Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) and Circle K have joined together to launch Ireland’s first publicly-accessible, fast-fill CNG station at Circle K’s Dublin Port premises.
The project is co-financed by Gas Networks Ireland and the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility as part of Gas Network Ireland’s Causeway Project.
GNI highlighted that despite Ireland’s commercial transport fleet taking up just 3% of vehicles on the road, it is responsible for approximately one-fifth of transport’s carbon emissions.
The company suggested that switching to CNG can reduce a Heavy Goods Vehicle’s (HGV) emissions by up to 22%.
The new facility has the capacity to fill 50 HGVs a day, with each fill taking no more than 5 minutes.
CNG is a natural gas which has been compressed to fit into a Natural Gas Vehicle’s tank, and it is a proven alternative to diesel or petrol which could reduce transport costs by up to 25% and carbon emissions by over a fifth, GNI said.
Major Milestone
Denis O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Gas Networks Ireland, said that the opening of the station is a major milestone in the development of clean transport in Ireland.
“The development of this ground-breaking network of CNG stations will, for the first time, allow Ireland’s commercial fleet to choose a cleaner fuel alternative,” he explained.
“This first station has allowed us to establish the criteria, in design, safety and permitting, for future stations. Initially utilising natural gas, these stations are fully compatible with renewable gas.”
O’Sullivan added that working with partners like Circle K, private hauliers and public transport companies has aided delivering a comprehensive national network of stations.
“We are very proud to offer Ireland’s commercial fleet operators a cleaner and more cost-effective fuel alternative,” Gordon Lawlor, Managing Director, Circle K, said.
“At Circle K, we are committed to making our customers lives a little easier every day and together with Gas Networks Ireland we have plans to open additional CNG stations at key motorway locations in the near future.”
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
