Iveco study shows 96% emission reduction with compressed biomethane

A study promoted by vehicle manufacturer Iveco and conducted by the Institute of Atmospheric Pollution of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) reveals that using compressed biomethane derived from municipal solid waste can reduce emissions by up to 96% compared to diesel and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 72%, Iveco announced on July 10.

The study compared compressed biomethane with traditional fuels such as diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) used in urban waste collection vehicles.

The study focused on the Italian market, which features a widespread distribution of CNG refuelling stations due to the high number of methane-powered vehicles—among the highest in Europe. A Well-to-Wheels analysis was performed, considering the impacts of fuel production and use, excluding the construction and maintenance of plants and infrastructure, to provide a pure comparison of the fuels. The analysis included CO2 capture in the production chain and the energy mix used in various industrial processes.

The results underscore the significant potential of compressed biomethane in decarbonising the transport sector and reducing urban air pollution, Iveco said, adding that the best outcomes were obtained when all steps in the compressed biomethane production chain—from OFMSW management to anaerobic digestion, upgrading, CO2 capture, biomethane compression, and vehicle refuelling—occurred on the same site, with all processes powered by biogas combustion produced on-site.

Giandomenico Fioretti, Head of Alternative Propulsion Business Development at Iveco, stated, “The study led by the CNR further confirms that the use of bio-CNG is an environmentally sustainable solution and can generate a highly desirable circular economy, extracting value from waste and organic matter to provide fuel for waste collection itself, without compromising the vehicles’ mission capabilities.”