Visiting Scania Finland's Kokkola unit
We got to know Scania Finland Ltd operations and heard about the features of gastrucks from Mika Jukkara and Peter Lindfelt.
Picture: Demeca’s Sales Director Sami Vinkki (left) received expert information about gastrucks from Scania Finland Ltd Product Manager Mika Jukkara and truck salesman Peter Lindfelt at the Kokkola unit.
Demeca visited Scania Suomi Ltd Kokkola unit just over a week ago. The first we saw the Scania L340 gastruck that Ekokuljetus JNH Ltd has bring to shown. We were received by truck salesman Peter Lindfelt from the Kokkola unit and Product Manager Mika Jukkara, whose main area of responsibility is alternative forms of energy, such as gas and electricity. The purpose of the visit was to get more information with the company’s operations and to hear about the market situation, capacity and engine technology of gas-fueled trucks. Right from the start, it became clear that the propulsion systems of the future will be more environmentally friendly and the number of gas-fueled trucks will increase. Scania has focused on it product development into their engine technology for gas-powered trucks and increasing gasbottle capacity. More and more biogas is being produced, the filling station network is expanding, and features of gas-fueled trucks have improved significantly over the years. In road transport, professional drivers will increasingly be required to have cleaner propulsion.
Finland aims to increase biogas production to four terawatt hours by 2030. Biogas is domestic, renewable and low-emission energy that is a solution for transport, energy production, agriculture and industry. In 2021, biogas was mainly produced from sewage sludge, biowaste and landfill gases, which was utilised for 60% heat production. According to various estimates, Finland’s biogas production potential is approximately 10–25 TWh per year. In 2030, plants in Finland are estimated to have about 4.7 million tonnes of feedstock, about 300,000 tonnes of food industry side streams, about 900,000 tonnes of plant biomass, about 600,000 tonnes of biowaste and just under 600,000 tonnes of sludge. By increasing biogas production, the aim is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the transport, agriculture and waste sectors. In addition, the aim is to improve security of supply and increase national energy and nutrient self-sufficiency. Approximately 2.5 TWh of the target will be allocated to road transport. (Suomen Biokierto ja Biokaasu ry)
It is possible to get different car options from Scania. It is possible to apply for procurement support from Traficom for the purchase of a gas-fueled truck. Scania’s gas-powered trucks are highly adaptable and gas-powered trucks are characterised by top-notch adaptability, excellent driveability and low fuel consumption. The range includes both city centre and regional transports as well as long-distance transport solutions. However, it is precisely for this reason that significant reductions can also be achieved in the transport sector. Scania gas engines are known for their fuel efficiency. When biomethane is present in tanks, the CO2 reduction in vehicle use is 50-90%, depending on the raw material used to produce biomethane. The typical European average is -80% compared to conventional diesel. If raw materials already in circulation, such as biowaste, are used in the production of biomethane, the CO2 emission reduction can be reduced by up to -90% compared to conventional diesel. (Scania Finland Ltd)
It is no secret that traffic emissions in Finland in 2022 amounted to approximately 9.9 Mt CO2eq. Variations in road transport emissions have a significant impact on the development of Finland’s total emissions, as they cover approximately 95% of carbon dioxide emissions from transport and about 29% of all carbon dioxide emissions produced in Finland. (Traficom)
Kuva: Scania’s gastruck motor (Scania.com)
Scania’s gas engines comply with strict noise regulations, such as the European PIEK standard Quiet Truck. The fuel tanks for pressurised biomethane are 4 x 80 l, 4 x 95 l, 4 x 118 l and 4 x 152 l + 4 x 118 l tanks with a capacity of up to 820 km. These tanks also have better ground clearance than liquefied gas tanks.Scania gas vehicles are also available with larger compressed gas (CNG/CBG) tanks and large liquefied gas (LNG/LBG) tanks. With the new tank options, the range of gas vehicles will increase significantly, making biogas also suitable for heavy-duty transports over longer distances. Scania’s new gas engines are based on reliable positive-ignition technology, which means that Scania gas vehicles only need to be fuelled with gas. Other fuels or additives and particulate filters are not required. (Scania Finland Ltd)
At the end of the visit, we discussed upcoming events and invited Scania Finland Oy to talk about gas-powered trucks for our upcoming events. We organise events for professional drivers in connection with the opening of the new Demeca gFuel filling stations, where you can come and hear more about gas-fueled trucks and the use of biogas in commercial transport. We will announce upcoming events on our website and social media channels. The meeting confirmed our view that the future of biogas is bright and that the transport use of biomethane will increase significantly.
Picture: Scania offers plenty of gasbottle capacity for gas-powered trucks. Scania L340 gas bottles and gas fittings.