GRIP CEE 2017 / Main Report

5.2.2 CNG & LNG FILLING STATIONS AND LNG BUNKER FACILITIES

Over the last ten years, the refuelling network has experienced mild growth, result- ing in 1,362 CNG filling stations, 4 LNG filling stations, 2 LNG bunker facilities for maritime transport, and 1 LNG bunker facility for inland shipping by the year 2015. In contrast to the number of NGVs, the growth rate of the CNG filling stations has slowed down since 2007. This is a normal development, because a certain regional coverage of filling stations is a sine qua non in order to solve the so-called “hen and egg problem” during the introductory phase of a new fuel and the respective new vehicles. In Germany, for example, the gas industry decided in 2003 to build up a network of approximately 1,000 CNG stations for a potential number of 1 million NGVs that are expected in the future. Thus, vehicle numbers and filling stations do not grow proportionally.

Number of CNG filling stations

Growth rate (%)

1,500

20

1,200

15

900

10

600

5

300

0

0

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Number of CNG filling stations

Growth rate

Figure 5.3: Number of CNG filling stations in the CEE region in 2006 – 2015

When considering filling stations, Germany again plays the leading role in the CEE region with 921 CNG filling stations, 1 existing LNG bunker facility for vessels (in Hamburg, 1 more planned in Dagebüll) and 2 planned mobile LNG refuelling stations in the port of Rostock for ships and heavy duty trucks. A similar coverage of CNG filling stations is found in Austria with 173 refuelling stations, closely followed by Bulgaria and the Czech Republic (see Figure 5.4). Generally, in the four mentioned countries, a sufficient network of CNG filling stations exists that will foster further growth in the CNG fleet and NG consumption in the transport sector.

173

Austria Bulgaria Czech Republic Germany Poland Others (HR, HU, RO, SK, SI)

25 25

110

No. of CNG filling stations

108

921

Figure 5.4: Number of CNG filling stations in countries of the CEE region in 2015

64 |

Central Eastern Europe GRIP 2017