First CNG station opens in Ireland
Gas Networks Ireland and Clean Ireland Recycling have officially opened the first private fast-fill CNG station at the Clean Ireland Recycling premises in Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare. The Shannon site is part of Gas Networks Ireland's strategy to further develop a market for natural gas as a lower-emission transport fuel. Gas Networks Ireland is developing a comprehensive CNG refueling network that will provide nationwide coverage for vehicles operating on Irish roads.
A CNG compressor and private refueling station have been installed at Clean Ireland Recycling's Shannon operation, and the company has also received delivery of dedicated CNG waste collection vehicles. The specially-commissioned, lower-emission Scania CNG trucks will replace some of Clean Ireland Recycling's diesel-powered fleet, with the rest of the fleet also transitioning to CNG in the coming years. Clean Ireland Recycling also becomes Ireland's first waste management company to operate CNG trucks.
"Currently, commercial and public transport vehicles using diesel account for 3% of the vehicles on Irish roads, but account for over 20% of the total road transport emissions. Businesses like Clean Ireland Recycling show that there is an appetite to change to the cleaner and more cost-effective alternative offered by CNG. This is a welcome step and marks a progressive development for Ireland's commercial fleet sector. Today's announcement is the first of many in the coming months from Gas Networks Ireland, as they introduce CNG, and ultimately renewable gas, as a new transport fuel in Ireland," said Denis Naughten T.D., Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
In 2017, Gas Networks Ireland launched its CNG Vehicle Fund making up to €20,000 available to businesses towards the purchase of a new NGV. The Fund has made a total of €700k of funding available to transport operators, supporting the purchase of a range of commercial vehicles including trucks, buses and vans powered by CNG, and is part of a process to promote natural gas as a transport fuel in Ireland. The Fund is supported by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and is co-financed by the European Union's TEN-T Program under the Connecting Europe Facility as part of the Causeway Project.
Source: Gas Networks Ireland
Previous story Total joins Clean Energy to support deployment of heavy-duty NGVs
Next story High-capacity H2 storage system available for heavy duty vehicles