Firmus energy, an Antrim-based natural gas distribution and supply company, has partnered with anaerobic digestion specialists Granville Eco Park to decarbonize its engineering and maintenance fleet.

firmus energy will initially use a common brand van, currently powered by renewable biomethane gas from Granville Eco Park produced at its Dungannon anaerobic digestion plant to showcase the sustainability benchmarks of compressed natural gas (CNG) technology, before transferring the rest of the fleet to CNG.

The first van to be used by firmus energy can travel over 200 miles on a single fill-up and has a small tank of gasoline as a reserve.

The environmental benefits are significant, biomethane produces up to 85% less greenhouse gases and natural gas up to 30% less carbon dioxide emissions compared to a standard diesel alternative.

Granville Eco Park currently has an on-site refueling station where they fuel their own fleet with 100% renewable biomethane and also transport the renewable gas to customers across Northern Ireland by road.

CNG refueling stations are already commonplace for logistics and transport across Europe and major transport and retail companies are already starting to replace their old diesel fleets with new CNG trucks.

There is currently no way to inject renewable gas into the gas networks in Northern Ireland.

Injection is expected to be available by mid-2022, enabling Northern Ireland transport and logistics companies to improve their sustainability benchmarks by using biogas in their trucks, buses and their vans.

Speaking on the value of the partnership, Neil Gallagher, director of energy sustainability at firmus, said: Compressed natural gas diesel vehicles.

“Firmus energy is leading by example by adopting CNG technology in its engineering fleet and will also equip us to advise commercial customers wishing to achieve carbon savings for their own fleet.

“The rural nature of the firmus energy network outside of Greater Belfast means that we are uniquely positioned to introduce biomethane into the existing natural gas network and to offer renewable gas tariffs to customers in the future, subject to the regulatory approval. “

Commenting on the benefits of CNG for transportation, David McKee, spokesperson for Granville Eco Park, technical director, continued, “We are dealing with unavoidable food waste to generate biomethane, electricity and fertilizers in a model of proven and efficient circular economy. Renewable gas will be instrumental in decarbonising heat, power and heavy duty vehicles and we are already transporting gas to factories and food processing sites across Northern Ireland using from our own zero emission CNG trucks.

“It’s great to be able to work with firmus energy to showcase the benefits of CNG technology and we’ve had the chance to use our own knowledge to advise and help our customers. “

firmus energy is a natural gas distribution and supply company based in Antrim. Since 2005, firmus energy has connected more than 55,000 customers in its network area (outside greater Belfast) and supplies natural gas to more than 108,000 customers across Northern Ireland.

The company already advises transport and logistics customers on the best way to decarbonize their transport activities and is able to offer certified renewable gas to existing gas network customers to meet their own heat and energy needs. electricity.

To discuss how your business could benefit from connecting to the natural gas grid, call firmus energy customer service on 0800 032 4567 or visit online at www.firmusenergy.co.uk.

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