Scania premiers First International Biogas Bus
Biogas is currently used in compressed form mainly by city buses, cars and light transport vehicles but has been less competitive for heavy long-distance vehicles. In recent years, technology has been developed to cool the biogas to around minus 160 degrees Celsius to become liquid and thus more energy-dense. As a result, technology has allowed a new possibility of using the gas for, among other things, heavy transport, both by land and by sea.
Availability of biogas will improve quickly throughout Europe, especially as the EU decided to make fuelling points available throughout the main European road networks (TEN-T).
"As the first long-distance coach powered by biogas, this is probably the most sustainable coach solution today," says Johan Ekberg, Head of Scania's Customer Unit.
Scania point out there are numerous benefits of liquid biogas:
Liquid bio-gas is fossil-free, renewable and locally produced and reduces emissions.
By switching to locally produced liquid biogas as fuel in long-distance trucks or buses, operators reduce their own and their customers' climate impact by more than 90 percent.
Air quality, in general, is also positively affected by reduced emissions of particles and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
The quieter vehicles benefit both drivers and passengers and society at large.
"Biogas is not only the fuel with the lowest CO2 emissions – it also solves local waste problems, creates local jobs and brings carbon and nutrients back to the soil. It is the Swiss Army Knife of circular economy," says Jonas Strömberg, Sustainability Director at Scania.
Today, 17 percent of Europe's gas grid is biogas, and it's rising rapidly, actively contributing to CO2 emission cuts. For example, in Sweden's vehicle gas grid the biogas share is a staggering 95%.
"Biogas will be one of the key tools for decarbonisation of heavy-duty transport – especially for long-distance operations like intercity and long-haulage. Half of Europe's heavy-duty gas fleet could be powered by biogas in 2025," Jonas Strömberg concludes.