Kuusakoski, a Finnish recycling company, has started using its first compressed natural gas (CNG) truck in early September.
Apart from its first CNG truck, Kuusakoski is thinking about acquiring more gas-fueled vehicles in the future.
According to energy company Gasum, the number of gas-fueled vehicles has grown at an amazing rate in the heavy-duty transport sector.
Krister Heinonen , VP of logistics at Kuusakoski, said: “ We aim to introduce a lower-emission fleet for transport at Kuusakoski. The new vehicle has given us valuable information about a gas-fueled transport fleet. We intend to use this information when buying new vehicles. ”
Gasum said that expanding the gas filling station network makes it easier than earlier to choose gas-fueled vehicles and is driving companies’ interest in gas.
Jani Arala , senior sales manager for traffic at Gasum, added: “ We are committed to developing the Nordic gas filling station network. We aim to improve possibilities to fill up with gas and to make it easier for companies to choose environmentally friendlier alternatives. ”
Kuusakoski’s new compressed natural gas truck is operated by Helsinki logistics company K&O Tiilikainen, who have a total of six vehicles, two of which run on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Compressed natural gas and biogas are suitable for trucks, local delivery, and waste transports. Greenhouse gas emissions during the lifecycle of compressed natural gas are around 25 percent lower compared with gasoline, and the use of biogas can reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the lifecycle of the fuel by up to 85 percent.
LNG is suitable for long-distance operations and enables significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in heavy-duty transport. Greenhouse gas emissions over the lifecycle of LNG are more than 20 percent lower when compared with fossil diesel.
Also, the use of natural gas generates only a fraction of local emissions, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate emissions.