Finnish city bets on circular economy with refuse fleet powered by biogas
When Kuopio Municipality in Finland tendered refuse collection, Urbaser’s Finnish subsidiary was in pole position for the contract. Urbaser had the advantage of offering its services using six Scania’s biogas trucks, which was decisive. In additional to the superior environmental performance, Urbaser highlights the natural gas Scania P 340’s lower noise level as well as the great cab ergonomics and visibility.
The range with frequent starts and stops is 350 kilometers per filling. The single CNG tank is therefore more than adequate considering each new truck is operated approximately 100 kilometers a day. With biogas filling stations along refuse collection routes, Urbaser chooses not to fill the tanks completely to speed up refueling, which takes 10–15 minutes, roughly the same as with diesel.
“We will continue to increase the number of biogas vehicles,” said Urbaser’s Fleet Manager Harri Hietala. “Our customers are increasingly interested in reducing emissions from transport and in tenders calling for more environmentally sound alternatives.”
“Biogas trucks fit perfectly into our strategy and our values,” commented Arto Ryhänen, Managing Director of the Kuopio’s waste management company Jätekukko. “After all, waste management is part of the circular economy. We collect organic waste from households in Kuopio, which is then transported to the Kuopio plant for biogas production.”
