The construction work was finished some time ago, now we have completed all the technical and bureaucratic steps: from December, 27 our new LNG filling station in Carpiano is officially working. In this first phase the service is available exclusively for our trucks, but we plan to open the use to other operators and all commercial vehicles, as we have already done in Gera Lario.
The project to build a second filling station was complex, but this new facility is very important for our operational organisation. It’s a crucial step to carry out our project to decarbonise our activity: like Gera, Carpiano is "full bio", because its LNG supply comes from biomethane produced by Cooperativa Speranza, our partner in this sustainability journey.
Our new filling station is equipped with six refueling points for commercial vehicles powered by liquid methane, operating 24 hours a day in self-service mode. This organisation is designed to avoid rigid schedules that can be difficult for our drivers, but it’s also beneficial for a future opening to other vehicles. Running Gera with a self-service system has proved to be useful and convenient for all users: it’s the best solution to support drivers and companies who choose LNG vehicles to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gas.
Moving forward, we’re closely monitoring any development opportunities for automotive applications of LNG. We had outlined an important plan to scale up the biofuel production, but for the moment we must pause this project. The latest regulations on biomethane points to manufacturing as the main market for biogas, more than transport, but without incentives it will be extremely difficult to scale up the production, working on the partnership with Cooperativa Speranza.
We will evaluate all possibilities and study opportunities with other technologies, although bio-LNG remains the most viable and cost-effective solution to reduce emissions from our daily activity on the roads.
