In Finland, gas major Gasum Oy and Vantti are entering into cooperation where Vantti will start using four biogas-fuelled Iveco Daily vans. Driving on biogas supports the target set by the City of Vantaa to be carbon neutral by 2030 where biogas is a 100 percent local low-emission fuel and its production represents the circular economy at its best.
Owned by the City of Vantaa, Vantti provides meal, cleaning, facility management, transport as well as lobby and security services for the City of Vantaa. Mail and package pickups and deliveries cover the distribution area of more than 200 City of Vantaa units.
Vantti will start using four gas-powered Iveco Daily vans and use low-emission biogas to fuel the vehicles. The biogas-fuelled (bio-CNG) vans were chosen specifically because of their low environmental impact.
The City of Vantaa aims to be carbon neutral by 2030 and we want to be forerunners and lead the way to reach this aim. These cost-effective biogas vehicles will help us cut carbon dioxide and fine particulate emissions. Consideration for the environment and sustainable development are important values for us, and driving on Finnish biogas represents this precisely, said Jari Mielonen, Service Manager, Transport Services, Vantti.
Biogas is a low-emission and renewable fuel produced from feedstocks such as biodegradable waste from households, shops and industry. Biogas can be used for purposes including heat and electricity production and as a transport fuel.
In transport use, biogas upgraded to vehicle-grade biomethane enables greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions of up to 85 percent compared with traditional fossil fuels. In addition, biogas only generates a fraction of local emissions such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM) emissions.
Our product strategy at IVECO is to provide our customers with vehicles that enable them to be more sustainable – for both the environment and their bottom line. We’re the only manufacturer that offers a full range of gas models from light commercial vehicles to heavy-duty trucks and buses. The IVECO Daily vans now delivered to Vantti are equipped with Hi-Matic automatic transmission, and this model was voted International Van of the Year 2018, said Raimo Haavikko, Key Account, Sales, Iveco Finland.
Gasum is committed to expanding the gas filling station network by 35 new stations in the next few years. The latest filling station was opened in conjunction with the Vantaa IKEA store in September. Stations are also being planned around Finland for cities including Kuopio, Lahti, Oulu and Seinäjoki.
Gas vehicles are well-suited for use by local authorities as they support their environmental targets and strategies. They are also in the same price range as gasoline- and diesel-fuelled vehicles. Because biogas is also produced from household biowaste, the City’s vehicles could in principle be fueled by local residents’ biowaste, which represents the circular economy at its best. For example, sewage sludge from Western Vantaa is used at the Suomenoja biogas plant to produce biogas that Vantti uses to fuel its gas vehicles, remarked Heidi Kuoppala, Sales Manager at Gasum.
