LPG is available anywhere and helps ensure the security of Europe’s energy supply - a key priority for the citizens of Europe. It is available and produced throughout Europe, reducing Europe’s dependence on external energy resources.

LPG has substantial reserves due to the dual origins of LPG (Around 60% comes from field extraction and 40% from crude oil refining).  Because LPG's supply is not contingent on the availability of any one source and is supplied from all over the world, not just one country, it is a major asset during a supply crisis, when immediate availability is essential.

Also, rather than relying on a fixed infrastructure which could be vulnerable to supply disruption, LPG can be transported from anywhere to Europe using an optimal combination of sea, rail and road. This flexibility facilitates not only transport of LPG into the EU territory but also its distribution to homes and industries. LPG does not use piped networks, reducing Europe’s vulnerability to supply disruption.

With its on -the-spot availability, and its diverse range of sources, transport routes and applications, LPG is made to play a role in the transition towards a more secure, sustainable and competitive energy model.

This graph shows the projected future usage of oil, gas and LPG. It clearly shows the growing relevance of LPG as part of the energy mix as the use of oil and gas slowly declines.

With an annual forecasted global LPG surplus ranging from 11-17 million tonnes through 2015, there is every reason to believe that Autogas can further solidify its position as Europe's leading alternative fuel in the coming years. These robust prospects are underpinned by substantial reserves of LPG's source materials, oil and natural gas. The International Energy Agency's 2008 World Technology Outlook notes that even in a scenario without a policy framework aimed at curbing demand for oil, “the world's total endowment of oil is large enough to support the projected rise in production…[and that] worldwide, natural gas resources are more than sufficient to meet projected demand to 2030.”  There are therefore no concerns as to the availability of LPG for the foreseeable future. This assumption is supported by the European Commission's WETO H-2 study, in which the reference case scenario foresees increases of 71% and 112% for oil and gas respectively between 2001 and 2050.

LPG's full potential has yet to be realized. LPG's share of total European energy consumption could be increased by 2030 from the current 1.9% to 3.8%.   European energy consumption is growing at around 8% year on year and is set to accelerate after 2030.  There is the potential to double LPG's share of total European energy consumption by 2030 in order to help meet Europe's energy demand.

The 2009 Ukraine-Russia natural gas row, which cut off supplies to many parts of the European Union for more than two weeks, raises questions about the reliability of Europe's present supply lines and its energy portfolio. LPG can be a part of the answer. Though European LPG operators trade actively in the global market, production and consumption levels of LPG in Europe are balanced. Security of supply is further increased by the fact that only 1.7% of Europe's LPG consumption originates in the Middle East.  This is a partial counterbalance to the concentrated dependence observed in the case of crude oil imports.

Please download the European LPG Industry Roadmap here