicting that the electrical vehicles will cover not more than 5% of the vehicle park by 2020. In fact, 95% will still be constituted of more and more evolved traditional engines, and alternatives such as natural gas, and second generation bio-fuels.

INTERVIEW TO DANTE NATALI, PRESIDENT of FEDERMETANO At the international level, natural gas is an energy source which is as important as fuel oil, except in the automotive sector. In the very last years, the increasingly important environment protection issues, and the rise of the oil prices seemed to offer a definitive chance to the development of CNG as automotive fuel, but opposite the market, at least on the short term, is still preferring an oil derivate, the LPG. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooking? Nothing new, unfortunately; the market prefers who is ready to take profit of the available opportunities, and the automotive market is almost always late, or at least this has been the case so far. Unfortunately this sector is burdened by the chronic delay in the development of the

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distribution network. How many CNG cars would have been registered in 2008/2009 if the CNG refuelling stations would have been more, and better scattered on the territory, compared to the present situation? I believe the same number, or even more, than the OEM LPG vehicles which have been registered in 2009, given the interesting incentives which were available. It is a pity, but anyway we have to look ahead without complaints, and we have rather better to make our best to be more prompt in future, also because the future of automotive applications is CNG. At present I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see any other solution which is technically capable of ensuring the present level of mobility, to which nobody is willing to renounce.

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2010: WILL IT BE THE YEAR OF NGV?

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What future scenarios do you foresee in the automotive sector, and what role will CNG play? I foresee very good scenarios, CNG have assets which its competitors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get; and these are respectively: hydrogen-CNG blends bio-methane LNG

The first one is the most immediate technologic bridge to shift (if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll shift) from 100% CNG to 100% hydrogen. The second one allows to fuel vehicles which do not emit additional CO2 in the atmosphere. Biogas is in fact a truly and fully renewable energy source. The third one constitutes the solution to take CNG where it does not arrive today. With liquid natural gas it is possible to fuel heavy duty vehicles and to implement the distribution network in those areas where there are no gas pipelines. If we consider that in Italy the heavy duty vehicles consume more than 14 million tons of diesel oil, I think this is a potentially important fuel. What are the favourable and the negative conditions for the development of NGV? The favourable conditions for the development of NGV, given the present general taxation on fuels, and the disadvantage condition we are starting from, is first of all a policy which determines a turn for this sector. As you correctly mentioned in your introduction, back in the years seventies, Italy did choose natural gas as an alternative energy source to oil. Natural gas developed in all sectors: residential,

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industrial, production of power; only the automotive sector was excluded from this process. I believe it is high time we deal with it too. The other favourable condition I see, is the virtual lack of alternatives which are credible and immediately usable. I think that hydrogen and electrical power have still a long way to go. Policy is the main instrument for the development of this sector, but it may become as well the main impediment, in case should prevail logics which donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put the interest of our country above any other thing. What role do you assign to the various components of the transport system (vehicle and part manufacturers, public administration, energy distributors, side industry etc.) in creating the conditions for the evolution of the transport system? Designating the roles is out of my competence, each one has his own role and within his scope he should do as much as possible to meet the target of a more sustainable mobility. The manufacturers and the retrofit industry are doing so, but there is a lack of clear policy coordination. In the public administration we have some very good examples (some regional administrations) as well as lack of interest (unfortunately in most part of the public administration). But I believe that I would be unfair if I would not also take into account the role of the associations such as my one; also on this side there are some mistakes and often also a lack of courage in the important decisions. A bit of self criticism is useful to stimulate ourselves to do more and better.

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TECHNICAL SECTION

REGIONAL FUEL DISTRIBUTION DIRECTIVES

The competence of public administrations on fuel distribution The article 52 point 1 sub-point a) of the D.P.R. 24 July 1977 n. 616, officially enforced the attribution to the regions of the administrative competence on fuel distribution, even if within the general guidelines given by the government. The main measures for development, modernisation, or rationalisation of the automotive fuel distribution and sale network are thus practically exclusive competence of the regions. Over the time, a number of different measures have been taken, in one direction or another, in this regard. Initially some measures have been taken to renew and to rationalise the refuelling stations, and to reduce the total number of sale points in operation on the national territory, in line with the rest of European countries. Then, opposite, the sector has been totally liberalised, aiming at the benefit of both the new operators and customers, with the prospect of reduction of the pump price of fuels, thanks to more competition between operators, and thanks in particular to the new self-service stations built in the commercial centres and supermarkets. This new normative trend also includes provisions aimed at fostering the development of the innovative (“alternative”) fuels, also in this case by abolishing some restrictions (e.g. distances, operating time) which are considered, right or wrong, an obstacle to a full development of the distribution network. But then some other restriction has been included in norms, to ensure together with the widening of network, also a minimum level of service quality standard. Along this promising path, there has not been a lack of after-thoughts and reflexion pauses. And the creation of a solid national strategy for the fuel distribution net is still nowadays an on-going process. In fact, Stefano Saglia, under secretary of the ministry of industry, at the end of last year has declared that he wants to start a new reform of the automotive fuel distribution sector by means of a project of law considering the fact that in Italy there are too many liquid fuel refuelling stations. Law 25 June 2008, n. 112 The law 25 giugno 2008 n. 112, "Disposizioni urgenti per lo sviluppo economico, la semplificazione, la competitività, la stabilizzazione della finanza pubblica e la perequazione tributaria" (“Urgent provisions for the economic development, the simplification, the competitiveness, the stabilisation of public finances and the fiscal equalization”) converted into law n. 133 of

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6 August 2008, has liberalised the construction of new automotive fuel refuelling stations. These measures have subverted in a substantial way the network rationalisation measures formerly enforced in this respect. For example, it is no longer necessary to shut down two old refuelling stations in order to be allowed to put a new one in operation. Neither is necessary to respect any restriction on the side of minimum distances to the existing service stations, when building a new one. In particular, some of the points of art. 83-bis have deeply modified the norms on automotive fuel distribution. Point 17 reads: "with the purpose to ensure the full respect of the provisions of European Community concerning protection of free competition, and to ensure the proper and regular operation of the market, the installation and operation of a refuelling station cannot be subject to the previous shut down of existing refuelling stations, neither must it be subject to any limit in terms of number, minimum distances between service stations, surface, and integrative services offered in the same service stations ". Point 20, offers the refuelling station operators the chance of increasing the maximum operation time by up to 50% of the minimum operation time. With point 21, the regions, within their capacity of planning on the territory of the fuel distribution net, can promote the improvement of the network and the dissemination of the cleaner fuels, adopting the due criteria of efficiency, adequateness and quality of the offered service. The commission "Attività Produttive" of the Council of regions and autonomous provinces, on 4 June 2008 has then released a document containing the common guidelines for regions for the renewal of the fuel distribution network. Lombardia Lombardia was among the first regions, if not the first one, to impose including alternative fuels dispensers in all the new refuelling stations to be built. And nowadays it is the only one to impose including CNG, and not a choice among CNG, LPG or hydrogen, as it is the case for the other regions. The network index which are among the targets of the region are: • 1 CNG refuelling station every 45,000 inhabitants (for the ordinary network) • 1 CNG refuelling station every 30 km (for the network on motorway) • 1 CNG refuelling station every 15 km (for the network on ring-roads and by-pass)

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Regional fuel directive of Emilia Romagna Region Also the region Emilia Romagna has been among the first to enforce a directive for accomplishment of the national plan outlined by the government. The deliberation of the Regional Council of Regione Emilia Romagna n. 355 of 8 May 2002, "Regional norms for the rationalization and modernization of the automotive fuel distribution network", give the directions for the rationalization and modernization of the refuelling station network. These norms have been enforced with the main aims to attain: a definite improvement of the efficiency of the network, the increase of the average fuel delivery to end customers, the increase of the services offered to customers, the reduction of the pump prices, and to ensure compliance with the regional directives on the matter of country planning and environment protection. After its enforcement, the deliberation has been modified, with the inclusion of new provisions. In fact the regional council of Regione Emilia Romagna has proposed to the legislative board to amend the "Regional norms for the rationalization and modernization of the automotive fuel distribution network", so to put them in line with the national norms enforced with the Law 25 June 2008, n. 112. The proposed amendments have been voted, accepted and ratified by means of the deliberation of the Legislative board 208/2009. Main targets are: • to stimulate the dissemination of environment friendly systems, also in consideration of the investments of the regions for the conversion of private vehicles to CNG and LPG, made in compliance with the agreement for air quality stipulated by Regione Emilia-Romagna, provinces, capital cities, and cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. • to impose that all the new refuelling stations which are not built on the Apennine areas include CNG or LPG dispensers; • to ensure a sufficient gas storage capacity of plants so to grant the customer a constant service; • ensure a suitable service to car drivers, also to the disabled ones; • t o promote the efficiency and energy selfsufficiency of the refuelling stations, as per the regional policy concerning the use of the energy sources outlined with the deliberation n. 156/2008 of the legislative council; • to make a further administrative simplification, also concerning the plant testing process; • to define and to regulate the criteria of the incompatibility (annex to the DM of ministry of industry 31 October 2001);

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• to designate the best areas on the territory to ensure a uniform dissemination of the fuel selling points at the regional level so to avoid territorial unbalances; • to define the characteristics of the existing systems and of the plants to be installed in the existing refuelling stations, for the carrying out of the network development plan. All new refuelling stations must have: • at least gasoline and diesel dispensers, and the relevant pre-pay self-service devices and systems; • at least two multi-dispensers operating on both sides for gasoline and diesel, and outside of the Apennines area, they must also have at least two CNG single side dispensers, or one CNG dispenser operating on both sides with a suitable compression capacity to ensure an adequate level of service, or an LPG dispenser; • a photovoltaic power production system, or another renewable energy production system with a minimum installed power capacity of 8 kWp, or an high efficiency natural gas fuelled cogeneration system; • if this is not technically feasible, this last requirement is considered as accomplished by means of the acquisition of power equivalent quotas of plants which are fuelled with renewable energy sources, located on the territory of the city where the refuelling station is built, or by means of connection to high efficiency cogeneration systems. To ensure the service quality, the modification includes a requirement which set the minimum compression capacity at 450 Nm 3 /h. This requirement is considered too high, because it imposes “sic et simpliciter” a minimum cost for the construction of the CNG plant which could be too high, thus unacceptable by the operator, in particular in the most remote areas, where the economic pay back period may be expected to be too long. The quality of service i.e. in this case the time required for the whole refuelling operation, and the capability to cope with a high customer influx, can be ensured by means of plant solutions which to a certain extent are independent from the flow capacity of the installed compressor. For example, this can be done by means of larger capacity storage tanks, with different pressure level cascade management system, and management logic maximising the gas recovery rate from tanks. And by means of adopting a larger number of double side dispensers. As a matter of customer perception, given the same total waiting time, the part of it which elapses while the dispenser is connected to the vehicle, is more tolerable than the part of it spent in the queue. Obviously, keeping too low with the installed compressor flow capacity, is not advisable anyway. Otherwise the level of service might become poor. The customer waiting

TECHNICAL SECTION

Criteria for the definition of the target indexes: • population density • peculiarities of the territory (basins) • car population density (demand) • comparison with other regions

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TECHNICAL SECTION

N V

REGIONAL FUEL DISTRIBUTION DIRECTIVES time might increase to the extent that this would cause dissatisfaction, with a severe detriment of the development of this sector. For example, a compressor with a flow capacity of 200 Nm 3/h might be good for the start-up period of a new refuelling station, especially if it is in an area where there is a poor CNG refuelling station network, thus no market. But then, as the market builds up, this flow rate will rapidly become insufficient to cope with the normal customer influx, and the customers will be forced to long queuing. Criteria to build the refuelling station network Similar to the case of the pioneer regions in this field, such as Piemonte, Lombardia and Emilia Romagna, in the regional directives for the development of the refuelling station network, the regions tend, one after the other, to enforce provisions which impose the inclusion of CNG or LPG selling points in the new refuelling stations, as a necessary condition for them being allowed going in operation (“concessione carburanti”, fuel sale permission). This is a good move for the Italian NGV sector, even if opposite the liquid fuel sector tend to see it as a undue and penalising interference in its network planning or even as a sort of boycotting of the recent refuelling station network liberalisation law. Furthermore, there is, as we have already seen, the negative aspect deriving from the introduction of the lower limit for the compressor flow capacity for the new CNG plants which Regione Emilia Romagna has set at 450 m3/h. if this limit is too high, it might frustrate as already said, the good influence of this provision. The region seems to have realised this and with a subsequent amendment has improved the situation. Now the limit of 450 m3/h, is still in application, but this flow rate refers to the optimum operation and service conditions of the plant as a whole. So this flow capacity is not necessarily all coming from the compressor, and it can be partially provided by the gas storage. Thus this allows the installation of smaller compressors, integrated by storages capable of increasing the quantity of delivered gas, in the periods in which the storage is at its maximum service pressure. The storage has another good point in that it allows reducing the number of start-stop operations of the compressor-driver system, which improves its durability and the characteristics of the electric power supply from the electric network (better average active and reactive power ratio, thus cheaper consumed energy). Furthermore, with the proper design and with the adoption of intervention logics based on storage on different cascade pressure levels, it is possible to maximise the quantity of recoverable stored gas. With this stipulation, the storage, together with other more or less innovative technical solutions, allows the minimisation of the investment cost for the construction of new refuelling stations including

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CNG. And this is particularly interesting for the areas with a poor CNG network, where the pay back time is longer, due to the need for creating a market from scratch. The CNG compressor and refuelling station manufacturers nowadays offer a number of modular plant solutions which allow the operators the great advantage of the capability to timely adjust their appliance power to the progressive growth of the local market. This way, it is possible to choose a lower initial investment, by adopting modules having a flow capacity which is suitable to the initially moderate customer influx. If the initial design criterion is including this option, it is then possible to increase the maximum compressed gas flow rate by rapidly adding more modules, or by replacing the original with a larger one, when this is required by the increasing local market. The growth of the local NGV fleet is the unbreakable condition for the good outcome of building a new refuelling station. This aspect was particularly critic in the past, because the NGV fleet was composed exclusively of aftermarket vehicles, which imposed the presence or the construction of a conversion workshop, even inside the premises of the refuelling station itself. This last was almost always a dedicated CNG refuelling station, so it was expensive and demanding, also because of the need for an adequate land and logistics, i,e an area close to the gas pipeline network with the highest possible pipeline pressure; located on or as close as possible to intense traffic roads; far from buildings or densely populated areas. Today these requirements have been reduced. The tendency is not to build the dedicated CNG refuelling stations any longer. The oil companies and the large fuel distributors now believe in the NGV market, and tend to include a CNG dispenser in their existing multi-fuel refuelling stations. Or to build ex-novo multi-fuel refuelling stations which also sell CNG, also in compliance with the obligation of the regional directives. This way they take profit of the economic benefit of using the local already existing and operating infrastructures and personnel. And “dulcis in fundo”, the local CNG vehicle fleet can nowadays grow quickly, as it is no longer hinging on the aftermarket conversion. The availability on the market of OEM NGV allows a quick build-up of a local market, provided that in the area there are competent and motivated car dealers, who promote their CNG car models the proper way. And that naturally refrain form the temptation to divert on a diesel model the potential customers who ask for a CNG one. This, believe it or not, has actually happened in some cases in the recent past. Maybe the reason some car dealers did so was that they were not confident enough on their CNG after sale assistance service. On this respect, the conversion workshops will still have to play an important role in the future, if their operators will keep pace with the development of the modern gaseous fuel engine technology. The new regional

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any consideration of the space actually available for structures and vehicles in circulation, let alone safety. Then some government interventions enforced new provisions to improve the situation.

regulations have been enforced so far by some of the regions, whereas in the other regions they are still under preparation or under examination by the respective regional council.

Regional fuel distribution directives – situation as of September 2009

Norma

Carburanti da erogare, come minimo

Piemonte

Deliberation of the regional council 35- 9132/2008, of 7 July 2008

gasoline, diesel and LPG or CNG

Lombardia

L.R. 25/2008, qualification programme with DCR n° 834/2009 and procedure with D.G.R. n° 9590/2009

gasoline, diesel and CNG; possibility for CNG or LPG dedicated refuelling station

Friuli VG

L.R. n° 14/2008, amended by L.R. n° 8/2009

gasoline, diesel and LPG or CNG

Sicilia

D.A. 26/11/2008, D.A. 7/1/2009 and D.A. 16/11/2009

gasoline, diesel and LPG or CNG;

Pr. A. Bolzano

D.P.P. n° 69/2008 e DGP 4398/08

gasoline, diesel and LPG or CNG;

Emilia Romagna

Deliberation of the regional council 208/2009

Gasoline, diesel and LPG or CNG; (minimum compression capability: 450 m3/h)

Toscana

L.R. n° 38/2009 of 17 July 2009

gasoline, diesel and LPG or CNG; or hydrogen

Abruzzo

L.R. approved with prov. n. 19/2 of 06/10/09

at least three among: gasoline, diesel, CNG, GPL, hydrogen or its blends, and all the new low environmental impact automotive fuels on the market, electric vehicle charge public socket

Lazio