Around 145 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations are being built across the country, and "many of them are due to go operational this year," director of CNG at the National Iranian Oil Production and Distribution Company (NIPODC) said without elaboration.
A total of 2262 CNG stations are now operating, Amir Vakilzadeh said, adding that CNG constitutes approximately 22 percent of the country's fuel basket.
The number is projected to go up to 35 percent before the end of the Sixth 5-Year Economic Development Plan (2016-2020), Tasnim news agency reported.
CNG consumption currently stands at 18.5 million cubic meters per day. Plans call for reducing CNG prices to promote consumption. Moreover, the figure is to reach 23 mcm once operations at new CNG stations commence.
NIOPDC has suggested that CNG prices ought to be reduced by 30-35 percent in the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21).
Earlier this week, Vakilzadeh stated 7 billion liters of gasoline was saved last year due to the increase in CNG consumption.
Iran is one of the leading countries in promoting CNG use. More than $2.4 billion has been invested to expand the number of CNG stations, and close to 22,000 people have been employed in this industry.
