In Sweden, the Regional Development Board in the Västra Götaland region (VGR) has decided to invest approximately SEK 4.5 million (≈ EUR 426 000) in a development project aimed at coordinating, evaluating and informing about a number of demonstrations of liquefied biomethane (LBG) for trucks in western Sweden.
According to a statement, liquefied biomethane (LBG) is seen as a fossil-free fuel alternative that has a great potential to replace diesel in heavy transport. The project aims to demonstrate a possible shift to transport with very low climate impact.
The Västra Götaland region has a strong commitment to biogas as part of a fossil-independent region. Therefore, we are making this venture on biogas in heavy vehicles, said Birgitta Losman, chairman of the Regional Development Board.
Gothenburg-headed Volvo Trucks has developed a new generation of gas-powered engines for heavy trucks. These vehicles are now on the market and will constitute a number of rolling demonstrations in Western Sweden.
Through the project, we will be able to create knowledge and synergies between the various test and pilot activities in the region, but also nationally. When both industry companies, academia, and public sector actors are involved, liquid biogas as a vehicle fuel will be evaluated from all directions, said Peter Öhman, COO at Lindholmen Science Park, where the project is being managed through CLOSER, the national arena for increased transport efficiency.
The companies participating in the demonstrations pledge to make significant investments, either in vehicles or in refueling stations. The state will also support the project via investment grants through the Swedish Environment Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) “Climate Step” programme. One of the companies investing in LBG-fuelled trucks is Götene Kyltransporter AB.
We are making this effort to push the switch to a fossil-free fleet. This is a very big step for us, and we are pleased to see growing interest in our transport service buyers, said Ulf Johansson, owner of Götene Kyltransporter, who was the first in Sweden with an LBG-fuelled truck and is now planning further investments.
The LBG for the demonstrations will be supplied by Gasum from its Lidköping biogas facility where food industry waste collected in Skaraborg is used as feedstock.
This is a great opportunity to demonstrate and evaluate the entire value chain for biogas together with our new LBG trucks. This will benefit the shift to climate-neutral transport in Sweden and support our opportunities for export in Europe, said Lars Mårtensson, Environmental and Innovation Manager at Volvo Trucks.
The project will run until 2021 with Volvo Trucks, FordonsGas Sverige, Gasum, Lindholmen Science Park, Chalmers University of Technology and IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute taking part.
