Ground broken at biomethane refuelling station in first for Scotland

Pictured: CNG Fuels' Warrington refuelling station

The refuelling station is based at the Eurocentral Industrial Estate off the M8 near Glasgow and is being developed by CNG Fuels.

CNG Fuels claims that the station will be able to serve up to 450 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) once complete. Biomethane dispensed at the facility will be produced using food waste – a feedstock which CNG Fuels claims results in an 85% reduction in life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional, fossil-based fuels. CNG is also exploring biomethane from manure, which it claims is carbon neutral, and is planning to roll the fuel out from 2022.

Companies set to use the station include bread giant Warburtons and logistics major Hermes. Both firms have depots in the local area and have already implemented biomethane trucks; Hermes has 90 such vehicles.

“After extensive alternative-fuel vehicle trials, Warburtons has chosen CNG technology, and specifically biomethane fuel, as our preferred strategy to decarbonise our Primary HGV fleet,” Warburtons’ national transport manager Steven Gray said.

“As one of the UK’s largest CNG vehicle operators, the announcement of a Bio-CNG Station in Scotland is welcome news for Hermes,” the firm’s head of fleet David Landy added.

“This will allow us to run our Scottish-based fleet on 100% renewable biomethane fuel and push the range of our existing CNG-powered HGV fleet, so vehicles can travel between England and Scotland and take even more emissions off UK roads.”

Other big businesses planning to scale up the use of biomethane-powered HGVs in the coming years include Asda, Kuehne & Nagel and John Lewis Partnership (JLP). JLP is a long-standing partner of CNG Fuels and is contributing to the development of a biomethane refuelling station in Bracknell, along with Air Liquide.

Scotland is notably targeting net-zero by 2045 – five years sooner than the rest of the UK. Transport is the UK’s most-emitting sector and it is believed that multiple solutions, including innovative fuels, electric vehicles and modal shift will be needed to accelerate decarbonisation. 

 Sarah George

Comments (1)

  1. Keiron Shatwell says:

    Very interesting and one to watch

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