ReFuels opens 11th and highest capacity biomethane refuelling station

"We see strong demand from our customers for our 100% renewable and sustainable biomethane, produced from waste feedstocks, which enables heavy truck operators to reduce emissions by more than 90% compared to diesel. The new site at Newton Aycliffe is part of our strategy of growing as the leading integrated supplier of alternative fuels in the UK with a target of having 30-40 stations in operation towards the end of 2025, and longer-term expanding into other European markets," said Philip Fjeld, the CEO and co-founder of ReFuels.

The new station expands ReFuel’s UK-wide network of public-access refuelling stations to include major trucking routes in Northeast England, providing customers such as Lidl, DHL, and GBA Services access to low carbon biomethane to minimise the GHG footprint of their logistics operations.

“Lidl is committed to reducing our carbon emissions across the company and over the past few years we have been gradually switching our HGV fleet to run on 100% renewable & sustainable biomethane. Bio-CNG enables us to significantly reduce our transport emissions by up to 90% vs. our diesel trucks, and the development of CNG Fuels’ latest station in Newton Aycliffe allows for the further adoption of Bio-CNG at our depot close to this new site, and will furthermore open up additional transport routes for the North East region of the UK,” said Jason Wild, Senior Consultant – Distribution & Recycling, Lidl GB.

Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are very hard to decarbonise due to driving range, high payload and low production volume. They account for an estimated 4.2% of UK carbon emissions and are a target sector for the UK Government’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050. Bio-CNG is considered the lowest carbon and most cost-effective alternative HGV fuel to diesel, reducing emissions whilst also providing 30 - 40% lifetime fuel cost savings.

The station at Newton Aycliffe is owned by a joint venture (JV) with Foresight Group. It comprises 14 fuel pump islands, allowing more than 60 trucks to be refuelled per hour with a total capacity of more than 27 million kilograms (kg) of Bio-CNG annually, making it CNG Fuels’ highest capacity station to date. It will serve local and passing fleets using the A1(M) and will introduce fleets from Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Darlington to Bio-CNG as a transport fuel for HGVs.

The current CNG Fuels network in the UK can refuel more than 5,500 HGVs daily. This equals an annual dispensing capacity of more than 240,000 tonnes of biomethane annually and a potential saving of up to 642,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually when compared to diesel. The year-end 2025 target of 30-40 stations in operation, equals a total capacity of up to 15,000 HGVs per day and ~600 million kg annually. Another two stations are currently under construction, due to start operations in the coming months, and at least four further stations are expected to commence construction during the calendar year.

For further information, please contact:
Philip Fjeld, CEO ReFuels N.V.
Tel: +44 7976 159 833
E-mail: Philip.Fjeld@refuels.com

About ReFuels
ReFuels is decarbonising Europe's truck fleet by developing, owning, and operating green refuelling station infrastructure. We are rolling out a network of reliable and convenient stations offering renewable biomethane fuel to heavy goods vehicles, with hydrogen and fast charging to be added. By the end-2025 the target is to have 30-40 stations across the UK, while the long-term ambition is to become Europe's leading integrated supplier of alternative fuels for commercial fleets. For further information please visit refuels.com.