As seen in Gas Today.

Trucking LNG through Tasmania

In March 2006, a group of forest industry transport operators approached the Launceston office of the Tasmanian Department of Economic Development, seeking advice on using natural gas for heavy vehicles.

The idea behind using natural gas to fuel their trucks was to provide them with some security against rising diesel prices.

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Over the next few months, an alternative fuels consultancy had assessed the feasibility of using natural gas for heavy vehicle operation and a project concept was formalised, with an application made to the Commonwealth Government for funding assistance under the Tasmanian Forest Industry Development Program.

Tasmanian forestry trucks complete the highest number of miles on average and carry the heaviest loads of any trucks in Tasmania, resulting in heavy fuel use and emissions. There are 1,500 prime movers in Tasmania, all of which cover 200,000 km per year as opposed to delivery or refrigerated trucks that cover 50–60,000 km per year.

By September 2006, the group of transport operators had registered a new company — LNG Refuellers — establishing the first commercial pipeline-to-truck supply of LNG for heavy vehicle transport in Australia.

The consortium is comprised of:

  • KJ Padgett and Co;
  • Chas Kelly Transport;
  • Kevin Morgan;
  • Aprin Transport;
  • Exeter Sawmill;
  • Les Walkden Enterprises; and,
  • Country Roadways.

LNG Refuellers Chief Executive Officer Alvaro Ascui says that using LNG as an alternative to other fuels has a number of benefits.

Mr Ascui explains that natural gas vehicles typically deliver lower greenhouse gases than conventional vehicles, with the more sophisticated gas engines able to deliver emissions savings of up to 20 per cent. The Westport GX engine is the only engine that is able to generate carbon credits that are tradeable under the voluntary trading scheme. Nineteen of these trucks exist in Tasmania today.

Despite the lower energy content of LNG when compared to diesel (1.65 litres of LNG is required to substitute 1 litre of diesel), the lower price of LNG means it delivers annual fuel savings of approximately 30 per cent. Another major benefit for micro-LNG users is that it reduces noise pollution, as engines run quietly.