The political majority situation that Portugal currently faces is potentially positive for political stability and, consequently, for the solidity and effectiveness of public policies. With the right conditions for the approval of the State Budget, a legislature is expected to offer stability in the area of energy, in general, and in the area of mobility, in particular, which ideally can contribute to accelerating the energy transition process in the mobility sector.
Because even though energy policy has come a long way in recent years, the challenges ahead are imminent, namely about alternative fuels for mobility (as is the case of Vehicular Natural Gas), defined in 2014 by the European Commission, and its assimilation to professional diesel.
Since 2016, Portugal has had a very generous support scheme for professional diesel, which covers a partial reimbursement of ISP up to approximately 0.19 euros per liter. With the inclusion of CNG in the scope of professional fuels, the country will be able to benefit at different levels:
Financial: According to calculations carried out and studied, the increase in vehicles powered by CNG will compensate for the effective decrease in the tax.
Fiscal: The discrimination against Spain will be corrected, where the tax taxation of CNG is less than half (1.15€/Gj in Spain and 2.49€/Gj in Portugal) and where many Portuguese trucks powered by CNG will supply with the corresponding loss of revenue for the Portuguese State.
Environmental and ecological: According to a study by the Iberian Association of Natural, Renewable Gas and Hydrogen for Mobility (GASNAM), it is estimated that more than ten thousand tons of CO2 emissions will be avoided in Portugal.
Competitive: CNG is essential for a dynamic and free market, favoring greater freedom of choice for economic agents.
Innovation and Development: CNG companies will prosper, maintaining employment and development in the counties and channeling investments towards innovation.
It is also important to add that, given the low carbon policies for mobility, and under the objectives of the European Green Deal, the National Energy and Climate Plan 2030, as well as the National Strategy for Hydrogen, it will be essential to strengthen the energy market natural gas mobility as an essential element for a desirable balanced and fair energy transition.
Political stability enhances the right conditions for the prosperity of the natural gas transport sector, which needs a more advantageous legislative framework than diesel to ensure an efficient promotion of this more sustainable and transitional fuel for green fuels.
Source: Jornal Económico