A BIOMETHANE refuelling station is set to open on the edge of Glasgow, enabling low-carbon HGV deliveries throughout country.

Compressed Natural Gas Fuels has started building what will be Scotland’s first public access biomethane station at the Eurocentral industrial estate off the M8 near Bellshill, to enable fleet operators and big name brands to cut their vehicles carbon footprint and save cash.

When it opens in November, the station will be able to refuel up to 450 lorries a day. Most of England and Wales is already within a 300-mile round trip of a biomethane refuelling station, and the new Glasgow facility will put Inverness and Aberdeen within this range.

Warburtons, the UK’s largest bakery brand, is the latest major name to announce it is adopting biomethane, following companies such as Hermes, John Lewis, Waitrose and Asda. Renewable biomethane is being touted as the lowest carbon, most cost-effective alternative to diesel for HGVs. It is between 35% and 40% cheaper than diesel, and cuts vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85%.

Warburtons national transport manager, Steven Gray, said: “After extensive alternative-fuel vehicle trials, Warburtons has chosen Compressed Natural Gas technology, and specifically biomethane fuel, as our preferred strategy to decarbonise our Primary HGV fleet. CNG Fuels’ progressive Bio-CNG Station roll-out plans across the UK will allow us to begin our decarbonisation strategy and the Eurocentral refuelling facility is a key location for our fleet.”

CNG chief executive, Philip Fjeld, said: “Fleet operators keen to cut carbon and save money are switching to biomethane in droves, and our first station in Scotland will play a vital part in our network, allowing gas trucks to make deliveries throughout Britain. Biomethane can play a key role in helping the country meet its net zero targets and it is fitting that the station will open just as Glasgow hosts the UN Climate Summit.”

HGVs account for 4.5% of total UK greenhouse gases – and 4.8% in Scotland – so decarbonising the sector is essential to meet the UK’s goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.

CNG Fuels reports that demand from customers is soaring, with the company expecting to sell 90% more biomethane this month than in March 2020. It currently operates six refuelling stations in England and is rapidly building out a strategic network on major routes. The Eurocentral station is the first of 14 further outposts that are due to be built over the next two years, including two more in Scotland near Larkhall and Livingston.

Bio-CNG is currently sourced from food waste but CNG Fuels is securing supplies of gas derived from manure to create a fuel that will be carbon neutral overall. It expects to introduce carbon neutral biomethane across from 2022 at the same price.