International:
Spain: first CNG/LNG filling station now operational in Salamanca
The mayor of Carbajosa de la Sagrada Pedro Samuel Martín, the head of the Department of Energy Saving and Efficiency of the EREN (Regional Energy Entity) Roberto Getino, the Project Director of the Naturgy Group Jaume Cases, and the CEO of the transport company Beconsa Paulino Benito have opened the first public CNG/LNG station in Salamanca, located in the Montalvo III Polygon of Carbajosa de la Sagrada. It is also the first natural gas station in Castilla y León located around an urban center.
The new station, sited in a location of great strategic value due to its important goods traffic, proximity to the city center and connection with Portugal, has an LNG tank, which will allow supplying the entire fleet of Beconsa and the increasingly growing demand for heavy transport and vehicles.
For the implementation of this infrastructure, Naturgy made an investment close to 800,000 euros. The project is complemented by an exhibition area where the company displays some natural gas powered models available in the market and provides information for the conversion of vehicles.
The opening ceremony was also attended by the General Director of IVECO Spain and Portugal Ruggero Mughini. IVECO is a company that has a full range of commercial natural gas vehicles that includes light, medium and heavy trucks as well as passenger transport vehicles.
The natural gas vehicle fleet grew by 26% during the first half of 2019, with 3,716 more units, totaling a fleet of 17,932 vehicles, according to data from GASNAM (Iberian Association of Natural Gas for Mobility). The vehicles that use this fuel get the ECO label of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), which allows them to benefit from free circulation in the city center during periods of access restrictions due to episodes of high pollution, tax incentives and bonuses in areas of regulated parking, among other advantages.
This new facility is part of Naturgy’s expansion plan of its station network, which aims to encourage NGVs through innovation projects, infrastructure expansion and vehicle promotion. On the other hand, 24% of the Beconsa’s fleet already has the DGT’s ECO label. Beconsa’s commitment aims at the renewal of the rest of its vehicles to offer customers the same efficiency in the service, but with a plus: the reduction of pollution and respect for the environment.
The natural gas refueling network continues to grow in Spain and the new map of refueling points will allow to meet the increasing demand and strengthen the availability of this fuel in the market, given the growth that NGVs are experiencing. To analyze this extremely positive scenario for natural gas and sustainable mobility, and evaluate the latest in alternative fuel technologies for road and sea transport, AltFuels Iberia 2020 will be held on 5-9 October at IFEMA Trade Fair Center in Madrid.
The event will feature first level conferences and exhibition of vehicles of all kinds, supply stations, components, plants, engines terrestrial and marine, as well as the entire alternative fuels industry universe showing the latest technological developments, with multiple networking and business options, and new advances. For more information, please contact