Duvenbeck to use biogas for its long-distance transport services for ZF

Duvenbeck, a German logistics company, will switch all 40 LNG-powered heavy-duty trucks used for long-distance services for automotive supplier ZF to biogas, it said on March 11.

The biogas used by Duvenbeck will be sourced from ViGo Bioenergy and will be derived from certified organic waste processes. Through this partnership, Duvenbeck anticipates a reduction in its carbon footprint, with emissions set to decrease by up to 8,000 tonnes/year.

"We’re now reaping the benefit from having switched our fleet at our business site in Saarbrucken to liquid gas – so-called liquefied natural gas or LNG – from 2019 onwards – because tractor units, which use fossil LNG fuel, can process cryogenically liquefied biomethane without any problems – and without any additional technical effort or expenditure either," Thomas Balcer, Duvenbeck's branch manager in Saarbrücken, said. 

Moreover, Balcer highlighted the environmental advantages associated with the adoption of biogas. "If it was possible to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by using fossil LNG in comparison with traditional diesel fuel, reductions of up to 90% are possible for CO2 and nitrogen oxide levels and almost 100% for sulphur dioxide and particulate matter if biogas is used in the vehicles’ tanks," he added.

ZF, a manufacturer of automatic gearboxes for cars, operates a prominent factory in Saarbrucken, which serves as one of its largest production sites. The factory is currently preparing for the future production of drive systems for purely electrically-powered vehicles.