Ecology

Experience from practical use has shown that the operation of vehicles powered by natural gas has the following advantages as regards environmental protection over vehicles equipped with a diesel engine:

• The emissions of solid particles (PM – Particulate Matters), which are considered to have the most serious mutagenic and carcinogenic effect, are substantially lower than emissions produced by diesel engines.
  
• Unlike diesel engines, motors powered by natural gas produce practically no smoke.
  
• The use of natural gas reduces other emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO).
  
• Carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) emissions are reduced by 10-15 %.
  
• The emissions of non-methane, aromatic, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and aldehydes are significantly lower.
  
• The use of natural gas reduces the creation of ground ozone, which causes “summer smog”.
  
• Fumes produced by natural gas engines contain no sulfur dioxide (SO2).
  
• Natural gas contains no additives or carcinogenic substances.
  
• Engines powered by natural gas are quieter; thanks to “softer” combustion, the noise produced by buses using natural gas is 50 % and 60-70 % lower inside and outside respectively.
  
• There are no fuel evaporation losses during the fuel transfer process.
  
• Natural gas cannot contaminate soil.

Vehicles powered by natural gas produce significantly less pollution than their traditional counterparts – not only the pollutants monitored today, such as nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and solid particles, but also carcinogenic substances, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and aromatic substances, including benzene. In addition, vehicles powered by natural gas are less harmful with regard to the greenhouse effect than cars using gasoline or diesel fuel. Compared to gasoline, natural gas has a potential to reduce CO2 emission by 20-25 %.