John Lewis has teamed up with green gas supplier CNG Fuels to launch the United Kingdom’s largest ever trial aimed at showing how biomethane, a low carbon alternative to diesel, can slash heavy goods vehicle emissions and costs.
Renewable compressed natural gas (CNG), sourced sustainably from food, farm and sewage waste, is up to 40 per cent cheaper and cuts CO2 emissions by over 80 per cent. The partnership is part of a wider £20 million, Government-backed cleaner air drive involving 300 vehicles, encouraging haulers to invest in ditching diesel.
Lorries do just five per cent of road miles compared to other transport, but account for 16 per cent of emissions.
CNG Fuels is developing a nationwide network of refueling stations, fed by the gas grid, on key haulage routes. To coincide with the project it will open a new one in Northampton close to John Lewis and its supermarket brand Waitrose’s national distribution hub.
Over 60 of the group’s latest CNG trucks and six zero-emission refrigeration units will take part, leading to forecast lifetime savings of up to £100,000 per truck. Performance data will analysed by Cambridge University after the trial ends in September 2019.