With demand for compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied 
petroleum gas (LPG) and hybrid vehicles likely to double over the next decade, the International Fuel Quality Centre (IFQC) has launched the Alternative Fuels Service (AFS).

“Alternative fuels play a varied but growing role in countries around the world,” says IFQC 
executive director Liisa Kiuru.

She adds: “In developing Asian and Latin American countries, an increasing momentum is starting to take place to tackle local air pollution and, in advanced economies, alternative fuels act as a part of a comprehensive low-carbon fuel policy approach, like the Low Carbon Fuels Standard in California.”

China is in desperate need for alternative fuels and vehicles. The country is developing at a rapid pace and the country’s economic expansion is resulting in huge growth in automotive and petroleum demand, and the adoption of alternative fuels is seen as a 
solution to fuel diversification and energy security.

China is considering not only
biofuels as an alternative fuel source, but also several alternative fuels and vehicles, which are currently being developed for wide-scale use. These alternative fuels 
include CNG, LPG, methanol, dimethyl ether, as well as hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles. In fact, in 2008, China sold 24-million electric two-wheelers, equal to 40% of all light-duty vehicles sold worldwide (60-million).

India is another example where state and central governments are providing subsidies to increase the use of alternative fuels. The Indian government is currently 
experimenting with hythane, a mixture of 20% hydrogen by 
volume (7% by energy content) in natural gas.

Latin America is also involved in many projects to develop alternative fuel sources to supply the US natural gas market with LNG.

Given the massive unconventional natural gas discoveries in the region, many Latin American markets no longer have buyers for their product, so they are looking to use natural gas instead of 
petroleum-based products.

AFS provides its members 
with analysis of the infrastructure, policies and legislation influencing alternative fuels and vehicles.

“We launched this service in 
response to the growing need for reliable and verified data on all the issues surrounding these fuels and vehicles,” says AFS global manager Kuntal Vora. “We are also confident that the AFS will act as a platform for international discussions on all the comprehensive issues related to the growing use of alternative fuels, and conventional and alternative vehicles.”

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