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Central Eastern Europe GRIP 2017
5.2.2 CNG & LNG FILLING STATIONS AND
LNG BUNKER FACILITIES
Over the last ten years, the refuelling network has experienced mild growth, result-
ing in 1,362 CNG filling stations, 4 LNG filling stations, 2 LNG bunker facilities for
maritime transport, and 1 LNG bunker facility for inland shipping by the year 2015.
In contrast to the number of NGVs, the growth rate of the CNG filling stations has
slowed down since 2007. This is a normal development, because a certain regional
coverage of filling stations is a sine qua non in order to solve the so-called “hen and
egg problem” during the introductory phase of a new fuel and the respective new
vehicles. In Germany, for example, the gas industry decided in 2003 to build up a
network of approximately 1,000 CNG stations for a potential number of 1 million
NGVs that are expected in the future. Thus, vehicle numbers and filling stations do
not grow proportionally.
0
1,500
1,200
900
600
300
0
20
10
15
5
Number of
CNG filling
stations
Growth rate (%)
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Number of CNG filling stations
Growth rate
Figure 5.3:
Number of CNG filling stations in the CEE region in 2006 – 2015
When considering filling stations, Germany again plays the leading role in the CEE
region with 921 CNG filling stations, 1 existing LNG bunker facility for vessels (in
Hamburg, 1 more planned in Dagebüll) and 2 planned mobile LNG refuelling
stations in the port of Rostock for ships and heavy duty trucks. A similar coverage of
CNG filling stations is found in Austria with 173 refuelling stations, closely followed
by Bulgaria and the Czech Republic (see Figure 5.4). Generally, in the four
mentioned countries, a sufficient network of CNG filling stations exists that will foster
further growth in the CNG fleet and NG consumption in the transport sector.
Austria
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Germany
Poland
Others (HR, HU, RO, SK, SI)
110
173
25
25
108
921
No. of CNG
filling stations
Figure 5.4:
Number of CNG filling stations in countries of the CEE region in 2015