Gasrec unlocks CO2 savings for LNG operators

Gasrec is now able to supply Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO)-certified LNG, enabling operators to make “huge” CO2 savings. 

The savings have already been available to operators with CNG trucks, running on biomethane. 

Natural gas-powered trucks typically see CO2 savings of around 15% for long-distance motorway work, 10% for regional missions and 5% for urban applications, versus an equivalent Euro 6 diesel. But when fuelled with biomethane, CO2 reductions are as high as 80 – 95%, depending on the mission. 

James Westcott, Chief Commercial Officer of Gasrec, says: “Until now, if you were a heavy truck operator and wanted to get the best carbon saving for your fleet, you needed to run a 40-tonne 4x2 tractor on grid-connected CNG and get biomethane credits. 

“Now we can help firms unlock these same massive CO2 savings with LNG, enabling them to take full advantage of the new 44-tonne 6x2 gas tractors from IVECO and Volvo, which require LNG for maximum range. We believe the opportunity to cut CO2 by 80% or more, in an industry targeted with reducing greenhouse gas emissions from HGVs by 15% by 2025, will hold serious sway with environmentally-conscious operators.” 

Gasrec has secured biomethane-linked CO2 savings on an RTFO-certification basis for LNG arriving into the UK through National Grid on the Isle of Grain. 

The RTFO scheme is administered by the Department of Transport to encourage the use of renewable fuels in the transport sector. Qualification under the RTFO programme ensures fuel is from renewable sources and allows the reporting of CO2 savings by vehicle operators. This makes it ideal for fleets wanting to maximise their sustainability in a similar way to domestic users buying renewable electricity through the Green Energy Supply Certification Scheme. 

The fuel which goes into the vehicle will not change, but certification ensures all gas sold is matched by biomethane, and that the same kilogram of biomethane is not being sold twice.