International:
Sweden’s northernmost natural gas station opens in Östersund
Gasum has opened its sixth natural gas station in Sweden, which is now the country’s most northern. Located in Östersund, it serves heavy-duty vehicles by offering environmentally friendly LNG and bio-LNG, and is a crucial step in enabling long-distance transport to use natural gas from the south of Sweden to the north. In addition to trucks, the station also serves passenger cars, delivery vehicles and buses with CNG. The new facility is also the first natural gas station for long haul transportation in Norrland.
Heavy-duty transport plays a key role in the Nordic logistics system. However, as transport volumes are growing, so are the emissions produced by the sector. According to new emission standards passed by the EU earlier this year, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from heavy-duty vehicles are to be reduced by 30% by 2030. The national target in Sweden is to reduce road transport emissions by 70% by 2030, as compared to 2010 levels.
To reach the national and international emission reduction targets, heavy-duty transport emissions need to be reduced rapidly. LNG offers a competitive fuel solution as its lifecycle GHG emissions are more than 20% lower than those of diesel. LNG also plays an important role as an enabler in the transition to renewable fuels. The same refueling infrastructure that was built for LNG can also be used for bio-LNG, making the shift easier and cost efficient. With bio-LNG, GHG emissions can be reduced by up to 85%, compared to fossil fuels.
“There is a growing demand among logistic buyers and transport companies for environmental and cost-efficient fuel solutions. LNG meets these requirements. The opening of Östersund’s station and the development of several other upcoming stations in southern Sweden means that, soon, trucks will be able to drive across Sweden with low-emission fuel. In addition, there is already a significant number of CNG vehicles in the region and high demand for low emission solution in different vehicle segments. This station is a good example how the same infrastructure can serve different vehicle segments in regional transport,” said Mikael Antonsson, Director Traffic Sweden, Gasum.
At the moment, Gasum is investing in expanding its Nordic NGV refueling infrastructure. By the early 2020s, the company is aiming to create a network of 50 new natural gas stations in Finland, Sweden and Norway.