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SCANIA LONG-DISTANCE ‘BIOGAS’ BUS MAKES SWEDISH PREMIERE

A BIOGAS-FUELLED luxury coach for long-distance journeys will run on a Stockholm-to-Oslo route, Scania Europe - in collaboration with operator Flixbus and gas supplier Gasum – announced, recently.

Powered by liquid biogas (LBG), the coach will reduce climate impact and contribute to a fossil-free transport between the two Nordic capitals, says Scania. 

Biogas is currently used in compressed form mainly by city buses, cars and light transport vehicles, but has so far been less competitive for heavy long-distance vehicles, it explains. In recent years, technology has been developed to cool the biogas to around minus 160 degrees Celsius, so that it becomes liquid and thus more energy-dense. This opens up the possibility of using the gas for, among other things, heavy transport, both by land and by sea, it adds.

Availability of biogas will improve quickly throughout Europe, especially as the EU decided to make fuelling points available along main European road networks (TEN-T), Scania states.

“As the first long-distance coach powered by biogas, this is probably the most sustainable coach solution today,” said head of Scania´s Customer Unit, Johan Ekberg.

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MULTIPLE BENEFITS

The benefits of liquid biogas are many: it`s fossil-free, renewable, locally produced and reduces emissions, Scania confirms. By switching to locally produced liquid biogas as fuel in long-distance trucks or buses, operators reduce both their own and their customers’ climate impact by more than 90 per cent, the company claims.

Air quality, in general, is also positively affected by reduced emissions of particles and nitrogen oxides (NOx), and the quieter vehicles benefit both drivers and passengers, and the society at large, it adds.

“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,” said sustainability director at Scania Europe, Jonas Strömberg.

“It is the Swiss Army Knife of circular economy,” he added.

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EMISSION CUTS

Already today 17 per cent of Europe’s gas grid is biogas – and it´s rising rapidly, actively contributing to CO2 emission cuts, Scania says.

In Sweden´s vehicle gas grid the biogas share is a staggering 95 per cent, it confirms. 

“Biogas will be one of the key tools for decarbonisation of heavy-duty transport – especially for long-distance operations like intercity and long-haulage,” Strömberg said.

“Half of Europe’s heavy-duty gas fleet could be powered by biogas in 2025,” he concluded.

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Photography: courtesy Scania Europe

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