Photo: Joe M. Kang, president of International Gas Union
SHANGHAI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The 19th International Conference & Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG2019) opened in Shanghai on April 2. Joe M. Kang, president of International Gas Union (IGU) and major speaker of the conference said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that natural gas is playing a vital role towards an economic and environmental sustainable energy future, and that the prospects of LNG applications such as in the transport sector will provide great opportunities for the industry.
According to Kang, natural gas offers the fastest and most economical path to reduce carbon emissions, helping meet increasing energy demand while lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
A switch from coal to natural gas in the existing energy systems, and investing in gas infrastructure offer immediate opportunities to meet emissions targets set in Paris Agreement, said Kang. For example, switching from coal to natural gas in the power sector in Europe would result in exceeding its 2030 GHG reduction targets by 5 percent.
"Now the global natural gas market is undergoing significant and positive changes and will see increased and more diverse supplies thanks to both new conventional and unconventional resource findings and new ways of delivering gas to the market, through new pipelines and LNG cargoes," said Kang.
LNG application in the transport sector and especially heavy trucks and marine will be exciting opportunities for the industry, but the challenge remains the rapid and sufficient building of the necessary refueling infrastructure, Kang said.
In the marine sector, the lack of harmonization of international regulations can be a barrier to the advancement of LNG. With the looming IMO low-sulfur content regulations coming into effect in 2020, this will become even more important, he added.
Kang said, "LNG will play a critical part in forming a globalized natural gas market in view of its delivery flexibility.While pipelines will continue to play a very important role in regional markets, LNG provides a new kind of flexibility – cargoes can be directed and re-directed easily to serve across regional boundaries. And with the advent of FSRU’s, flexible LNG seasonal delivery has now emerged as a very valuable additional service to meeting market demands."
Speaking of the LNG2019, Kang said, the timing of this conference in China could not have been better in view of the tremendous growth of natural gas as a key fuel in China. Gas has been playing and will continue to play a critical role in making China’s sky blue again and helping it meet its greenhouse gas reduction target.
This triennial event was first held in 1968. This year marks the first time the conference to be held in China, the world’s fastest growing LNG market. LNG 2019 is presented by the International Gas Union (IGU), Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR).
The Shanghai conference, the largest LNG event ever held in China, is hosted by China LNG Association, China Gas Society, Chinese Association of Refrigeration and China Gas Association. An estimate of over 170 enterprises and 1,800 representatives from 53 countries and regions attend the conference. The conference will last to April 5. (Contributed by Zhou Yuran)
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