Sustainable Fuel for Heavy-Duty Trucks – Bio-LNG Gaining Ground Despite Political Hurdles

• Bio-LNG dominates the market: 98 percent of total LNG sales in the first half of 2025 came from renewable sources
• Inadequate political framework hampers fleet transition and climate neutrality in the transport sector
• Kehler: “Bio-LNG reduces emissions – but the toll remains as high as for diesel trucks. Politics is leaving functioning solutions behind.”

Bio-LNG, liquefied biogas, has almost completely displaced fossil LNG in heavy-duty transport: 98 percent of all LNG sold at German filling stations in the first half of 2025 came from renewable sources. This climate-friendly fuel now dominates the market – a milestone for the energy transition in the transport sector. The infrastructure is also keeping pace: With more than 190 filling stations, Bio-LNG is now available nationwide in Germany. However, despite the growing infrastructure and considerable GHG savings, this success is at risk – due to inadequate political conditions.

At the same time, sales are falling short of their potential. In the first half of this year, 85,917 tonnes of LNG were sold – a stagnating trend compared to the same period last year. In the first half of 2024, LNG sales still stood at just over 90,000 tonnes. Yet the climate balance sends a clear message: More than 230,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents were saved in the first six months of the year thanks to the use of Bio-LNG instead of diesel. Despite these achievements, there is still a lack of reliable political framework conditions to fully tap into the existing potential.

"The freight forwarding industry is ready to invest in sustainable propulsion – but it needs planning certainty and finally equal treatment with other climate-neutral drives," says Dr. Timm Kehler, CEO of the German Gas and Hydrogen Association. “Policymakers can no longer stand by idly while functioning, climate-friendly solutions with local value creation are being sidelined.”

The industry association particularly criticizes the current toll regulations. Kehler: “It is hard to justify that Bio-LNG trucks, despite operating with almost zero emissions, pay the same toll as fossil diesel vehicles. If the climate-friendly transformation of heavy-duty transport is to be taken seriously, fair conditions must be created.” A targeted toll reduction or exemption for low-emission vehicles would be an effective instrument to accelerate the ramp-up. In addition, tax incentives for biofuels – such as those available for battery-electric vehicles – are completely lacking so far. This remains a major obstacle for investment decisions in the logistics sector.

The association also sees an urgent need for action at the European level. The regulation of CO₂ fleet limits focuses exclusively on battery and hydrogen-electric drives. The contribution of renewable gaseous fuels such as Bio-LNG to emissions reduction has not been adequately taken into account in current policy frameworks. A technology-neutral approach is necessary to reflect the actual carbon footprint in vehicle assessments.

The association also calls for further development of the greenhouse gas reduction quota and a clear political perspective for biofuels. “We are not talking about synthetic fuels, whose energy balance is still being debated – we are talking about thousands of tonnes of real, existing products from German farmers and clear value creation in rural areas,” says Kehler. For German producers, a more ambitious GHG quota beyond 2030, combined with a long-term, moderate support framework, would secure investments and support market ramp-up.

“Anyone ignoring Bio-LNG is overlooking a functioning climate solution for the transport sector. And let’s not forget: Bio-LNG is produced almost exclusively by domestic producers in rural areas – given our ambitious climate goals and the clear desire for greater energy independence, this solution for heavy-duty transport must not be neglected,” Kehler warns. “The industry has delivered – but politics remains too passive. Those serious about climate targets and resilience in heavy-duty transport must act now.”