Effective Climate Protection in Heavy Transport: Zukunft Gas Calls for Political Measures to Promote Bio-LNG

• The industry association Zukunft Gas calls for an ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction quota and adjustments to truck toll regulations to promote investments in Bio-LNG.
• In the first half of 2024, LNG sales at German filling stations amounted to 70,000 tons, of which 60% was Bio-LNG, leading to significant CO₂eq savings.
• Kehler stated, “The share of heavy-duty vehicles in Germany’s GHG emissions has doubled from three to six percent since 1990. We now need ambitious climate policies that incorporate all available technologies. Bio-LNG is an immediately available solution for decarbonizing heavy-duty transport and must be politically supported.”

The association Zukunft Gas, the voice of the German gas and hydrogen industry, has published a position paper today outlining clear political measures to promote Bio-LNG in heavy-duty transport. Bio-LNG not only offers significant ecological benefits but is also increasingly available in Germany. The infrastructure for Bio-LNG filling stations is continuously expanding, and production capacities are steadily rising. In the first half of 2024, nearly 70,000 tons of LNG were sold at filling stations in Germany, with Bio-LNG accounting for 60%. This resulted in approximately 139,000 tons of CO₂eq savings.

Given the increasing urgency to meet climate targets and reduce emissions in the transport sector, Zukunft Gas is calling for a decisive political shift to establish Bio-LNG as a crucial contribution to climate protection. In its current position paper, the voice of the German gas and hydrogen industry demands raising the GHG reduction quota to 35 percent by 2030 and extending the quota regulations until 2045. Dr. Timm Kehler, CEO of Zukunft Gas, emphasized, “We need ambitious climate policies that include all available technologies. Bio-LNG is an immediately available solution for decarbonizing heavy-duty transport and must be politically supported. Only this way can we mobilize the necessary investments and accelerate the ramp-up of climate-friendly fuels. For years, we have been developing ambitious visions in the truck sector, from batteries, overhead lines, to hydrogen. But with Bio-LNG, we already have a market-ready and technically proven solution to achieve significant CO₂ savings in heavy-duty transport immediately.”

Additionally, Zukunft Gas advocates for tax incentives for the use of biofuels like Bio-LNG. Reducing the energy tax on low-emission fuels would make it easier for logistics and transport companies to economically use climate-friendly alternatives. This would immediately reduce emissions in freight transport, as the switch to low-emission biofuels is currently a financial barrier for many companies.

Another key point concerns the toll regulations for gas-powered trucks, which currently offer no financial advantage despite the particularly low emissions of Bio-LNG vehicles. Zukunft Gas calls for a toll reduction for these vehicles to provide companies with an economic incentive to use climate-friendly trucks. This measure would not only support the industry’s climate protection efforts but also make a significant contribution to achieving national climate targets.

Furthermore, Zukunft Gas advocates for a technology-neutral fleet regulation that gives more consideration to the use of Bio-LNG and for the removal of import barriers to facilitate access to Bio-LNG from third countries like Ukraine. Bilateral agreements could open up new sources of sustainable biofuels, accelerating the ramp-up of Bio-LNG and contributing to meeting climate targets.

At the presentation of the position paper, Christian Schneider, Managing Director of ViGo Bioenergy, emphasized the importance of Bio-LNG for decarbonizing heavy-duty transport. ViGo Bioenergy has established itself as a leading provider of low-carbon fuels and continuously invests in biomethane production to ensure reliable supply. “For us, Bio-LNG is not only a climate-friendly alternative but a necessary solution to sustainably reduce CO₂ emissions in heavy-duty transport. Through our biomethane plants in Europe, we ensure that we can meet the growing demand,” said Schneider. ViGo Bioenergy operates a growing network of filling stations, including in Germany, and supports decarbonization with a 100 percent Bio-LNG share in its fuel portfolio.

You can find the paper here: Paths to emission-free heavy goods transport