Given a policy to utilize natural gas to displace petroleum in the transportation sector,
either to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or to increase energy security, its long-term availability for achieving both goals will be leveraged if biomass can also be used in a manner that will complement natural gas as transportation fuel.
The incompatibility of natural gas with the existing vehicle refueling infrastructure is a major barrier to its direct utilization.
Conversion of natural gas and biomass to a single liquid fuel that can employ the existing infrastructure to serve fuel-cell vehicles will,
therefore,
improve the prospects for maximum petroleum displacement by these alternative sources of energy.