Finnish dairy Valio expands use of biogas-powered trucks

Finnish dairy company Valio has introduced a new liquefied biogas (LBG)-powered truck for transporting milk to its Riihimaki and Jyvaqskyla dairies, the company announced on June 10.

The LBG-powered truck emits 85% less emissions compared to a diesel-powered collection truck, the company said. Valio aims to annually increase the number of milk collection trucks running on biogas as the distribution network expands. Valio's goal is to achieve a carbon-neutral milk footprint by 2035.

The LBG used to power the truck is produced from industrial by-products and municipal waste. The truck, which collects milk from Valio’s farms in Hartola, Sysma, and Joutsa, travels approximately 800 km/day and is refuelled in either Jyvaskyla or Lahti. Valio currently operates six LBG-powered trucks for milk collection.

Valio plans to deploy additional biogas-powered trucks for milk collection in the autumn and early 2025. “The limited refuelling network is currently the main obstacle to a rapid increase in the number of biogas-powered vehicles. The number of vehicles will increase more rapidly in the coming years as the network of refuelling stations expands,” the company stated.

In 2023, Valio’s milk collection trucks covered a total distance of 18.8mn km. Of these, about 1.2mn km were driven by biogas-powered trucks, reducing emissions from milk collection by approximately 750 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which accounts for about 6% of the total milk collection emissions.