Environmental Benefits

Natural gas ideal for high use vehicles

Light, medium and heavy duty vehicles are ideally suited for natural gas because of the significant air quality benefits provided by this fuel and the ease of refuelling it offers for return-to-base fleets.

Nationally, transportation is the second highest source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) at 28 per cent, while in six provinces it is the largest source of these emissions.

Since 1990, overall transportation GHG emissions have consistently outpaced total GHG emissions growth.  When it comes to medium and heavy duty vehicles, and off road diesel vehicles these emissions have grown, rising from one quarter of the total to more than two thirds the total. Light duty trucks have also increased their contribution to transportation emissions, rising to almost one quarter the light duty vehicle total.

Domestic marine and rail are also emissions intensive vehicles. By switching to natural gas, these modes of transportation can achieve significant GHG emissions reduction. Much like on road diesel, there are a small number of these vehicles in Canada, operating along defined routes, and have only recently begun to be subject to significant emissions reductions regulations.

Two emissions initiatives are impacting the Canadian marine industry. The first is the implementation of the North American Environmental Control Area which has specific provisions under MARPOL Annex VI. These regulations limit a variety of emissions, including NOx, SOx, particulate and GHG emissions. More broadly MARPOL outlines a basis for reducing GHG emissions for marine vessels, through vessel design changes as well as vessel energy management changes. Natural gas as a marine fuel has a distinct advantage as a lower emitting fuel, in terms of NOx, SOx and particulate as well as life cycle GHG emissions reductions.