CNG and LNG for Sustainable Transportation Systems

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, it has become clear that challenges related to both climate change and energy transition must be faced simultaneously. The energy sector’s transition toward carbon neutrality presents many challenges, such as reducing energy consumption, improving system efficiency, and integrating renewable resources. Due to the favorable ratio of H atoms to C atoms and its higher knock resistance, methane combustion reduces CO₂ formation by about 25% and the Global Warming Index by about 15% concerning gasoline fueling. In this regard, methane-based fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are considered transitional fuels on the path to climate neutrality.

In the near future, the role of natural gas in propulsion systems is expected to attract growing interest in the transport sector. In the pursuit of sustainable mobility, both CNG and LNG can be used not only in conventional propulsion systems but also in combination with electric ones. The study and exploration of methane’s potential represents a significant contribution to the development of a more sustainable and resilient energy system. Indeed, adopting methane could serve as a key lever for rapidly reducing emissions contributing to climate change during the transition toward fully renewable solutions. Additionally, methane presents a distinctive opportunity to enhance the efficiency of propulsion systems and mitigate the environmental impact of heavy-duty and long-haul transportation, where electric alternatives encounter greater challenges. In this Special Issue, authors are invited to share their knowledge about the natural gas used in conventional/electric hybrid systems and other combined conventional/battery/fuel cell propulsion systems.

Topics of interest for publication include but are not limited to the following:

• LNG and CNG combustion concepts.
• Emission reduction technologies for LNG and CNG propulsion.
• Exhaust–after-treatment systems for LNG/CNG propulsion systems.
• Design and optimization of methane-electric hybrid propulsion.
• Integration of battery and fuel cell technologies with natural gas systems.
• Life cycle analysis of CNG and LNG compared to other fuels.
• Strategies for reducing methane leakage across production and usage phases.
• Enhancements to CNG and LNG refueling networks.
• Synergies between natural gas and hydrogen infrastructure development.
• Role of regulations and subsidies in promoting methane-based transitional fuels.
• Comparative cost analysis of NG propulsion systems and fully electric alternatives.

We cordially invite researchers working in this field to contribute original research articles, short communications, and review articles.

Dr. Roberto Ianniello
Dr. Davide Lanni
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Methane is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.