Evonik and Shell join forces to advance bio-LNG-fuelled heavy transport

Energy giant Shell is to supply chemical specialty expert Evonik with 100 tonnes of bio-liquefied natural gas (bio-LNG), which will then be passed on to its logistics partners.

By using bio-LNG as its primary fuel for delivering goods, Evonik aims to reduce CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions by around 86 percent compared to diesel, advancing the EU’s 2030 climate targets.

In addition to promoting the use of biomethane in heavy-duty transport, Shell is scaling up the entire bio-LNG supply chain.

Thomas de Boer, vice president, Shell commercial road transport, emphasising the need to work with industry partners, said: “The collaboration with Evonik has presented the opportunity for us to jointly help drive the de-fossilisation of transport within the chemical sector, delivering a positive step toward the sector’s climate targets in a commercially viable way with bio-LNG.”

Having signed up to an initiative earlier this year to lower the group’s indirect CO2e emissions, Evonik has since seen 10 percent of its truck transport for packed goods in Europe shipped in climate-friendly trucks.

The company aims to increase this to 20 percent by 2025.

Volker Wehberf, head of Evonik’s global SEPURAN green business for biogas membranes, commented: “Our innovative membrane technology for efficient upgrading of biogas makes it possible to use liquefied or compressed biomethane as an alternative fuel.”

To support the reduction of carbon emissions in transportation, Shell has added a blend of bio-LNG to the entirety of its branded LNG refuelling network in the Netherlands, a move the company intends to introduce in Germany by the third quarter of 2023.

As part of its efforts to hit carbon neutrality for the entire German network, Shell is also building a new biogas liquefaction plant at its Energy and Chemical Park, Rhineland, capable of producing 100,000 tonnes of biogas per year.

Another fuel set to play a key role in the energy transition is green hydrogen, an energy source Evonik has placed front and centre of its long-term vision for a low carbon future.

For more information visit corporate.evonik.com