Perspectives of a sustainable future based on LPG and renewable BioLPG as fuel suppliers: new developments and existing barriers

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview on the outstanding production, distribution and storage technologies that will likely make the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and renewable BioLPG expand their utilization as a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The growth of the Global LPG Market size will be presented, with a focus on US and the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. Moreover, the increment of worldwide policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) will be investigated. The growth of the LPG market is primarily propelled by the rising demand for a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable substitute of conventional fossil fuels. Concerning the residential sector, the demand for LPG is due to such end-uses as cooking, water heating and other household purposes. Regarding transportation, LPG’s popularity as an alternative automotive fuel (auto-gas) has also contributed significantly to its widespread adoption in this sector. On the other hand, the utilization of BioLPG is also going up since it is chemically indistinct from LPG and so, it can be ‘dropped-in’ to existing LPG boilers and appliances. Finally, the existing barriers and the new developments on this topic will be investigated to understand why LPG and BioLPG could represent a great investment for the future.