Supermarkets opt for natural gas
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• Safeway, Sainsbury's and ONT. will be operating compressed natural gas-powered trucks next year. This is thanks to the Energy Saving Trust's Powershift initiative, which makes alternatively fuelled vehicles cheaper to buy.
The scheme works by grouping together operators with similar vehicle requirements, allowing them to benefit from group purchasing power. It also subsidises up to 50% of the remain
ing difference between CNGpowered trucks and conventional types.
The supermarkets need 38tonners while DI-IL requires a mixture of vans and trucks. Tenders have been put out to the main manufacturers of CNG engines and these should be finalised in October. The trucks will then go into operation in March 1998.
Since Powershift started six months ago, 135 extra com
pressed natural gas vehicles and 136 extra liquid petroleum gas vehicles have been put out to tender. This has prompted the planning of more gas refuelling stations.
Tom Gorman, head of British Gas Natural Gas Vehicles, says: "Grants under the Powershift scheme will stimulate a number of fleets powered by CNG. They will need refuelling and we'll be developing gas stations for them,"