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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DG MOVE
SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
GC.SST.2012.2-3 GA No. 321592
WP7.3: Feasibility study about the MED Blue Corridor
LNG Blue Corridors Project is supported by the European Commission under
the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The sole responsibility for the
content of this document lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect
the opinion of the European Union. Neither the FP7 nor the European
Commission is responsible for any use that may be made of the information
contained therein.
Deliverable
No.
LNG BC D7.3
Deliverable
Title
Feasibility study about the MEDblue Corridor
Dissemination
level
Public
Written By Thomas Gromeier
Checked by Flavio Mariani
Approved by Javier Lebrato
Issue date 25/05/2018
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Revision history and statement of originality
Rev Date Author Organization Description
0.1 7-1-18 Thomas Gromeier Eni Index and Initial Draft
0.2 14-2-18 Thomas Gromeier Eni Maps, corridor description, tables
0.3 25-5-18 Thomas Gromeier Eni Completion
0.4 26-5-18 Flavio Mariani NGVA Revision
Statement of originality:
This deliverable contains original unpublished work except where clearly indicated
otherwise. Acknowledgement of previously published material and of the work of others
has been made through appropriate citation, quotation or both.
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Contents
Revision history and statement of originality .................................................................................... 2
1 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 5
2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... 7
3 Corridor Description ..................................................................................................................... 8
4 Corridor Maturity ........................................................................................................................ 14
4.1 LNG Stations in the LNG BC Project ................................................................................. 17
4.2 LNG Station supply terminals ............................................................................................ 22
4.3 LNG Stations outside the LNG Blue Corridor Project ..................................................... 23
4.4 Estimate for LNG Stations to reach 5% market penetration ......................................... 27
5 Fleet Maturity ............................................................................................................................... 31
5.2 Amount of external LNG trucks at LNG-BC Station – example of the Piacenza Station ........ 31
5.3 LNG Truck OEM offer ............................................................................................................. 31
5.4 LNG Truck OEM offer ............................................................................................................. 32
6 Vehicle Cost ................................................................................................................................. 33
6.1 LNG vehicle cost .................................................................................................................... 33
6.2 Efficiency of the LNG power train ......................................................................................... 35
7 Station Layout .............................................................................................................................. 37
7.2 Safety at the Service Station ................................................................................................. 37
7.3 Storage tank thermal management and boil-off avoidance ................................................. 38
7.4 Availability of LNG and L-CNG ............................................................................................... 40
7.5 Saturated and unsaturated LNG ............................................................................................ 41
8 Station Location .......................................................................................................................... 42
9 Renewable LNG ........................................................................................................................... 43
9.2 From Biogas to BioLNG - Infrastructure ................................................................................ 44
9.3 Purification ............................................................................................................................ 45
9.4 Liquefaction ........................................................................................................................... 45
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10 Outlook and suggestions ....................................................................................................... 46
10.1 Fiscal policy ............................................................................................................................ 46
10.2 LNG technological trends ...................................................................................................... 46
10.2.1 Technology transfer from the bus to the truck ............................................................. 46
10.2.2 Engine and LNG vehicle tank technology ...................................................................... 46
10.3 Commercial LNG market maturity ........................................................................................ 46
10.4 Suggestions ............................................................................................................................ 47
11 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ 48
12 Project Partners ....................................................................................................................... 49
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1 Executive Summary
The MED Blue Corridor, part of the Ten-T Mediterranean infrastructure, links two strong markets in
Europe for LNG fueled heavy transport, Spain and Italy.
While Spain has a long history in liquefied natural gas Italy had not a single service station prior to the
LNG Blue Corridors Piacenza project. The Piacenza station led to a total of 15 LNG stations operating
today throughout nearly all of in Italy and the possibility of LNG based infrastructure reaching out to
Budapest.
Figure 1-1 Ten-T Mediterranean Corridor
LNG is actually exiting the demonstration phase and can be considered being firmly into
implementation as environmentally and commercially superior alternative to diesel fuel.
Continuing strong buildup of LNG service station infrastructure in Italy and France appears to continue
and will support the transition from essentially local transport in the 300 km radius to international
hauling as intended by LNG Blue Corridors project.
The key issues to solve remains cost-efficient reliability of LNG supply. Reliability is still impacted by
the long supply lines for Italian LNG and the limited LNG storage volume at the station. Availability is a
challenge due to numerous single point of failures and a not yet fully built up service infrastructure.
Opening hours will need to be extended everywhere to h24/365. Long haul logistics based on LNG
starts with 24h fuel availability throughout the corridor.
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2 Introduction
The LNG Blue Corridors project’s aim is to establish LNG as an alternative for medium- and long-
distance transport—first as a complementary fuel and later as an environmentally better compatible
substitute for diesel. The common use of natural gas for heavy vehicles has been in the past in
municipal use, e.g. for urban buses and garbage collection trucks. In both types of application engine
performance and range are covered by present technology.
Analyzing the physical properties of LNG consumption data, the equivalence in autonomy of 1 liter of
diesel oil is 5 liters of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), compressed to 200 bar. Five times more volume
of the fuel and corresponding cost and weight of on-board high pressure storage tanks prevents the
use of CNG in long distance road transport. Another limiting factor for CNG is the considerable
energy consumption for compression and the long time required for fueling in the gaseous phase.
This opens the way for LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). Liquefying NG is necessarily required to be able
to transport the gas from the wellhead to the point of utilization when a pipeline is not feasible due to
distance, natural obstacles or cost. As a welcome side effect many less desirable components of NG
are eliminated by cooling it down to -162º C, the condensation point at atmospheric pressure. The
energy cost is only 5% of the original gas.
LNG is odorless, colorless, non-toxic and non-corrosive. To store the same energy as Diesel an LNG
storage tank needs to have indicatively twice the size but the fuel will actually weigh about 17% less.
This makes LNG for practical purposes in a trailer truck equivalent to Diesel, weight being generally
the more critical parameter. LNG opens the way to the use of NG for long-distance road transport and
is suitable for long, medium and short range.
LNG has huge potential for contributing to achieving Europe’s policy objectives, such as the
Commission’s targets for greenhouse gas reduction, air quality targets, while at the same time
reducing dependency on crude oil and guaranteeing better supply security. Natural gas heavy-duty
vehicles already comply with Euro VI emission standards, generally without the complex, costly and
heavy exhaust gas after-treatment technologies required for Diesel.
To meet the objectives, a series of LNG refueling points have been
defined along the four corridors covering the Atlantic area (green line),
the Mediterranean region (red line) and connecting Europe’s South with
the North (blue line) and its West and East (yellow line) accordingly. In
order to implement a sustainable transport network for Europe, the
project has set the goal to build approximately 14 new LNG stations, both
permanent and mobile, on critical locations along the Blue Corridors
whilst building up a fleet of approximately 100 Heavy-Duty Vehicles
powered by LNG.
This European project is financed by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), with the amount of
7.96 M€ (total investments amounting to 14.33 M€), involving 27 partners from 11 countries.
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This document corresponds to the 3rd deliverable within work package 7. The goal of this deliverable
is to assess viability of the Mediterranean LNG corridor.
This document will be available at the project website: http://www.lngbluecorridors.eu/.
2.1 Abbreviations
BC Blue Corridors
BOG Boil Off Gas
CNG Compressed Natural Gas
HDV Heavy Duty Vehicle
LBM Liquefied Bio Methane
LDV Light Duty Vehicle
L-CNG Compressed Natural Gas generated from LNG
LNG Liquefied Natural Gas
MPa Megapascal, 1 Megapascal is equivalent to 10 bar
NG Natural Gas
NGV Natural Gas Vehicle
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
PLC Programmable Logic Controller
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3 Corridor Description
Description of the LNG refueling infrastructure built during the LNG Blue Corridor Project, with
consideration also for stations not participating. Indication of infrastructure necessary for 5% penetration
of LNG in road based logistics.
The LNG Blue Corridors project was launched by the EU with the intention to kick-start the LNG
infrastructure expansion out of the island areas where LNG acquired a market position due to
particular favorable local conditions, e.g. Spain, Netherlands and UK. Spain build a LNG trailer truck
distribution infrastructure instead of a pipeline network, Netherlands and UK are producers of
significant quantities of natural gas.
Originally 4 Corridors along the TEN-T infrastructure as in the figure below were proposed:
During the projects development, which saw significant differences in the convenience of the use of
LNG, fundamentally created by the combination of national taxation on Diesel fuel combined with the
Figure 3-1: LNG BC Corridors, source LNGBC
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incentives available for heavy transport.
The figure below represents an intermediate project state for the four corridors West-East (WE),
South-North (SoNor), Mediterranean (Med-Blue) and Atlantic (ATL-Blue).
Figure 3-2 4 LNG-BC Corridors, source LNGBC
The final evolution of the Blue-Med Corridor today starts at Sines in Portugal and ends in southern
direction at Pontedera, Italy (see figure below).
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Figure 3-3Blue Med Corridor Final Evolution
The distances in final configuration appear well beyond the Commissions 400 km target (see figure
below)
Figure 3-4 Blue-MED Distances
Assuming an average range of 800 km the 400 km distances allows for one station being out of
service without blocking the LNG powered traffic along the corridor.
This creates apparent issues for the Sines – Barcellona tract, which is covered by the already well built
up LNG infrastructure in Spain and a real lack of redundancy for the tract from Nimes to Piacenza,
where today no halfway intermediate fueling is available.
The main roads involved are E903 and E15 in Spain, A8 and A9 in France and E70, E35 and E33 in Italy
as indicated in the map below:
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Figure 3-5 Blue-Med Corridor Overview
Following the standards for Diesel long haul trucks it can be assumed that other OEMs will follow
IVECO’s lead with double LNG tank configuration and range above 1,500 km.
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Going into more detail about the single tracts the first part from Sines to Barcelona via Valencia, with a
total distance of about 1,280 km, involves also the already operating LNG stations of Mérida and
Alaqas.
There is still a 600 km distance in between. In case of a major station breakdown alternative routes in
Spain would be possible.
Figure 3-6 Sines - Barcellona
The Barcelona – Nimes part is perfectly in line with the Commissions distance recommendations of
400km:
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Figure 3-7 Barcelona - Nimes
The same does not apply for the following tract from Nimes to Piacenza with 600km distance. The only
en route station available would be Novi Ligure shortening the trip only by 80km.
Figure 3-8 Nimes - Piacenza
The Pontedera LNG site was chosen for the double purpose of supplying LNG for the traffic revolving
around the logistics center of Leghorn and opening the route for LNG towards the produce markets of
southern Italy. Its distance of 250 km from Piacenza does not require intermediate LNG stations.
Figure 3-9 Piacenza - Pontedera
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4 Corridor Maturity
Description of the LNG refueling infrastructure built during the LNG Blue Corridor Project, with
consideration also for stations not participating. Distances between stations and terminals are listed.
Finally an indication of infrastructure necessary for 5% penetration of LNG in road based logistics is
provided.
The LNG Blue Corridors Project defines 4 pathways along the Trans-European Ten-T network, West-
East Blue from Edinburgh to Pontedera, South-North from Portugal to Stockholm, Atlantic Blue from
Portugal to Edinburgh and the Mediterranean corridor Med-Blue from Portugal to Venice (see figure
below)
Figure 4-1 LNG Blue Corridors
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Figure 4-2 Med Blue Corridor Detail
The corridor stations implementation phase, following careful analysis of commercial demand, saw an
extension of the original design into central Italy with the Pontedera station. As the actual LNG station
network development shows Pontedera can be considered instrumental for opening up the southern
part of Italy to LNG. The station is also strategically close to the future potential LNG terminal at
Leghorn. LNG stations external to the project close to Venice are already available.
Med-Blue
Corridor [km
Sines Barcelona Nimes Piacenza Pontedera
Sines 0 1,269 1,631 2,243 2,533
Barcelona 1,269 0 392 984 1,048
Nimes 1,631 392 0 600 664
Piacenza 2,243 984 600 0 252
Pontedera 2,533 1,048 664 252 0
Table 4-1 Distances Med-Blue Corridor
In Italy the installation of the Piacenza LNG stations jumpstarted considerable competition. This
happens either in the immediate vicinity in case of particularly attractive sites or along the major truck
routes within range of the initial station.
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The key factor in this development is, a part from the commercial margin, the better insight into cost
and time requirements schedule for permitting, the development of specific procedures and the
demonstration of the feasibility of LNG supply logistics.
The strong development of the LNG service station network is indicated in the figure below:
Image 1: Planned LNG Stations (yellow)
Especially in Italy the progress is extremely promising:
Image 2: Planned LNG stations Italy (yellow)
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4.1 LNG Stations in the LNG BC Project
Sines
Photo
The station in Sines is far behind schedule, as it is still under
construction in May 2018
Location
Sines, Portugal, on Highway A26 close to the port and LNG terminal
Operator
GALP
Supply terminals
Sines (4km)
EU Corridors
Atlantic TEN-T Corridor
Intermodal connection
(Rail, Road, Ship)
Highway A26, Grandola intermodal center for rail
Industrial areas
Yes, industrial area and port of Sines
Permanent/Mobile
Permanent station
Saturated/Unsaturated
Saturated
LNG
Yes
L-CNG
Yes
Boil off recovery
Yes, via CH4 collection tubes and BOG compressor
Storage tank size
na
Number of LNG nozzles
na
Number of CNG nozzles
na
Comment
void
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Barcelona
Photo
Location
Santa Perpetua de Mogoda, Carrer Guifré el Pilós, 295, Barcelona,
Spain
Operator
Gas Natural Fenosa
Supply terminals
Barcelona
EU Corridors
Ten-T Mediterranean Corridor
Intermodal connection
(Rail, Road, Ship)
Yes, Barcelona Port and Railroad connection, located AP7 highway
Industrial areas
Barcelona Zona Franca
Permanent/Mobile
Permanent
Saturated/Unsaturated
Saturated
LNG
Yes
L-CNG
Yes
Boil off recovery
Yes, via CH4 collection tubes and BOG compressor
Storage tank size
60 m3
Number of LNG nozzles
1
Number of CNG nozzles
1
Comment
void
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Nimes
Photo
Location
Nimes
Operator
Engie
Supply terminals
Marseille Fos Tonkin (70 km), Barcelona (400 km)
EU Corridors
TEN-T Mediterranean Corridor, motorway A9
Intermodal connection
(Rail, Road, Ship)
Port of Marseille at 70 km, Avignon Railway station
Industrial areas
No industrial areas are close by. The position is strategic for
outbound traffic from Spain to the north or to Italy.
Permanent/Mobile
Mobile, will become permanent
Saturated/Unsaturated
Saturated
LNG
1 nozzle JC Carter, venting Macrotech
L-CNG
not yet
Boil off recovery
tbd
Storage tank size
20 m3
Number of LNG nozzles
1
Number of CNG nozzles
0
Comment
Currently a temporary station with 20 m³ storage capacity and LNG
only (JC Carter filling & Macrotech venting). Future station: 60 m³
storage capacity and LNG & L-CNG
Piacenza
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Photo
Location
Via Caorsana 46, 29122 Piacenza PC, Italy
Operator
Eni
Supply terminals
Marseille Fos Tonkin (564 km), Barcelona (1,003 km)
EU Corridors
TEN-T Mediterranean Corridor
Intermodal connection
(Rail, Road, Ship)
Polo Logistico Piacenza (Railway)
Industrial areas
Piacenza Industrial Area
Permanent/Mobile
Permanent
Saturated/Unsaturated
Saturated
LNG
1 nozzle JC Carter, venting Macrotech
L-CNG
Yes
Boil off recovery
Yes,
Storage tank size
60 m3
Number of LNG nozzles
1
Number of CNG nozzles
2
Comment
Excellent position of the station, sales volume reaching 4,000 t/year
Pontedera
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Photo
Location
Highway FI – PI – LI, KM 56,875, Curigliane, 56025 Pontedera (PI)
Operator
Eni
Supply terminals
Marseille Fos Tonkin (608km), Barcelona (1,047km)
EU Corridors
None
Intermodal connection
(Rail, Road, Ship)
Highway Leghorn – Florence, Port of Leghorn
Industrial areas
Leghorn Industrial Area Picchianti
Permanent/Mobile
Permanent
Saturated/Unsaturated
Saturated
LNG
Yes
L-CNG
Yes
Boil off recovery
Yes
Storage tank size
100 m3
Number of LNG nozzles
1, plant P&I designed for 2 with basement and connections provided
Number of CNG nozzles
2
Comment
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4.2 LNG Station supply terminals
The transport distance of LNG impacts cost, reliability of supply and minimum storage temperature.
LNG Stations like Sines, Barcelona and Nimes with supply lines below 100 km have a significant
commercial advantage.
In case the LNG needs to be transported over a national border limitations to the allowed maximum
weight and/or time constraints may apply with evident impact on transport cost.
The further built up of LNG will require, especially in Italy, at least one terminal and possibly a series of
smaller intermediate storage terminal for LNG barges in the 30,000 m3 storage capacity range. The
growing maritime use of LNG will have a positive impact also on road transport since both will require
distributed LNG storage facilities.
At the moment the lack of LNG terminals in Italy means that any minor roadblock puts a significant
part of the transport infrastructure out of use. With rising numbers of LNG trucks the actual system of
substituting LNG trucks with Diesel will no longer be feasible.
In Italy shallow water terminals are under construction or in the advanced planning phase in Oristano,
Sardinia, Porto Marghera, Venice and Ravenna. A possible terminal location is also Leghorn in Tuscany.
Station /
Terminal [km]
Sines Barcelona Nimes Piacenza Pontedera
Sines
0 400 1,650 2,250 2,300
Barcelona
400 0 400 1,000 1,050
Fos Tonkin
1,700 450 70 500 600
Zeebruge
2,150 1,350 1,000 1,100 1,400
Ravenna* 2,450 1,250 850 230 230
Table 4-2 Blue Med Stations and Terminals (*Ravenna planned, others are operative)
Given the operative experience gained with the Piacenza station it can be assumed that distances up
to about 1,000 km can be handled even with the constraint of a limited storage tank of 60 m3, typical
for the first generation LNG stations.
From the table above it becomes clear that every one of the Blue Med Corridor stations can be
supplied from at least two different terminals. Should Ravenna become operative three terminals
would be available. The redundancy at the terminal level is consequently satisfactory.
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4.3 LNG Stations outside the LNG Blue Corridor Project
As of April 2018 the operative LNG stations in Italy are 16, including the two LNG BC stations (in bold).
No Brand City Country 1 Eni 64100 Teramo Italy
2 Eni 50026 San Casciano in Val di Pesa Italy
3 Eni 29122 Piacenza Italy
4 Eni 56025 Pontedera Italy
5 Maganetti 22010 Gera Lario Italy
6 Esso 41100 Modena Italy
7 Esso 62014 Corridonia Italy
8 GetOil 21047 Saronno Italy
9 Iper 43015 Noceto Italy
10 Iperal 22010 Gera Lario Italy
11 MZ 24041 Brembate Italy
12 SMP 30020 Meolo Italy
13 Spoil 29010 Sarmato Italy
14 TotalErg 56025 Pontedera Italy
15 VGE 40024 Castel San Pietro Terme Italy
16 Vulcangas 47923 Rimini Italy
Table 3: LNG Stations Italy (source NGVA)
From evidence provided by partners and suppliers and from a variety of announcements in the web
there are at least another 14 LNG station projects in various project phases which will come on line in
2018 and early 2019.
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Also in France 16 LNG stations are operative, including one LNG BC station (in bold):
No. City Country 1 AirLiquide Station 59810 Lille France
2 AirLiquide Station 35290 Gaël France
3 AirLiquide Station 67120 Duttlenheim France
4 AirLiquide Station 54710 Fleville-devant-Nancy France
5 Avia 26200 Montélimar France
6 Avia 87280 Limoges France
7 Avia 49300 Cholet France
8 AXÈGAZ 59273 Frétin France
9 AXÈGAZ 91700 Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois France
10 engie-GNVert 91070 Bondoufle France
11 Gas Natural Fenosa 33300 Bordeaux France
12 Gas Natural Fenosa 40260 Castets France
13 Gas Natural Fenosa 86440 Migné-Auxances France
14 GNVert 31620 Villeneuve lès Boulouc France
15 GNVert 94514 Orly France
16 V-Gas CNG Station
(CAT)
13270 Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône France
Table 4: LNG Stations France (source NGVA)
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In Spain, a historically well-developed market for LNG trucking, there are 25 LNG stations on line, one
of them participating in LNG BC (in bold).
No. Name City Country 1 Avia 20212 Olaberria Spain
2 Beroil 09199 Burgos Spain
3 BIONET 43006 Tarragona Spain
4 BP 28034 Tres Cantos Spain
5 Endesa 28341 Madrid Spain
6 Endesa 11205 Algeciras Spain
7 Galp 28700 San Sebastián de los Reyes Spain
8 Gas Natural Fenosa 16200 Motilla del Palancar Spain
9 Gas Natural Fenosa 08040 Barcelona Spain
10 Gas Natural Fenosa 01230 Nanclares de la Oca Spain
11 Gas Natural Fenosa 19208 Alovera Spain
12 Gas Natural Fenosa 46394 Ribarroja Spain
13 Gas Natural Fenosa 08130 Santa Perpètua de Mogoda Spain
14 HAM 08630 Abrera Spain
15 HAM 08770 Sant Sadurní d'Anoia Spain
16 HAM 06800 Mérida Spain
17 HAM 46970 Valencia Spain
18 HAM 41500 Sevilla Spain
19 HAM 20305 Irun Spain
20 Ortegaloil 15500 Fene Spain
21 Petromiralles 19268 Torremocha del Campo Spain
22 Portuoil 48508 Zierbena Spain
23 Q8 03340 San Isidro Spain
24 Repsol 23210 Guarromán Spain
25 Repsol 11400 Jerez de la Frontera Spain
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Portugal has 7 LNG stations on line:
No. Name City Country 1 Dourogás 2584-954 Carregado Portugal
2 Dourogás 4520 Santa Maria da Feira Portugal
3 Galp 7350-443 Elvas Portugal
4 Galp 4460-739 Matosinhos Portugal
5 Galp 2050-000 Azambuja Portugal
6 Goldenergy 5370 Mirandela Portugal
7 Prio 2660-699 Loures Portugal
The LNG BC projects impact is probably most marked in Italy.
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4.4 Estimate for LNG Stations to reach 5% market penetration
The total road freight transport volume by distance class is listed in the table below:
Less than 150 km From 150 to 299 km From 300 to 999 km Over 1 000 km
2014 (million
tkm)
Change 2010–14
(%)
2014 (million
tkm)
Change 2010–14
(%)
2014 (million
tkm)
Change 2010–14
(%)
2014 (million
tkm)
Change 2010–14
(%)
EU-28 405 403 –1.7 348 397 –0.2 656 657 –3.4 313 438 1.8
Belgium 10 824 1.5 8 948 –1.7 15 885 –8.5 1 460 –36.1
Bulgaria 3 152 20.8 2 370 9.0 7 888 54.6 14 546 51.9
Czech Republic 9 888 21.7 7 644 19.0 22 046 6.9 14512 –12.8
Denmark 5 261 5.0 4 325 25.3 5 702 18.1 896 –48.2
Germany 89 932 15.4 71 989 3.9 127 502 –8.9 11 348 –32.8
Estonia 893 16.1 749 4.0 1 597 21.8 3 046 8.3
Ireland 3 844 –8.0 3 429 –2.3 1 537 –20.8 731 –30.5
Greece 6 160 –33.5 3 182 –42.5 6 097 –43.0 3 556 –11.5
Spain 31 122 –17.0 24 412 –5.8 86 535 –7.4 53 694 1.0
France 52 233 –0.2 37 700 –6.8 71 012 –14.0 4 293 –37.6
Croatia 1 810 –14.8 1 640 0.9 3 814 16.7 2 114 20.0
Italy 29 930 –32.4 31 989 –26.7 46 332 –33.0 9 559 –48.8
Cyprus 510 –51.1 18 –33.3 1 –80.0 9 –30.8
Latvia 1 847 16.2 1 266 15.5 2 577 66.6 7 693 22.9
Lithuania 1 350 27.0 1 537 46.1 5 925 77.4 19 201 37.9
Luxembourg 1 595 8.7 1 861 7.3 5 502 18.2 620 –24.3
Hungary 5 424 –8.7 4 982 –5.8 12 997 35.6 14 001 9.2
Malta : : : : : : : :
Netherlands 23 488 27.2 19 044 8.7 21 760 –31.4 6 847 –15.4
Austria 8 578 6.7 5 581 2.3 8 226 –21.5 2 132 –46.1
Poland 33 108 10.8 33 118 25.3 99 981 33.8 84 683 18.8
Portugal 4 524 –31.1 4 037 –7.3 9 422 16.8 16 171 –1.1
Romania 4 612 –0.8 3 704 33.4 11 136 71.6 15 673 30.9
Slovenia 1 625 –13.9 1 518 14.0 6 834 15.1 6 243 –7.6
Slovakia 3 307 4.2 2 890 15.5 11 751 34.5 13 363 1.9
Finland 7 675 –21.3 6 229 –16.9 8 229 –22.4 1 270 –24.3
Sweden 11 422 15.2 9 628 21.8 15 225 16.0 2 560 5.3
United Kingdom 51 289 –5.4 54 607 4.4 41 145 2.0 2 903 –3.7
Norway 7 552 18.2 4 316 28.4 7 894 –1.3 1 830 –8.4
Switzerland 8 077 13.5 2 861 6.6 1 784 –30.6 156 –74.7
Table 5: Road freight transport by distance class, 2014; source: Eurostat (online data code: road_go_ta_dc)
Less than 150 km From 150 to 299 km From 300 to 999 km Over 1 000 km
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To calculate the necessary infrastructure for a 5% market penetration in LNG based heavy transport we
assume the Med-Blu Corridor will have to cover 10% of the total ton-kilometers in Portugal, 30% in
Spain, 20% in France and 100% in Italy as listed in the table below (data extracted from table above):
Less than 150 km From 150 to 299 km From 300 to 999 km Over 1 000 km LNG BC
Corridor
2014 Change 2010–14
(%)
2014 Change 2010–14
(%)
2014 Change 2010–14
(%)
2014 Change 2010–14
(%)
Territorial coverage factor
(million tkm) (million tkm) (million tkm) (million tkm)
Portugal 4,524 –31.1 4,037 –7.3 9,422 16.8 16,171 –1.1 10%
Spain 31,122 –17.0 24,412 –5.8 86,535 –7.4 53,694 1.0 30%
France 52,233 –0.2 37,700 –6.8 71,012 –14.0 4,293 –37.6 20%
Italy 29,930 –32.4 31,989 –26.7 46,332 –33.0 9,559 –48.8 100%
Total corrected tkm
50,165,6
47,256.3
87,437.1
28,142.9 Total 213,001.9
To calculate total LNG consumption for resulting ton-kilometers the average load needs to be
calculated.
As from the table below an average value of 14 t can be assumed.
Figure 3: Average Payload weight on Loaded Truck Journeys
This value needs to be further corrected for the level of empty running as indicated in the table below:
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Figure 4: Average Percentage of Truck -kms Run Empty in EU Countries – 2008
At LNG Blue-Med corridor level 30% of empty truck kilometers can be assumed which, for an average
load of 14 tons, gives an overall average load of 9.8 t.
This allows the calculation of the total LNG consumption required, based on a prudential truck-
consumption of 28 kg/100km, which results in a total requirement of about 4,260,000 t of LNG.
Considering a target of 5% the total LNG required is 213,000t.
The key parts of the supply chain, which will handle these quantities, are the LNG Terminal, LNG
Logistics and LNG Service Station.
In Portugal, Spain and France terminals for ocean-going LNG tankers with the possibility of unloading
to ground in liquid phase and the necessary equipment for truck loading are already operative. Only
Italy does actually not have a LNG terminal with these characteristics.
The developing demand in Italy for LNG in industrial and transport applications lead to a small scale
terminal construction start in Oristano, Sardinia. This terminal will become operative in the second half
of 2019 but is not immediately suited to be part of a supply chain for the Italian mainland. Other
initiatives are ongoing and will lead to the buildup of the necessary capabilities, for example in
Leghorn and the Venice area. In the meantime, as has been demonstrated with the successful
management of logistics especially for Piacenza, the supply from Fos Tonkin is feasible with only minor
impact on fuel availability due to the long logistic supply line. The economic impact on LNG cost
remains evident.
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The logistics between terminal and service station will grow organically with the sales volume. There
are no relevant hurdles for the necessary increase in capacity.
Given the relative simplicity and speed of installation of LNG service stations this part of the
infrastructure may also be considered not critical. Relevant investments are already under way, e.g. in
Italy at the end of 2019 a total of about 30 LNG station will be operative.
The limiting factor for LNG’s share growth in road transport appears to be the production capacity of
the OEM’s for LNG trucks rather than infrastructure limitations.
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5 Fleet Maturity
The LNG Blue Corridors projects establishes the LNG vehicle park and the corresponding supply
infrastructure. The total number of trucks involved in the LNG BC project is 138.
5.2 Amount of external LNG trucks at LNG-BC Station – example of
the Piacenza Station
The trucks fueling at LNG BC infrastructure but not participating in the projects have not been formally
traced. Based on the April 2018 data from the Piacenza station, chosen because it represents a typical
sales volume, at the low end, for a truck station, the analysis results in:
The average number of trucks per day is 57. In Italy 14 trucks are participating in LNG Blue
Corridors, so an average of minimum 43 trucks external to the project is frequenting the
station. At least for Italy this indicates a leverage of 400% in trucks on the road for the LNG BC
incentives.
Nearly 5 trucks fuel in every hour, with the shortest interval between fueling being 5 minutes.
This high frequency on a single LNG dispenser is possible due to experienced drivers and
served fueling.
The average fueling is 184kg and the median 167kg, indicating prevalent short haul/low
weight traffic.
Out of 1,417 LNG fuellings 6 had a volume of less than 10 kg. 4 fuellings out of this 6 can be
attributed to first time tank cooling for new vehicles. The actual nozzle and dispenser
technology is evidently efficient in served mode.
5.3 LNG Truck OEM offer
The offer of OEM LNG trucks at the start of the project was limited essentially to the IVECO Stralis 330
hp tractor.
This trucks power was not sufficient to deliver optimal service in the generally hilly terrain of the Blue
Med corridor. It was successfully employed where the load was limited as for example in deliveries to
supermarkets. The successive development of higher powered trucks, up to the actual IVECO 460 hp
and the upcoming Volvo LNG FH460 in the same power range enables LNG powered transport for all
kinds of on-road duty.
The technical maturation for general purpose LNG trucks shows, at the end of the projects timeframe,
Blue Corridors projects, three mayor OEM LNG trucks suppliers present in the market.
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It has been observed that maintenance of LNG trucks, initially specified at intervals significantly lower
than for comparable diesel trucks, is aligning to Diesel standards and may in some cases go beyond.
The market will reach maturity once also the optimum truck lifetime with the first buyer and the resale
value will be established. It seems counterintuitive that actual resale values of LNG trucks is little more
than the acquisition cost of the LNG storage tank with the necessary accessories. The LNG storage tank
lifetime, given the required very high material quality, will probably be comparable to the trucks life or
go even beyond. Once a second hand market is established and the relevant parameters are known
the reduction of risk will presumably lead to overall lower cost.
5.4 LNG Truck OEM offer
The OEM trucks present in the LNG BC project are Iveco, Scania and Volvo with a large numerical
prevalence for Iveco.
Technologically Iveco had a head start using an engine derived from a CNG-powered bus for its initial
LNG truck offer.
In Europe the relevant OEM manufacturers, a part the ones already mentioned, are DAF, Daimler, MAN
and Renault.
DAF: The controlling American company PACCAR has been a market leader in manufacturing
trucks powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) since
1996 with over 35% U.S. market share. DAF does not actually offer an OEM LNG truck in
Europe.
Daimler: Does not offer a dedicated LNG truck but has the technology for CNG bus engines in
house.
MAN: Controlled by the Volkswagen group MAN might benefit from Scania technology since
Scania also is part of Volkswagen.
Renault: Renault is part of Volvo Trucks and will probably share Volvo’s LNG technology.
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6 Vehicle Cost
The LNG Blue Corridors infrastructure costs for service stations, assuming the average construction
cost for an LNG and L-CNG station of about 1 million Euro, results in a total of 14 million Euro which is
about the same investment necessary for the 138 trucks (assuming a truck cost between 72,000€ and
114,500€ for a total of about 15.2 Mio. Euro on a 110,000€/truck base).
The necessary investment to make LNG based heavy transport happen is about 10% in service stations
and 90% in the vehicle park.
6.1 LNG vehicle cost
The cost per vehicle to the logistics company is influenced by the following factors:
Commercial maturity: the first trucks in the market were available at generally favorable
conditions from the OEM. The buyer assumed a considerable part of the commercial risk. This
effect is not present since about 2015.
Size of LNG fleet acquired and commercial relationship with the OEM and structure of the
fleet. If the fleet is from a single OEM conditions tend to be better.
Unless the LNG truck resale values and engine lifetimes are known reliably from field
experience the uncertainty is priced into the initial offer from the OEM’s. Diesel truck engine
lifetime can be estimated at 1,500,000 km. Gas engines have advantages due to cleaner
burning fuel and disadvantages due to less lubrication from the fuel itself and higher outlet
temperatures. It will take 10 years of truck operation to acquire this data. Some information
will be forthcoming in 2018 when the first Iveco 330 hp LNG trucks will enter the resale
market.
The LNG equipment is still in a low volume production phase, considering the about 3,000
LNG trucks presently in use in Europe. Higher production volumes will allow for significant cost
reduction but a real positive downward spiraling of cost is not yet apparent. Any cost
reduction will reduce the value of pre-owned trucks and the OEM sales prices.
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Comparing from a technical point of view the difference in construction between Diesel and LNG
powered trucks the main items are:
Item LNG (Iveco) Diesel
Tank system Complex cryogenic
pressurized tank with a series
of valves, specific safety
equipment and heat
exchangers.
Single walled standard Diesel
tank
Ignition Complex high powered
ignition system
Not required
Fuel injection system Standard injectors for
gaseous fuel
Complex high pressure
common rail injection system
Exhaust after treatment Three way catalyst Three way catalyst, Selective
catalytic reduction system for
NOx abatement, AdBlue tank
and injection system,
particulate filter
The cost for the ignition system of the LNG truck balances out with the cost for the high pressure fuel
injection system of the Diesel truck.
The LNG truck will have a considerable extra cost of about 20,000 € for the LNG storage tank that is
only partially balanced out by the considerable cheaper simple three way catalyst exhaust after
treatment.
In conclusion it appears that the lower resale value of the LNG truck due to market uncertainty and the
higher cost for the on board storage tank compound today a cost disadvantage of the LNG truck in
the 20,000€ - 40,000€ range.
It is also evident that increasing production LNG truck production volumes has the potential to solve
both issues, creating a self-reinforcing downward spiral in LNG truck cost. Nothing comparable can be
expected for Diesel trucks were technological maturity excludes important cost reduction. To the
contrary, increasing attention on exhaust and noise has a potential to render the Diesel-based
technology more expensive.
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6.2 Efficiency of the LNG power train
The energy efficiency of the LNG power train has been compared within LNG BC based on a limited
scale test based on a diesel and LNG powered truck fleet at Genova.
The timeframe was January to December 2017 with 16 Diesel trucks and 5 LNG powered trucks
involved in very similar or identical transport applications.
The Diesel trucks, in the timeframe, had a total traveled distance of 1,560,000 km with an average
speed of 64.87 km/h and average yearly kilometres per truck
Diesel LNG
Truck Model MB 1845 Automatic 12 M
E6/80 and IVECO 460 AUTOM.
12M E6/70
Iveco 400 LNG Automatic 12M
E6/70
Timeframe 01/2017 – 12/2017 01/2017 – 12/2017
Number of trucks 16 5
Total distance traveled 1,560,000 km 612,000 km
Average truck distance 97,700 km 122,309 km
Average truck speed 64.87 km/h 64.04 km/h
Distance traveled per unit 3.4808 km/l 3.8719 km/kg
Consumption per 100 km 28.73 l/100km 25.83 kg/100km
Energy per 100km 294 kWh/100km 398 kWh/100km
Efficiency estimate 34% 25%
The diesel truck average speed was 1.28% higher which is compatible with the more powerful engine
used.
Based on an average energy requirement for a heavy duty truck of about 100 kW the efficiency of the
diesel drivetrain at 34% is noticeably higher than the 25% delivered by the LNG truck. This is expected
given the very good performance of the Diesel cycle in specific fuel consumption.
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The gap between Diesel and LNG will narrow in the near future since this evaluation compares a 400
hp LNG engine with a 460 hp diesel engine where the Diesel engine will consume less for being higher
powered and technologically more mature.
LNG technology in heavy transport is only recently employed in larger scale and new technologies like
High Pressure Direct LNG Injection have good potential to reduce specific consumption.
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7 Station Layout
The key difference to service stations for traditional fuel is the cost of the main station components,
e.g. dispenser, storage tank and piping which is considerably higher in LNG compared to traditional
liquid fuels.
7.2 Safety at the Service Station
The operative experience of the MED-Blue corridor stations did not generate significant incidents.
The key safety related activities at the service stations are:
- Switching the station from operative state to shut down and back
- Storage tank filling from trailer truck
- LNG saturation
- Truck fueling
- Weight & Measures verification
- Storage temperature reduction via LNG swap
- Handling of equipment malfunction
Switching on and shutting down of the station are standard procedures normally performed by the
service station personnel after about 8h training from the LNG equipment manufacturer. The design of
the PLC software together with redundant methane sensors and position sensors for the relevant
valves makes it possible to design a process which guarantees effective and safe station startup and
shutdown.
Filling the storage tank from the trailer truck requires a mechanical connection of the LNG hose
between trailer and plant which has proven reliable but may generate limited NG spillage in case the
gasket is no longer performing perfectly. A spare part should be kept on site. The procedures involved
are partially or totally automated through the PLC. The trailer truck is connected normally to the LNG
equipment in such a way that in case of a LNG shutdown the trailer pump will also stop and the
pneumatic LNG valve will automatically shut off the flow,
Saturation is automatically or manually launched and generally uneventful. Truck fueling will require
the standard personal safety devices for protection from small drops of LNG consisting in a face mask,
gloves and complete skin coverage.
Weight and Measures dispenser verification is a complex procedure involving an external LNG tank
mounted on a mobile base with the possibility to determine the exact weight of its content. Even if all
measurements prove to be within the correct margins a significant quantity of LNG will be put into this
storage tank. Only L-CNG equipped stations have the necessary pumps to empty the test tank directly
on site and the procedure will require hydraulic connections to be made on the forecourt. At least two
people are necessary for the operation at it is specified today. The technical complexity and the rather
unnecessary risk should stimulate the research for alternative solutions, for example by precisely and
permanently checking the LNG product balance of the service station allowing for immediate error
detection in case the mass flow meter no longer works correctly.
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This procedure may be implemented as an automatic feature in the PLC. The Weight & Measures
officer will no longer be necessary for the on-site checks. The proposed procedure is derived from
existing control systems in traditional fuel and fiscal checks on slot machines.
Excessive storage temperature increase occurs when sales are low, typically early in the stations
commercial startup period. The heat introduced into the storage tank from the outside and L-CNG
pump cooling down procedure is superior to the heat taken out by supplying fresh LNG. The internal
temperature of the storage tank slowly rises up until about -120 to -125° when it will become
increasingly difficult to fuel the truck tank since the LNG pressure will be close to the point of
intervention of the safety valve at the truck. At this point cooling of the LNG storage tank is necessary
to allow continuous operation.
In case of equipment malfunction the on-site personnel needs to be aware of all safety related
procedures and should have sufficient understanding of the plant to be able to operate continuously
in safe manner. Interventions on the plant equipment by the station personnel to maintain the capacity
to operate should be limited to the exchange of gaskets.
7.3 Storage tank thermal management and boil-off avoidance
LNG thermal management is only an issue in exceptional operating conditions, for example very low
sales volume or very cold deliveries into a nearly empty station storage.
The storage tank temperature range for LNG stations is determined on the cold side by the minimum
delivery temperature of about -158°C to -153°C in the trailer truck equivalent to a pressure around 0.2
MPa. Once the station storage tank reaches -120°C the pressure of about 1.2 MPa becomes critically
close to the threshold for safety valve of the truck tank and fueling becomes increasingly difficult.
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Table 7-1 Temperature - Pressure Graph for LNG
As a rule of thumb, to completely avoid boil-off emission into the atmosphere even with limited sales
volumes in the 50t – 180 t/year range, the service stations needs to be equipped with active cooling,
for example via N2 based heat exchanger, or product swap. These values indicate a commercially not
viable site and are typical for the very early startup period when the station fuels less than 5
trucks/day.
L-CNG technology contributes positively to temperature management since it allows to compress the
natural gas taken off the truck tank into the high pressure CNG buffer tank. On the other hand the
repeated cooling down of the reciprocating LNG pump that feeds LNG into the high pressure
vaporizer will put significant heat into the LNG storage tank. In case of very intermittent pump use the
overall contribution to heat balance appears to be negative.
In conclusion, a very limited sales volume will create boil off gas if no countermeasures are taken. To
take heat out of the storage tank the above mentioned partial swap of old LNG with a mix of old and
fresh product ensures satisfactory fueling performance and can avoid boil off generation completely.
Once the LNG station develops commercially it becomes necessary to saturate the LNG to the lower
temperature limit for the IVECO trucks. The demand for unsaturated LNG in the Blue Med Corridor is
still very limited or zero. Especially the Piacenza station occasionally had to delay fuellings due to low
LNG temperature. Not being provided with an on-line vaporizer in the loading line some adaptations
of the plant logic where necessary to bring the LNG rapidly to the level required by IVECO trucks.
The storage tanks vertical or horizontal positioning is quite influential on thermal management.
Horizontal tanks generate a relatively much larger surface in respect of the product volume especially
when nearly empty. This causes a faster rise in temperature. Generally speaking, due to thermal
reasons and better pump suction head, the vertical storage tank installation appears clearly preferable.
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In this context the question of LNG “rollover”, which refers to a rapid vapour release from a storage
tank caused by LNG stratification which potentially might overwhelm the excess pressure relief system,
needs to be taken into account. The very small volume of the service station tanks, which in the Blue
Med Corridor is always below 100 m3, evidently makes the stirring during storage tank refilling so
effective that it inhibits stratification. There is no evidence of weathering, which refers to the creation
of a denser layer of LNG caused by partial evaporation of lighter gases (no dedicated instrumentation
to detect stratification is implemented).
In thermal management, regarding boil-off avoidance, experience shows that emergency pressure
relief valves are designed to open at a precise threshold but they do not necessarily close immediately
once the pressure descends below their point of intervention. Should warm LNG determine the
intervention of the truck tank emergency pressure valve the complete release of the tanks content is
possible. A safe temperature margin has to be maintained prior to fueling.
LNG spillage normally do not occur and is most likely caused by defective gaskets or imprecise
junction between hoses, for example during weight and measurements verification. Sufficient spare
parts availability on site resolves the issue effectively.
The LNG emissions into the atmosphere during nozzle disconnect may be addressed in the context of
a nozzle redesign with a smaller chamber between nozzle shutoff valve and truck tank inlet.
7.4 Availability of LNG and L-CNG
The traditional service station for heavy transport is nearly always equipped with 4 to 6 fuel dispensers
and a total of 24 – 36 nozzles with at least 8 – 12 for Diesel. Components like dispensers are
comparatively cheap and operate as long there is fuel is in the storage tank. This provides plenty of
redundancy for the customer who in any case could just fuel at a different station a short distance
away.
The LNG service station in the MED corridor typically has a single LNG dispenser with single nozzle and
hose. The nozzle head gasket and the LNG hose are consumables with limited lifespan when compared
to equipment for diesel fuel, generating two especially critical single point of failures.
The obvious solution is to install at least two LNG dispensers or a single dispenser with double hose
and nozzle where the sales volume justifies the extra investment.
The LNG service station is relatively complex with expensive components. It relies either on a
submerged LNG pump or a sophisticated storage tank pressure management to generate the
necessary prevalence for fueling. A partial list pf critical items that might cause impossibility to fuel are
process air compressor, process valves, electric control and safety equipment and sensors
(temperature, pressure and methane) each of which constitutes a single point of failure.
Generally the higher technical complexity of the LNG service station will require a new approach to
maintenance, e.g. preventive maintenance, a dedicated fast intervention channel and access to remote
monitoring.
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At the level of station technical layout the weak spots require a series of generally cost-efficient
technical provisions like e.g. air compressors with automated tank bleeding for water removal, air dryer
and filter.
Availability is particularly critical since LNG stations in the corridor typically constitute a local monopoly
and the prevailing number of trucks are LNG-only. Every interruption of LNG dispensing at the station
forces the logistics companies to provide Diesel fueled tractors on very short notice. This is an obstacle
in reaching the 5% threshold of LNG powered trucks since larger numbers of tractors cannot be
procured on short notice. The growing number of LNG stations will create the redundancy that solves
the issue, probably in a 24 month timeframe.
Supply terminal performance is another determining factor for LNG availability, especially in Italy. Due
to the absence of LNG deep water terminals with truck loading capabilities any interruption in road
transport or a terminal shutdown at Fos Tonkin will cause a general supply emergency. The necessary
trailer-truck capacity to supply Italy from Barcelona in this case nearly doubles which at the actual
volumes is not sustainable for more than a couple of days.
CNG fueling is less critical than LNG due to the availability of alternative fueling sources and the
possibility to use gasoline. L-CNG is generated pressurizing the LNG to about 25-30 Mpa using a
reciprocating piston pump and a vaporizer. When the pump suction head is sufficient the equipment is
very reliable, preventive maintenance is possible. An intervention will cause a 4h fueling stop in case of
a single reciprocating pump.
7.5 Saturated and unsaturated LNG
The latest LNG engine development may require unsaturated LNG with benefits in energy density in
the 10 – 15% range and better fuel efficiency.
No truck with this technology is today active in the MED corridor and all stations are designed for
saturated LNG fueling with a minimum temperature of about -137°C.
Modifying the corridor LNG stations layout for fueling with unsaturated LNG will require some
modifications of station equipment. The limited range increase due to lower LNG temperature in the
truck tank would be achievable actually only under exceptional conditions since the LNG temperature
in the storage tank is already typically in the -125°C to -140°C range.
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8 Station Location
Until very recently (February 2017) the standard range for LNG-only trucks was limited to about 700
km with a maximum power of 330 hp. Due to these constraints the typical traffic, as made evident by
the data, is the short haul logistics typical for supermarket supply. The trucks leaves daily from a
logistic center and reenters after about 6 – 10 hours travel time, sometimes repeating trips twice a day
with two drivers. The average fueling is in the range of 80 – 120 kg indicating roundtrip distances of
350 – 500 km.
This generates a strong incentive to fuel either at the start or end of the trip with minimum deviation
from the best route. This gives a strong advantage to LNG station situated close to a cluster of
distribution centers as for example Piacenza.
The new IVECO 400 hp truck with double tank option removes these limitations partially regarding
power and completely regarding range. In the very near future the transport tasks requiring high
power can be taken on with the new Volvo 460 hp LNG truck.
The optimal LNG station location will probably remain very close to the logistic centers, accessible
through sufficiently wide roads possibly form both directions of the motorway nearby.
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9 Renewable LNG
LNG can be generated from fossil natural gas along the same principles as for petroleum production.
The liquefaction takes place at the wellhead with cheap energy provided directly from the well itself
using a compressor based refrigeration cycle. As for any thermal plant size is important for efficiency.
Another option for LNG generation is liquefying biogas created by anaerobic digestions from a variety
of feedstocks. The feedstock largely determines the result of the digestion and does not have to be
waste. Particularly interesting is animal slurry from intensive pig or cattle farming where the feedstock
would require expensive treatment.
The result of digestion is biogas, heat and fertilizer.
Nearly any bio-degradable plant or animal matter is suitable as feedstock. Wood and other lignin
containing materials will slow the process. The yield varies widely in function of the energy left in the
feedstock, dry matter content, digesting time and purity. Typical feedstocks are waste from food,
agricultural residues, crops and sewage sludge. Digesting offsets methane emissions that would
otherwise be created by natural decomposition. Typical yields are:
Feedstock Biogas Yield (m3/t) Feedstock Biogas Yield (m3/t)
Cattle slurry 15-25 (10% DM) Potatoes 276-400
Pig slurry 15-25 (8% DM) Rye grain 283-492
Poultry 30-100 (20% DM) Clover grass 290-390
Grass silage 160-200 (28% DM) Sorghum 295-372
Whole wheat crop 185 (33% DM) Grass 298-467
Maize silage 200-220 (33% DM) Red clover 300-350
Maize grain 560 (80% DM) Jerusalem artichoke 300-370
Crude glycerine 580-1000 (80% DM) Turnip 314
Wheat grain 610 (85% DM) Rhubarb 320-490
Rape meal 620 (90% DM) Triticale 337-555
Fats up to 1200 Oilseed rape 340-340
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Nettle 120-420 Canary grass 340-430
Sunflower 154-400 Alfalfa 340-500
Miscanthus 179-218 Clover 345-350
Flax 212 Barley 353-658
Sudan grass 213-303 Hemp 355-409
Sugar beet 236-381 Wheat grain 384-426
Kale 240-334 Peas 390
Straw 242-324 Ryegrass 390-410
Oats grain 250-295 Leaves 417-453
Chaff 270-316 Fodder beet 160-180
Table 2 Yield from feedstocks (http://www.biogas-info.co.uk)
The large quantities of feedstock involved, the type of equipment and the limited but existing emission
of odours from a digester determine an installation in a rural context. The biogas is generally used for
cogeneration of electrical energy and heat via internal combustion engine. Only in the Lombardy
Region of Italy there are more than 90 digesters with a capacity in the range from 300-1000kWe.
9.2 From Biogas to Bio-LNG - Infrastructure
The process of creating Bio-LNG involves the three steps of biogas purification, liquefaction of the bio-
methane and storage and truck-loading of the LNG.
It is open today how best to allocate the infrastructure. All three process steps would benefit
considerably in technological and cost efficiency from larger scale.
The options are either a centralized digesting plant of considerable scale and subsequent need for
high volume transport of potentially noxious feedstock or decentralized digesting and small scale
transport of the biogas. The second option would require either a high pressure compressor at the
digester site for transport in trucks or a pipeline to a purification and liquefaction plant.
Also the cost of Bio-LNG must be competitive with the fossil kind. We assume in the further
considerations that technological deflation will work in favor of decentralized equipment for Bio-LNG
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production based on existing digesters. The immediate advantages are availability of LNG for CO2
neutral farming, distributed LNG fueling infrastructure and limited extra transport load on public roads.
9.3 Purification
Biogas from anaerobic digestion consists mainly of CH4 and CO2 and a series of trace components
which largely depend on the feedstock. Upgrading to bio-methane for use in road transport involves
removing the CO2, cleaning away the trace components and upgrading the calorific energy content to
the range used in internal combustion vehicles.
Particularly critical are the siloxanes which will negatively impact the engine life and need to be
removed entirely.
The liquefaction than has the advantage of a cost-effective removal of all trace components that will
solidify before -162°C.
9.4 Liquefaction
The options for small scale liquefaction are either compressor- or liquid nitrogen based.
The compressor based solution works like any standard liquefaction plant only on smaller scale. The
equipment’s complexity impacts reliability and energy costs are high. Few suppliers are available.
The liquid nitrogen based process consists essentially of two cryogenic storage tanks for liquid
nitrogen and LNG, a heat exchanger and some pumps. It requires little energy, is reliable and
technologically simple. Its drawback is the cost of the liquid nitrogen which makes it competitive only
for smaller plants unless excess liquid nitrogen is cheaply available from other processes. The size limit
for nitrogen based liquefaction is around 3,000 t/year.
As a third alternative it would be possible to transport the purified bio-methane in the existing natural
gas pipeline network and liquefy it centrally, introducing a system similar to the commercialization of
renewable electrical energy. The mayor hurdle in this case is the cost of the connection to the pipeline
and the about 15 month of time the procedure takes. In Italy, as of today, only one digester is
connected to the grid pipeline. In France the grid connection is more widely used.
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10 Outlook and suggestions
LNG based transport today does not command a price premium in the market but will be the preferred
solution at parity of cost. The key to LNG’s future successful development is cost reduction through
fiscal policy, technological development and decreasing commercial uncertainty.
10.1 Fiscal policy
LNG in the Blue Corridors project has shown a particular strong performance where the fiscal policies,
regarding the relative price of LNG versus Diesel. This is the case in Italy. In Germany, where the
taxation on Diesel is much lighter, LNG has difficulties to gain a foothold in the market.
The trend in fiscal policies can be considered in general favorable towards LNG when confronted with
Diesel fuel.
10.2 LNG technological trends
10.2.1 Technology transfer from the bus to the truck
Natural gas has become the standard fuel for buses used in public transport in cities since at least ten
years, substituting Diesel fuel. The availability of the NG engine developed from the bus made the
2014 IVECO 330 hp LNG truck possible.
This truck was a first product available from an OEM that fit into the requirements of the larger
logistics companies and launched the success story of LNG we see today.
10.2.2 Engine and LNG vehicle tank technology
LNG engines in Europe until quite recently were limited in numbers which made dedicated
technological development commercially not viable and kept components cost high. The bus market
was not sufficient to launch the development of dedicated technological solutions.
The actual surge in the LNG truck market already solves this issue, especially regarding High Pressure
Direct Injection, which has the potential for significantly higher engine efficiency.
The actual rising production numbers will bring down cost and potentially could significantly reduce
the price gap with Diesel trucks.
The same applies for the truck tank technology which has a cost similar to the engine.
10.3 Commercial LNG market maturity
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The rising LNG fleet volume in the LNG Blue Med countries will create a more robust market for pre-
owned LNG trucks, foster e redundant LNG service station market and create more terminal with the
ability for truck loading especially in Italy.
A downward development of cost can be expected.
10.4 Suggestions
The time horizon for investment in LNG technology is about 5 years for logistics companies, 20 years
for the fueling stations and even more for the deep water LNG terminals with truck loading capacity.
The LNG technology has proven with LNG BC its practical feasibility and the environmental benefits are
evident.
To accelerate further the adoption of LNG in heavy transport a long-term reliable normative
framework for LNG as a fuel for heavy transport in Europe may be the best support possible.
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11 List of Tables
Table 4-1 Distances Med-Blue Corridor ............................................................................................................................ 15 Table 4-2 Blue Med Stations and Terminals (*Ravenna planned, others are operative) ................................ 22 Table 3: LNG Stations Italy (source NGVA) ....................................................................................................................... 23 Table 4: LNG Stations France (source NGVA) .................................................................................................................. 24 Table 5: Road freight transport by distance class, 2014; source: Eurostat (online data code:
road_go_ta_dc) ............................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Table 7-1 Temperature - Pressure Graph for LNG ......................................................................................................... 39 Table 7 Yield from feedstocks (http://www.biogas-info.co.uk) ................................................................................ 44
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12 Project Partners
