GASNAM Organizes Gas-Powered Mobility Congress in Madrid

The Spanish Association of Natural Gas for Mobility, GASNAM, organised the ‘Second Congress for gas-powered mobility’ in Madrid, bringing together national stakeholders along the value chain related to Natural gas (NG) as a transportation fuel. The gathering highlighted the actions being carried out to develop the use of the fuel in road and maritime transport, as well as the corresponding infrastructure.

In this second edition of the conference participants also agreed that Spain has the opportunity to take a leading role in the development and application of the technology.

The meeting was attended by over 250 people representing government, industry associations and companies involved in the sector. The event was supported by NGVA Europe and the association’s Technical Manager Jaime del Ál

amo also delivered a presentation summing up the current state of play regarding NGV-related norms and regulations. General Secretary of the Ministry of Public Transport, Carmen Librero, and Director of Energy Solutions and Services of Gas Natural Fenosa, Josep Codorniu, opened up the conference held at the headquarters of Gas Natural Fenosa in Madrid.

During his speech, Josep Codorniu emphasised the role of NG in transportation as “a viable short-term alternative and advantageous, environmentally and economically attractive option”. Codorniu also stressed that Gas Natural Fenosa (GNF) has already been highly active in promoting NG as a vehicle fuel for more than 10 years and that Spain by now owns a considerable infrastructure of more than 30 NG fuelling stations, 19 of them public.

Moreover, during the course of the discussion speakers brought out GASNAM’s relevant participation in the process of proposing amendments to the European draft directive for clean energy in transport, Clean Power for Transport, and stressed the momentum this new European legislation represents for the sector.

The event brought together national stakeholders along the whole value chain, which summed up the achievements in the development of the sector in the Iberian country, highlighting the deployment of public fuelling stations for compressed natural gas (CNG)/liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the country’s biggest cities and along the main transport routes.

Throughout the meeting the high technological level of projects implementing NG in transport was stated, and the need was highlighted to coordinate the activities of the sector in order to give impetus to the development of LNG, in maritime application as well as in long-haul transport, and for transport of both freight and passengers.

The day was closed by GASNAM President Jose Ramon Freire, who welcomed the work done by the association in its first year of activity. Freire pointed out that GASNAM “has served to make ourselves heard as an industry.” GASNAM’s President particularly stressed the effort to raise awareness within the Spanish administration and among MEPs for the views held by the sector.

Also, José Ramón Freire emphasised the opportunity the transportation of LNG by sea and land offers for the country and its business. At the same time he also warned that although Spain has the ideal conditions to lead this sector many countries, such as China, the UK, or the Scandinavian countries, are betting heavily on this technology and in some cases steps need to be taken greater decidedness.

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Source: NGVA Europe, November 14, 2013