About

Connect2LNG is three-year project led by Unilever, as part of a consortium of companies and third-party Logistics providers (3PL’s). Together we will find ways to break through the current situation in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) whereby it is the most mature, sustainable and cost-effective alternative fuel compared with diesel yet lacks a pan-European network of fueling stations. By agreeing longer-term volumes and routes, transporters can develop a real commercial business case for LNG trucks.

LNG represents the following environmental benefits compared to traditional diesel fuels:
• 11.5% less CO₂ emission
• 35% less emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• 95% less emission of particulate matter
• 25-50% less noise

The specific objective is the completion of a study with pilot deployment, of a LNG refueling network (five pilot LNG stations) along three Core Network Corridors and full-scale deployment of LNG as a road-transport fuel for medium to long haul road transport involving the fueling points and operation in LNG powered trucks. The project – which will take 36 months to complete – should validate the hypothesis that the sustainability agenda of freight cargo owners can be a deciding factor in encouraging transporters to make the transition from diesel to LNG fueling. The results will be valuable not only for transporters, but will be important for all cargo owners who have quantified logistics sustainability targets.

Detailed Objectives

  • Execute a study and pilot LNG-fueling network to generate substantiated data needed to reduce the perceived risk of logistic service providers on operability and cost of deployment of LNG powered HGVs for medium and long haul road dispatches.
  • Provide insight into the conditions which need to be fulfilled for a successful market uptake of LNG as a fuel and for a viable infrastructure operation. 
  • Develop business models together with the logistic service providers involved in the pilot deployment for the market uptake of LNG as a fuel for medium to long haul road transport. 
  • Deliver validated study results that show freight volume owners the cost-benefit ratio of executing their logistics sustainability agenda through longer-term contracts with transporters which allow the latter to invest in LNG fueled heavy freight vehicles. 
  • Contribute to the standardisation of LNG fueling process and development of user- accepted (=chauffeurs) safety procedures to ensure safe and efficient LNG fueling throughout Europe.
  • EU-wide standard LNG-specific legislation for fueling stations.
    While implementing the action, the utmost importance will be granted to the fulfillment of EU environmental law.

Funding

The Connect2LNG Project is co-financed by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility. (CEF).

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a transport and infrastructure program within the European Commission (EC) that focuses on sustainable, efficient, multi-modal transport across European key corridors.

CEF Transport focuses on cross-border projects and projects aiming at removing bottlenecks or bridging missing links in various sections of the Core Network and on the Comprehensive Network, as well as for horizontal priorities such as traffic management systems.

CEF Transport also supports innovation in the transport system in order to improve the use of infrastructure, reduce the environmental impact of transport, enhance energy efficiency and increase safety.

The total EU budget for CEF Transport is €24.05 billion for the period 2014-2020 of which the Connect2LNG project received approval for 50% co-funding from the European Commission with a maximum of up to €4.5m.