The public debate on energy in Portugal continues to focus mainly on electricity, renewables and natural gas. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), butane and propane, remains, however, relatively invisible in the public debate, despite daily supplying homes, businesses and industries, especially outside large urban areas, where the natural gas network is not available. Ignoring LPG as an energy option means leaving aside a valuable tool to guarantee reliable, versatile and cleaner access to energy. The real challenge is to recognize its potential within the energy transition, valuing efficiency, security of supply, territorial cohesion and the reduction of emissions of CO2, NOX and other polluting particles.
From an environmental point of view, LPG is one of the cleanest conventional fuels currently in use. Compared to other traditional liquid fuels, it allows you to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 20%. With regard to emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), the reduction is up to 96% compared to diesel and up to 68% compared to gasoline. Furthermore, the combustion of butane and propane reduces emissions of other polluting particles by up to 99%. These results have a direct impact on air quality, especially relevant in a country where the debate on public health and urban pollution is increasingly visible. Likewise, these data help to explain why European directives recognize it as an alternative fuel and allow its favorable environmental classification in urban contexts.
The potential of LPG is expanded with the development of its renewable versions. Biopropane, from renewable sources, is molecularly identical to conventional propane, which means it can be used in existing infrastructure without the need for technical modifications. This factor proves to be fundamental in a pragmatic energy transition, as it avoids additional investments and allows for immediate reduction of emissions. According to available information, biopropane reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 92% compared to diesel or gasoline. These levels of emission reduction allow us to state that LPG already meets the objectives set for 2030 and that biopropane meets those set for 2050. Furthermore, it is important to note that the weight of biopropane can be progressively increased, in a mixture with propane, as environmental demands grow, thus allowing for increasingly stringent regulations to be met. This phased approach makes it possible to advance decarbonization without generating territorial or social exclusions, an aspect especially relevant in Portugal, where a significant part of the population lives outside large urban centers and depends on flexible and reliable energy solutions.
Professional transport is one of the key economic activities in achieving emissions reduction objectives. Facing this sector, especially heavy transport, represents a very ambitious challenge, in which electrification does not prove to be a viable solution due to several factors. Firstly, it is important to note that the electricity grid infrastructure is not sufficiently developed and has capacity limitations. On the other hand, charging infrastructures do not have sufficient capillarity to satisfy mobility needs. Another relevant impact on the operations of electrified fleets are periods of inactivity resulting from charging times, as well as the reduction in payload due to the weight of the batteries.
LPG is an excellent option in the energy transition of heavy transport. In addition to the previously mentioned advantages, there is the ease of adapting and/or renewing existing fleets, allowing operating costs to be achieved lower than current ones and those of other alternative solutions. It is important to highlight that there are already approved LPG engines on the market that can be installed in current vehicles. On the other hand, the cost of installing LPG refueling points is clearly lower than the infrastructure required for other solutions, such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
In the case of private vehicles, LPG is also an excellent solution. On the one hand, the price of an LPG vehicle is more affordable than that of an electric vehicle and, on the other, a liter of autogas (LPG) provides savings of approximately 50% compared to gasoline and diesel at fueling points. It is important to note that, in the case of electric cars, not all users have parking with a charger at home or at work. This situation requires the use of ultra-fast chargers, with their associated costs. Furthermore, when there is parking with the possibility of installation, it is necessary to make additional investments, such as installing a charger or changing the contracted power.
In summary, for many businesses, fleets, businesses and homes that do not have other viable alternatives, LPG represents a realistic solution to contribute to the energy transition. For this reason, it can be said that the incorporation of LPG into the energy mix makes it possible to achieve an inclusive energy transition, without leaving anyone behind. The more people and organizations are able to contribute, the faster ambitious environmental objectives will be achieved. Ultimately, maintaining technological neutrality in energy policies will allow us to move forward with optimal options that are already available and for which there is no real alternative. In other words, it is about accelerating the transition, ensuring that it is realistic, inclusive and adapted to Portugal’s territorial and social diversity.