Bio-LNG production in Leeuwarden

Rolande is set to supply Bio-LNG produced in the Netherlands from the end of 2022. For this, an installation is being built on the Leeuwarden Energiecampus which produces the fossil-free fuel from biomaterials for heavy road transport and which achieves up to 99.8 percent fewer CO₂ emissions compared to diesel.

“As market leader in the area of LNG, we are proud that we can add a new dimension to our pioneering role in the area of fossil-free road transport as joint initiative taker of the Bio-LNG Energiecampus Leeuwarden”, states Jolon van der Schuit, Rolande CEO. “With it, we provide further substantiation to our mission to make road transport more sustainable, without it becoming financially unviable.

Road verge and coffee grounds

Together with project developer D4, construction and engineering company Mele and the Fûns Skjinne Fryske Enerzjy (Friesland Clean Energy Fund), an installation is developed and built where biomaterials are processed into Bio-LNG by fermentation. In addition to VGF waste, these include road verge, coffee grounds, (vegetable) oil residues, manure and grain waste. All used raw materials and the entire chain (from farmer to end product) are certified and comply with the European Directive for sustainable (renewable) energy. Construction of the Bio-LNG installation is expected to commence in 2021, making it one of the Netherlands’ inaugural locations.

38 million kilometres

The installation will produce approximately 9.2 kilotons of Bio-LNG annually. “This will allow our clients to drive a whopping 38 million sustainable and quiet kilometres as Bio-LNG trucks are much quieter than diesel trucks, while also emitting less nitrogen and particulates.” states Van der Schuit. Our clients and their customers demand fuels that allow them to achieve their CO₂ emission targets. Bio-LNG allows them to take significant steps towards this. In addition, Bio-LNG can be immediately deployed when available. “With an LNG truck you can immediately make the switch to Bio-LNG, no adjustments need to be made to the truck. More sustainable transport is within reach because of this due to the fact that the trucks are already on the road and the filling stations already exist.”

Aside from the production of Bio-LNG, Rolande will keep facilitating transporters to take the step to using this sustainable and economically viable alternative by continuing to invest in (Bio-)LNG filling stations. Ten new locations are expected to be opened in the Netherlands and Germany in 2021.