Putin calls for Russian transport to use natural gas power

Date: 15/5/2013

Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced his support for using natural gas to power an increasing number of the country's vehicles in the coming years.

As Reuters reports, Putin said that Russia has a clear competitive advantage with 20 per cent of global gas reserves concentrated in the country, and tapping into this will have various benefits for the nation.

"Gas is cheaper than gasoline or diesel fuel, besides it reduces emissions," the President explained.

As well as improving the green credentials of Russia's vehicles, a renewed focus on gas would also be expected to provide a welcome boost to energy firm Gazprom which suffered a ten per cent fall in net profit during 2012.

According to Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev, more than 50 per cent of buses in the country's major cities will be switched to run on natural gas in an attempt to keep up with the global shift towards using cleaner energy to power vehicles.

Posted by Nick Anderson     

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News