Food Waste Raw Ingredient in Substitute Diesel Fuel

SOLIHULL, U.K. – Truckers are being offered a cleaner, cheaper substitute for diesel fuel being harvested from tons of food-production waste in the U.K.

CNG Fuels, a compressed-natural-gas provider in the Midlands region, has launched renewable biomethane fuel, a cost-effective and low-carbon alternative to diesel for commercial-haulage vehicles. It claims the fuel is 35% to 40% less costly than diesel and emits 70% less carbon dioxide on a well-to-wheel basis.

The fuel is made from the gas harvested through the processing of waste generated by food production, which then is injected directly into gas pipelines. The gas subsequently is compressed at CNG’s high-capacity refueling stations in Leyland, Lancashire, and Crewe.

Its biomethane is independently verified as renewable and sustainable and approved under the U.K.’s Department for Transport’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme.

The gas qualifies under the initiative because it originates from anaerobic digestion plants (waste-treatment facilities that break down organic matter) that are not supported by subsidy schemes such as the Renewable Heat Incentive.

The company is developing a nationwide network of refueling stations on major highway routes fed by the high-pressure gas grid. It also is developing “daughter” stations in customer depots within 100 miles (161 km) of its “mother” stations, and will deliver gas by trailer at a similar price per kilogram. Including fuel duty, biomethane CNG retails at 65 pence ($0.81)/kg before purchase tax, the equivalent of 49 pence ($0.61)/liter for diesel, and bulk buys lower the rate.

It claims trucks covering more than 125,000 miles (201,250 km) a year can recoup the extra costs of engine conversion to biomethane within two to three years. It also says these engines meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standards and run up to 50% quieter than diesel engines.

“Renewable and sustainably sourced biomethane is the most cost-effective and lowest-carbon alternative to diesel for HGVs, and is attracting increasing interest,” CNG Fuels CEO Philip Fjeld says. “We are expanding our refueling infrastructure nationwide to help fleet operators save money, cut carbon and clean up our air.”