Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) looking to use compressed natural gas (CNG), the cleanest, cheapest fuel for trucks and buses, will be able to fill up close to junction 28 on the M6 in Lancashire as CNG Fuels has secured planning permission for the UK’s largest CNG filling station which should be open in late 2015.
The new station will be the first high pressure connected, public-access CNG filling station in the UK, capable of refuelling five hundred plus HGVs per day, or as much as 3,500 kg of CNG per hour. CNG dispensed from local transmission system (LTS) connected stations is the lowest cost fuel available to HGVs, as well as having the lowest Well-To-Wheel emissions of any fossil-based HGV fuel.
The filling station can also supply 100% renewable biomethane (Bio-CNG). It is situated close to junction 28 on the M6 and will be an important part of the UK's rapidly growing CNG refuelling infrastructure. The station's first major customer will be Waitrose, part of John Lewis Partnership.
Philip Fjeld from CNG Fuels says: "Our customers can save more than 40% of their diesel cost, even after the recent drop in diesel prices, and cut CO2 emissions by more than 20% by using CNG. If fleets choose to fuel their trucks with Bio-CNG, they will be running on 100% renewable gas."
"Because the new station is directly connected to a high pressure gas pipeline we can "fast-fill" hundreds of HGVs a day. We plan to rollout additional public-access LTS CNG stations in the years ahead, meaning more companies can switch to CNG or Bio-CNG. Companies that choose gas will then be paying a lot less for fuel and also making big greenhouse gas savings."
Waitrose, part of the John Lewis Partnership, has a regional distribution centre (RDC) less than one mile from Leyland LTS CNG station and will be the anchor customer for the CNG station.
Justin Laney, general manager, Central Transport, John Lewis Partnership says: "We are proud of the efficiency of our Distribution network, and a key element is running a low carbon fleet. We see the use of methane, and in particular biomethane, as the main opportunity to make a step change in the carbon emissions of our heavy truck fleet. We're currently running 44 'dual-fuel' trucks that use a mixture of gas and diesel fuel, and are also interested in running 'dedicated' gas trucks. The Leyland gas filling station is in a good location for us, and importantly gives us the opportunity to purchase gas with 'Green Gas Certificates'."
National Grid's network strategy director, David Parkin explained, "National Grid provides a gas network across much of the country and is proud to be connecting the first high pressure local transmission system (LTS) CNG filling station in the UK.
"We believe that the use of natural gas from the local transmission network, as a fuel in the transport sector, can play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the future. Whether it's CNG or Bio-CNG, the benefits for use as a fuel in HGVs is clear; lower emissions, quieter engine noise and favourable fuel prices, compared with traditional liquid fuels.
"With our existing local high pressure gas network we are able to provide this innovative scheme the capability to develop and provide more CNG filling stations across the country."
Philip Fjeld from CNG Fuels continues: "We're really delighted to have secured John Lewis Partnership as the first major customer for the Leyland LTS CNG station. Being able to offer attractively priced Bio-CNG makes converting to gas a perfect way for companies to drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and improve their bottom line, without compromising operational efficiency. We're expecting many more of the UK's big fleets to take the same path."
CNG Fuels will also be supplying CNG to the HGVs of Brit European at the Leyland LTS CNG station. Brit European won the Motor Transport Award in 2014 for Low Carbon and Efficiency by switching its fleet to biomethane.
CNG Fuels focuses on CNG and biomethane for transport. The company is dedicated to building and operating CNG filling stations and delivering CNG to 'off grid' businesses across the UK. The company was spun out of CNG Services in 2014 and it has taken on ownership of the UK's largest public access CNG filling station in Crewe.
The Leyland filling station is expected to open in the last quarter of 2015.
