Increasing interest in natural gas as a vehicle fuel will be channelled by Energy and Utility (EU) Skills into a new natural gas vehicle network (NGV). 

Companies including National Grid, Calor Gas, CNG Services, Flogas and Gas Alliance Group are working together in the new NGV network with the aim of forwarding development of the NGV market in the UK, focusing on trucks and buses.

Neil Robertson, chief executive of EU Skills said: “It is becoming clear that one of the ways the UK can respond to increasing pressure to improve air quality is to use gas as a fuel for HGVs and buses.

 “Gas delivers big greenhouse gas reductions as well as getting rid of hazardous NOx and particulate matter which can lead to myriad health problems, from shortness of breath to lung cancer.  This has meant there is some urgency to look for alternatives to diesel engines.

“But the future is here now, as demonstrated by Argos who are running dedicated Scania gas powered tractor and Bristol and Reading are using compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.

“Gas is demonstrably the cheapest, cleanest fuel for HGVs and buses and the network is going to help show people how to make the switch.

“We will provide a sector focus and will influence policy makers, encourage collaboration, as well as bringing together leading experts and influential industry figures.”

Richard Court, head of stakeholder delivery at National Grid, one of the founder companies in the NGV Network said: "By working together, we can innovate and make best use of existing infrastructure such as the gas distribution networks, LNG and CNG capabilities and develop a new workforce with new skills. We must also lobby policy makers to create the right environment to make sure gas vehicles play their role in meeting the UK's transport needs.”

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