Since July 3 this year, trucks running on ED95 have been driving on Swedish roads. They are part of the EthaDrive project, which Scania, Lantmännen, and Sekab are behind. One of the first trucks was delivered to the environmental service company Renall in Norrköping on July 9. EthaDrive is an innovation cluster that has support from the Swedish Energy Agency to strengthen the conditions for ED95, a domestically developed and produced ethanol-based biofuel for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs).
The first deliveries of trucks included in the EthaDrive project have begun. With its high climate benefit, the fuel has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from heavy transport by as much as 90 percent. One of the first trucks in the project was delivered to the environmental service company Renall AB in Norrköping on July 9, 2020.
We have been running a completely fossil-free vehicle fleet since 2015. This requires us to follow the development of new alternatives and be quick to implement new technology in our business. EthaDrive also gives us the opportunity to be involved in shaping the solutions of the future by sharing and disseminating our experiences of practical use of vehicles and fuel throughout the project. We also get access to a larger network of both colleagues, suppliers, and customers, said Ronny Fyhr, CEO of Renall in Norrköping.
Unique value-chain collaboration
Behind EthaDrive are the biofuel producers and suppliers Lantmännen Agroetanol and Sekab BioFuels & Chemicals and the heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) and engine manufacturer Scania. Part of the Swedish agricultural cooperative major Lantmännen Group, Lantmännen Agroetanol operates the country’s largest ethanol plant which is located in Händelö, just outside Norrköping.
Sustainability is the heart of our business and we need to work together to reduce the climate impact of heavy transport. In EthaDrive, hauliers, vehicle and fuel manufacturers collaborate with support from the Swedish Energy Agency to implement a step in a national roadmap. It provides energy and power to drive the development towards reduced emissions from heavy transport and we are proud to be part of that, said Lars-Gunnar Edh, CEO of Lantmännen Agroetanol.
Starting in early July and continuing during the second half of 2020, the trucks that are part of the innovation cluster will be delivered. Vehicle data and valuable experiences from owners and drivers will be collected and processed to be disseminated as good examples.
We view the collaboration within EthaDrive very positively and are happy that the project is now gaining proper momentum. To achieve climate goals, renewable fuels are a very important piece of the puzzle. Scania’s ethanol engines have the same efficiency as the corresponding diesel engine and can be used for many different transport jobs, from construction work to medium-distance long-distance traffic. It is part of our philosophy to offer a fossil-free alternative to every transport, said David Källsäter, CEO of Scania Sweden.
By volume, ethanol is the world’s largest biofuel. ED95 is an ethanol-based fuel originally developed by SEKAB and Scania for use by HDVs with modified diesel engines. The advantages of ED95 are that it is easy to handle and at the same time simple and cost-effective to produce and distribute.
Sustainably produced ethanol can display very high climate benefits, which creates conditions for sustainable transport with a fossil CO2 reduction of up to as much as 90 percent, compared with fossil diesel. In addition to this, ED95 provides very clean combustion, which contributes to improved local air quality in, for example, cities.
