When waste becomes fuel

What if a truck’s cargo could also be the source of its fuel? That was the idea behind an ingenious partnership between Scania and Loga, an urban waste management company operating in São Paulo, Brazil. Together with Loga, we have developed a solution that is a textbook example of a closed-loop system, as well as pointing the way forward for Brazil’s transition to sustainable transport.

When it decomposes in landfill sites, the organic waste transported by Loga releases biomethane. This is captured to provide a sustainable biofuel for Loga’s Scania trucks, forming a locally based, low-carbon energy loop. The trucks are quieter and produce up to 90 percent less carbon emissions than diesel equivalents, well-to-wheel. It is an elegant solution that perfectly embodies the concept of a circular economy.

Renewable fuels such as biofuels play an important role in accelerating the shift to sustainable transport. That is particularly true in countries like Brazil, where electricity infrastructure is improving but is not yet ready for the full-scale electrification of buses and trucks. Biofuels provide a vital transition solution, enabling the heavy transport system to decarbonise quickly, with complementing long-term electrification goals.

Scania’s partnership with Loga showcases one way of sourcing biofuel – but for Brazil, the possibilities go much further. The country is rich in agricultural by-products, offering strong potential for renewable fuels. Working with cross-sector partners, we are helping to harness this potential, building a circular transport system that cuts emissions immediately.