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Green alternative to diesel:
New facility with liquefied natural gas in Hirtshals makes freight transport more environmentally friendly
Northern European transport companies will have the opportunity to refuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Hirtshals when a new refueling station opens on Wednesday, February 7th at the Hirtshals Transport Center near the port. This will enable gas-powered trucks to be used on par with diesel-powered trucks for transportation throughout Jutland. With the opening of the refueling station, Hirtshals Port strengthens its position as a hub for freight transport in Northern Europe.
The transportation sector is increasingly showing interest in using green alternatives to diesel, and now transport companies will have the opportunity to refuel with liquefied natural gas (LNG), which has a much lower impact on the climate, in Hirtshals. On Wednesday, February 7th, a new LNG gas station will open, and the environmental benefit of using this type of fuel is significant, as trucks emit 20 percent less CO2, eliminate sulfur emissions, and reduce the emission of harmful particulate matter. The facility is located at the Hirtshals Transport Center close to the port.
The LNG facility has been established through a collaboration between the Hirtshals Port Foundation, Hirtshals Transport Center, and Q8 and is one of the first of its kind in Denmark. In 2022, a similar facility opened in Padborg, and with transport companies now having the opportunity to refuel with LNG in Hirtshals, it provides them with an incentive to invest in more trucks that can run on LNG.
"Freight transport now has much better opportunities to run on liquefied natural gas. With the opening of the facility in Hirtshals, it is just as easy for transport companies to use gas-powered trucks on the route from the German border to Hirtshals as it is to use diesel-powered trucks. Now, drivers can, for example, fill up LNG in their trucks when they come from or are heading to Norway, the Faroe Islands, or Iceland," says CEO Per Holm Nørgaard from Port of Hirtshals, adding:
"The refueling facility contributes to strengthening our position as a central hub for freight traffic in the northern part of Europe. Hirtshals serves as a crucial link between Norway and the EU, which has been important for the location of the facility.
Each year, nearly 150,000 trucks pass through Port of Hirtshals, and among the stakeholders in heavy land transport, there has been increasing attention on alternatives to diesel-powered trucks in recent years.
In October 2023, Denmark's largest charging station for electric trucks opened at Hirtshals Transport Center, providing haulage companies with several environmentally friendly alternatives to diesel fuel when refueling in Hirtshals."
Working on several green initiatives
the facility fits perfectly into the strategy of Port of Hirtshals to become the greenest port in Europe concerning transport and logistics solutions as well as the production of green electricity and alternative fuels.
The port is engaged in various initiatives that will have a significant impact on the business development in Hirtshals in the coming years. Most recently, Port of Hirtshals has put out a tender for the establishment of up to nine wind turbines on the port area and a significant expansion of the port. Additionally, the port is collaborating with other partners in Greenport Scandinavia on the storage and shipping of CO2 from the port to empty oil and gas fields in the North Sea.
Facts about LNG:
- LNG consists of natural gas, which is cooled to -162 degrees Celsius, turning the gas into a liquid.
- This process reduces the volume of natural gas to 1/600, making it usable as fuel for trucks and ships.
- Compared to diesel, LNG emits up to 20% less CO2.
- LNG eliminates sulfur emissions, and the amount of harmful soot particles is significantly reduced.
- At the LNG facility, two trucks can refuel simultaneously.
- Liquid biogas, also known as LBG (short for "liquefied biogas"), is chemically identical to LNG but further reduces CO2 emissions.