Call to use more gas instead of oil

摘要

Australia's large gas reserves can wean the country off its dependence on oil, a recent Society of Automotive Engineers conference on gaseous fuels technology in Melbourne has heard. According to local and international experts who addressed the conference, using gas as a transport fuel would reduce greenhouse emissions and air pollution, while improving the country's energy security. Former director of innovation at Holden, Dr Laurie Sparke said the preferred solution would be for private vehicles to use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), while commercial traffic would use CNG (compressed natural gas) and LNC (liquefied natural gas). Australia currently imports 50% of the oil it consumes. According to Sparke, many oil-importing nations have strategies to ensure supply, but Australia has yet to develop an effective one. "The transition of private transport to use LPG fuel, and the transport industry to LNG and CNG, would reduce Australia's dependence on imported oil, and avert a near term energy crisis," he said. Sparke said that commercial vehicles represent only 18% of the Victorian fleet, but 38% of transport greenhouse emissions, and this is expected to double by 2020. Using LPG for local delivery, urban short-haul trips could significantly reduce greenhouse emissions, as would using CNG to fuel interstate transport.