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Green fleet saves costs

16th October 1997
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BOC Distribution Services has made the UK's biggest investment so far in natural gas-powered trucks, buying 10 ERF EC12 tractive units fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG). These trucks produce fewer emissions than diesels and are substantially quieter. But the real innovation is BOC's claim that they will save money.

by Toby Clark • No doubt BOC Distribution's chief engineer Sam de Beaux cares about the environment as much as the rest of us. But he's the first to admit that his interest in LNG-fuelled trucks is strictly business.

BOC Distribution runs 1,100vehicles with an annual fuel bill of £24m—and the Government has pledged to increase the cost of diesel by 5% a year in real terms. In 10 years that this will add up to an increase of 63% over inflation—costing BOC at least £75m. So in the long term, gas trucks could be cheaper to run...hence the LNG trial.

The 10 ERFs are based at BOC's Hemel Hempstead depot, which is dedicated to serving Marks & Spencer stores in greater London.

This sort of work is where gas-powered trucks come into their own: they produce less carbon monoxide and other gaseous pollutants than diesels, hardly any particulate emissions, and low noise levels.

De Beaux claims that one current (Euro-2) diesel engine produces about as much in the way of gaseous emissions as 25 LNG engines, and a gas-powered 32tonner produces only about as much noise as a London taxi.

Marks & Spencer's Keith Bogg says the company is "committed to replacing the diesel fleet with LNG eventually". M&S has already been using a CNG-powered truck for deliveries to its noise-sensitive King's Road London site.

BOCD managing director Peter Brinsden adds: "We're very clear—we want to see cleaner lorries; we want to see lower emissions; and we believe that liquefied natural gas is a cleaner fuel." But the economics are still not clear-cut: "We really want to see the fuel excise on natural gas reduced to 10p/kg from the current 21p/kg and commitment to holding that level for five years". Other European countries charge the EU minimum of 8p/kg.

Each of the trucks costs around £20,000 more than a conventional EC12, but half of that difference has been paid for with a grant from the Energy Saving Trust's Powershift initiative. This scheme subsidises operators who wish to change to more environmentally friendly fuels.

With such a 50% grant or a 50% reduction in fuel duty, the total life cost of LNG can be no greater than that of diesel.

The ERFs are powered by second-generation VarityPerkins Eagle gas engines, fitted with elect ronical

ly controlled gas/air mixing systems. This is an advance over the CNG-fuelled ERF which HOC has been operating for more than a year: de Beaux gave Perkins a list of requirements for a truck engine, which included:

• Equal power and torque to a diesel;

• Equal reliability; • Equal maintenance costs; • Electronic engine control; • "Transparent" to the driver; • A minimal cost premium. Why did VarityPerkins develop a gas engine? Engineer Brian McMurray says: "We were looking at a step-change in emissions—not just a few per cent reduction." The company already makes indus trial (stationary) engines which run off methane from landfill sites, and McMurray points out that renewable sources of natural gas could become increasingly important.

BOC is looking to the long term, too: with a number of other large depots around the country, and trucks with a 450mile range, gas is an option for primary trunking as well as urban distribution.

Up-front investment costs and excellent fuel efficiency at full power mean that LNG-powered 32-tonners are a much more viable proposition than lightweights. At last, gas-powered trucks could be more than a publicity stunt.


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