Environmental concerns, and other issues related to rational use of energy, are presently bringing up again, conditions for the increase of potential opportunities for alternative vehicle fuels in the market. In such scenario, natural gas (NG) appears with excellent possibilities to resolve the E3 equation (energy, economics and environment),due to its characteristics of clean burning, high octane number, availability and others.
However, in all discussion about the role of NG as an automotive fuel, there is always the necessity of a systemic debate, that analyses all the main aspects of the problem in an integrated way. From such first analysis, it emerges immediately conclusions as country earnings in both, economical and social ways, the necessity of greater investments in R&D by research institutions as well as by OEM, the possibility of creating new markets and uses for the gas, the interaction between NG and other alternative fuels, as ethanol, and many others of the same importance.
The main purpose of this work is to outline some of these points, in such a way that will permit and direct a more complete discussion and analysis, about the possibilities of the use of Natural Gas as an alternative fuel in Vehicles (NGV).