Connect2LNG study on LNG business case compared to diesel

In the Connect2LNG project which is co-funded by the European CEF Transport program, Rolande cooperates with partners from across the entire supply chain to stimulate the use of LNG as an alternative fuel in long haul road transport. In cooperation with Unilever, CHEP, IVECO, GNVERT, Gilbert de Clercq and Jacky Perrenot we focus on the role of LNG in transport tenders and the LNG business case.

As the decisive factor for alternative fuels to become competitive to diesel is sufficient LNG fueling infrastructure, we are constructing new LNG stations in the framework of the Connect2LNG project. GNVERT built 3 new LNG stations in France (Roye, Metz, Tours) and Rolande is building 2 new LNG stations in Germany (Ulm, Duisburg). This is an important step to realizing a European network of LNG fuelling infrastructure.

Besides expansion of fuelling infrastructure, the adoption of LNG can be stimulated by explicitly taking it into account in the procurement policies of large freight owners such as CHEP and Unilever. In this project we studied the impact of transport tenders on the scale-up of LNG. Analysis of transport tenders shows that the integration of alternative fuels in regular transport tenders is not always enough to make the difference. This can work for transport companies which already have LNG in their portfolio, but it is not enough for transport companies which still need to make the investment in LNG trucks. For the perceived risks involved with this investment, these transport companies tend to put a premium on LNG offers.

The study shows that this is contradictory to the LNG business case purely from an operational perspective. A truck monitoring study performed by IVECO on 149 LNG trucks in operation shows savings in fuel consumption when LNG is compared to diesel. The fuel consumption of the LNG truck depends on the type of use (urban, extra-urban or highway) with urban showing the highest fuel consumption and highway showing the lowest fuel consumption. When comparing fuel consumption of LNG trucks to diesel trucks for international trips, fuel cost savings can be as much as 37%.

With corporate CO₂ reduction targets, national climate agreements and the European Green Deal, it is clear that transport has to become greener. For heavy duty transport, LNG and the transition to Bio-LNG is a solution for the 2030 climate ambitions. But, in order to realise these ambitions we need to take action now. In the final report of the Connect2LNG project we will focus more on business models and scale-up strategies to make sure we realise the full potential of LNG.

You can find more information on all these elements in the interim study report we just published on the Connect2LNG website.