MUMBAI: As the Indian economy gallops on a high growth path, its requirement for natural gas is forecast to grow at more than 10 pc annually to over 300 standard million cubic metres per day with nearly 200 cities receiving CNG by 2015. It is this surging demand for natural gas which has prompted major global energy technology providers to showcase their prowess and seek business partners at the NGV India 2010 conference and exhibition in Mumbai held on 24-26 November 2010.
The conference was inaugurated by Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural gas, Government of India. The conference theme being Meeting the Demands of India’s Surging NGV Growth, will provide all players in the Indian and global NGV markets with a clear vision and vital updates on the industry.
In his inaugural speech, Prasada said, “The Indian government will ensure that gas allocation for the city gas distribution networks, apart from fertilizer and power sector, will also be on the top priority to help the growth of the sector. The flow of money from the consumer’s pocket will be reduced as CNG is a cheaper fuel compared to that of petrol and diesel.”
Prasada also hoped that with increasing availability of CNG in India, vehicle manufacturers would make CNG compatible two-wheelers who can then be run on the cleaner fuel.
B. C. Tripathi, CMD, GAIL India, in his speech said, “India has the largest network of CNG distribution in the world. A consensus amongst the stake holders and the Indian government’s mandate to roll out a CNG network is a must. Nearly 200 companies representing over 25 countries are participating in the 2-day exhibition with more than 5,000 industry delegates expected to attend the conference.
Making this year’s edition a must for everyone involved are leading Indian car manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra who have expanded their product portfolio with a wide range of CNG models.
Shinzo Nakanishi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, who was also part of the luminaries on the dias, said, “We have launched 5 CNG models in limited markets of Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat. If the volumes of natural gas supplies improve, we would like to reduce imports of our CNG components and this will help for the reduction of costs for our consumers.”
Equipment makers including Landi Renzo, Endress + Hauser, Atlas Copco, Sandvik and Tomasetto Achille, are expected to present major breakthroughs in natural gas vehicles at the event. David Aitken, MD, Bangkok Exhibition Services said, “The NGV India 2010 will be a regional platform for the Indian natural gas industry and beyond to explore the latest developments and exchange ideas on the emerging technologies and processes”. He added, “The use of natural gas vehicles in India is ranked fifth in the world and is growing at a rate of 45% per year against a global arrange of 30%. The country thus provides the gas industry with high potential for growth with 230 cities set for conversion. The NGV India 2010 will explore how economic growth can go well with energy efficiency.”
The conference programme includes keynote, plenary and technical sessions addressing the future of NGV, focusing on vehicle supply, supply chain and safety. Emphasis will be also given to OEMs and the latest NGV technology designed for a broad range of vehicles from CNG two-wheelers to heavy duty trucks.
Reinforcing the NGV exhibition and conference status and reach is the support of the India’s Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, GAIL (India) Ltd, International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles (IANGV) and the Asia Pacific Natural Gas Vehicles Association (ANGVA). It is also endorsed by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Delhi Transport Corporation, Association of State Road Transport Undertakings, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
It is to be mentioned that NGV India 2010 provides an international platform for the Indian natural gas and allied vehicle industry to explore the latest developments, and exchange ideas on the emerging technologies and processes. The event also gives all delegates and industry specialists a stage to discuss issues facing the development of CNG/NGV today, as well as environment challenges to steer new guidelines toward eco-sustainability.
NGV India is the world’s largest specialized event for Natural Gas Vehicles. The previous edition of the event, held in 2009 in New Delhi, attracted 182 participating companies and 5,162 professional attendees, alongside 510 conference delegates from 22 countries. NGV India provides a total solutions arena for buyers & sellers to converge, including an industry leading conference and international trade exhibition.