Fleet trial finds 50% fuel saving using biomethane

An estimated 50 per cent saving has been achieved using a biomethane powered fleet vehicle compared to traditional diesel.

The results come after research by the UK’s Centre of Excellence for low carbon vehicle technologies which has announced the results of a year long trial with Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), whereby a fleet vehicle was powered with biomethane to assess the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel costs.

The Centre — known as CENEX – is based at Loughborough University. A spokesman said: “Following a successful trial, CCE has invested in a fleet of 14 gas powered Iveco Stralis vehicles and a gas station which is due to be fully operational at the Enfield depot from June 2012.”

A year-long study has identified considerable savings in powering vehicles with a 'recovered' gas fuel which helps reduce emissions

The spokesman added: “Driven by a desire to produce a step change reduction in fleet carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, CCE contracted Cenex to evaluate and compare the emissions, fuel consumption, economics, reliability and operability of a 26 tonne Iveco Stralis gas vehicle with that of a diesel Stralis vehicle.”

The gas vehicle is estimated to have achieved a 50.3 per cent saving in well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions, compared to the diesel Stralis vehicle. However, this was achieved using a temporary filling station — a more efficient permanent station being installed at the CCE depot is expected to raise the GHG saving to 60.7 per cent. Additionally, operating the gas vehicle on biomethane reduced the fuel costs by 12.8 per cent, the researchers said.

Better performance
Chris Walsh, head of technical support and consultancy at Cenex, said: “The success of this trial shows gas vehicles provide similar if not better, drive performance and reliability levels than incumbent diesel technologies, while significantly reducing CO2 emissions. By releasing the report findings we hope to eliminate the need for repeated technology comparisons within fleets, thereby reducing the time required to deploy gas commercial vehicles throughout the UK. The report therefore gives fleet managers and decision makers the confidence to deploy gas vehicles in their own fleet operations.”

The trial vehicles – one operating solely on biomethane gas, and one diesel powered — were highly comparable. Both were new registrations at trial commencement and met Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle emission standards. A temporary gas vehicle refuelling infrastructure was installed at the CCE depot in Enfield, UK, where the trial vehicles were operated from. Vehicle activity data from the Enfield depot was logged via onboard telemetry and a drive cycle in an emissions testing facility was produced allowing air quality performances as well as CO2 and fuel consumption to be measured in a controlled environment.

The rising price of diesel, corporate sustainability interests and UK Government incentives, are seen by those involved in the project as “creating a growing interest in using biomethane as a transport fuel throughout the UK as it is a renewable transport fuel with a similar energy content and chemical composition to natural gas.” The gas is also fully exchangeable with natural gas when used in an engine.

The new CCE gas fleet will consume approximately 168 tonnes of biomethane saving over 300 tonnes of CO2, 1590 kgs of NOx and 33 kgs PM of emissions per annum. Additionally, CCE trialled an LPG fork lift truck converted to operate on biomethane at Enfield, which achieved a 71 per cent well-to-wheel CO2 saving.

Lowest carbon intensity
Darren O’Donnell, Logistics Asset Manager at CCE, explained: “Our primary reason for selecting compressed biomethane is that it has the lowest carbon intensity of all commercially available alternative fuels, allowing us to benefit from the best possible well- to-wheel saving.  Gaining independent trial support and results verification by Cenex has helped give us the confidence needed to make step changes in emissions performance through switching vehicle technology and fuels.”

Biomethane supplier Gasrec’s commercial development manager Doug Leaf said: “Gasrec has been delighted to partner with Coca-Cola, Iveco and Cenex during this project. The results clearly show that biomethane is the only truly sustainable and readily available fuel which can reduce commercial transport carbon emissions and improve air quality.  The key to widespread deployment of environmentally friendly vehicles is to make sure that the end user receives the benefit in ‘Cash & Carbon’. We are already seeing a number of major UK based organisations as well as Coca-Cola benefitting from the use of biomethane and future adoption is now a certainty.”

Related links
Biomethane trial report