FordonsGas opens first public L-CNG filling station in Sweden

Recently the Swedish gas filling station operator and NGVA Europe member, FordonsGas, opened Sweden’s first public filling station capable of providing liquefied and compressed natural gas.

The infrastructure of CNG in Sweden is well developed from an international perspective and this kind of technology, capable of providing a fuel with higher energy density, clearly opens the way for its use in the heavy-duty road transport applications. This project is not a standalone project, but a part of a new market opportunity. For that reason, FordonsGas took the initiative to invite Volvo Trucks and the two other main distributors of CNG in the country. One of the reasons for the company to develop the L-CNG concept is the improvement of the economical distribution of biogas, since in its liquefied form the transportation costs are reduced and the location of CNG filling stations is optimised.

FordonsGas L-CNG refuelling in Gothenburg	The L-CNG dispenser by FordonsGas

Natural gas must be cooled until -161 ºC (at atmospheric pressure) to reach its liquid state. The station has one dispenser for LNG and three dispensers for CNG, capable of providing 400 Nm3/h and 160 l/min respectively. The system has been designed as a closed system, to prevent any release of methane to the atmosphere. The total investment has been 1,5 M€ / 13 MSEK.

Based on the criteria of the different local and national authorities, the location of the station was finally done at “Stigs Center”, the largest fuel supplier in Sweden and a location close to all major forwarding companies. The emplacement is just besides the E-6 motorway supporting transit routes between Malmö – Göteborg – Oslo/Stockholm.

The station has, since its opening in October last year, delivered 242.000 Kg of methane to final customers, and will be supplied with liquefied biomethane for the first time in June 2011.

As stated by the company, this experience reaffirmed that public LNG/LBG stations for heavy duty trucks are the next big step forward. Therefore, they believe to have chosen the final solution for the filling station that will be a benchmark for further development of LNG infrastructure and a turning point when gas technology providers started to listen to end customer input.

All members have received a NGVA Europe Case Study of the successful implementaion of this refuelling station by FordonsGas, which includes more interesting information and useful data.


Source: FordonsGas

NGVA Europe... for sustainable mobility