NG/LNG UTILITLISATION- ROADWAYS :
- Trucks hit 800+ kilometer range on natural gas
- State’s first natural-gas filling station to open in Dublin
- Turkish authority plans to install LNG refueling stations
- Public transport fleets in Seville and Madrid add new CNG buses
- Hungary achieves new record of CNG consumption in 2016
Trucks hit 800+ kilometer range on natural gas
The advanced fleet of Scania trucks will see a range of up to 800 kilometres thanks to technology the truck manufacturer developed alongside leading CNG fuel systems company Agility Fuel Solutions.The advanced system developed will help overcome concerns about the distance that CNG-powered trucks are able to cover before refuelling – making it easier to switch to renewable biomethane CNG, the most cost-effective and lowest carbon alternative to diesel for heavy goods vehicles.Ten new Scania-manufactured CNG trucks entered operation for Waitrose in January 2017 and will be used to make deliveries to the company’s stores in the Midlands and the North of England.David Burke, Specialist Sales Executive – Gas for Scania (Great Britain) Limited, says the new CNG fleet are going to replace previous dual-fuel transport options.”Together with Waitrose and CNG Fuels we are developing a new UK market sector for dedicated gas vehicles which we believe will supersede the heavier dual-fuel models seen up until now,” said Mr Burke.They are the first in Europe to use twin 26-inch diameter carbon fibre fuel tanks which store gas at 250 bar of pressure to increase range from around 300 miles (480 km) to as much as 500 (800 km). The carbon fibre tanks, which are already in use in the US, were adapted and certified for the European market by Agility Fuel Solutions, thereby offering significant advantages over the standard European set-up of eight steel gas tanks.The vehicles are half a tonne lighter, hold more gas and can cover a greater distance depending on the load being carried. They are quicker to refuel and easier to maintain.
Each of Waitrose’s new CNG trucks costs 50% more than one which runs on diesel, but will repay the extra costs in two to three years with fuel savings of £15,000 to £20,000 a year depending on mileage. Each truck will save more than 100 tonnes of CO2 a year compared with diesel.”High pressure carbon-fibre fuel tanks demolish the ‘range anxiety’ concerns that have made many hauliers reluctant to move away from diesel to CNG, MrFjeld said.”Renewable biomethane is far cheaper and cleaner than diesel, and, with a range of up to 500 miles, it is a game-changer for road transport operators.”