Biogas gives Finnish operator an edge
28 April 2020
When Kuopio Municipality in Finland tendered refuse collection, Urbaser’s Finnish subsidiary was in pole position for the contract. Urbaser had the advantage of offering its services using six Scania’s biogas trucks, which was decisive.
“We will continue to increase the number of biogas vehicles,” says Urbaser’s Fleet Manager Harri Hietala. “Our customers are increasingly interested in reducing emissions from transport and in tenders calling for more environmentally sound alternatives.
In additional to the superior environmental performance, Urbaser welcomes the gas-powered Scania P 340’s lower noise level as well as the great cab ergonomics and visibility.
The range with frequent starts and stops is 350 kilometres per filling. The single compressed gas tank is therefore more than adequate considering each new truck is operated approximately 100 kilometres a day. With the biogas filling station along refuse collection routes, Urbaser chooses not to fill the tanks completely to speed up refuelling, which takes 10–15 minutes, roughly the same as with diesel.
“Biogas trucks fit perfectly into our strategy and our values, says Arto Ryhänen, Managing Director of the Kuopio’s waste management company Jätekukko. “After all, waste management is part of the circular economy. We collect organic waste from households in Kuopio, which is then transported to the Kuopio plant for biogas production.”
