Sustainable Management of Transport Logistics

DRÄXLMAIER is managing its transport logistics even more effectively by using environmentally friendly fuels: After making initial test drives in December 2016, the company attained positive results this year with a truck fuelled by LNG. It has resulted in CO₂ savings of 18 percent.

After the successful test phase, DRÄXLMAIER is now routinely using the truck  in northern Italy. The vehicle has already covered 53,000 kilometers. The goods are transferred to a diesel truck by the LNG truck at Lake Garda for further transport. "There is a sufficient number of LNG service stations on our route in Italy", explained Jürgen Wallner, who is the responsible Innovations Manager for transport solutions in the DRÄXLMAIER Group. "But we need a denser network of service stations along our transport routes for comprehensive use of LNG trucks – particularly in Germany."  

Emission of greenhouse gases is reduced by 18 percent

The DRÄXLMAIER Group has subjected the truck filled with liquified natural gas (briefly referred to as LNG for liquified natural gas) to a successful long-term test. Over a period of several months, the truck made successful shipments in northern Italy. The truck covered 9,000 kilometers in March 2017 alone. The truck emitted around 18 percent less greenhouse gas than a comparable diesel truck over the entire period of the test. "With that, the LNG truck is much more climate-friendly than a diesel truck", Wallner explained.

In addition to the road tests, loading the LNG truck including the trailer was tested on the rolling highway "RoLa" between Trient and Wörgl and between Novara and Freiburg. The combination of road and rail not only increases the action radius of the truck. As the railway line is primarily operated by hydropower, emission is reduced even further. 

Favorable effects in particulate matter, nitrogen oxide and  sound emission

The positive results that DRÄXLMAIER has attained with the LNG truck are also being confirmed by scientific studies. According to them, LNG trucks are more environmentally friendly in many ways than diesel trucks.  Nitrogen oxide emissions by LNG trucks are around 40 percent less than the Euro VI norm for diesel vehicles. Particulate emissions even amount to 5 percent of the Euro VI limit for diesel. Noise pollution is also reduced: Today's LNG engines are reducing the perceptible sound level by 50 to 70 percent. DRÄXLMAIER became aware of the technology at an early stage and carried out the first test drives in as early as 2013. "To reduce CO₂ we want to apply the lever in long-distance traffic, because that is where the level is most powerful", Wallner said.

The truck also impressed the DRÄXLMAIER Group from a technical point of view in the long-term test: The vehicle proved to be very reliable throughout the test phase. "The LNG truck mastered its transport duties with flying colors", said Wallner. "During the test period, there were no technical problems and the response by the drivers was very favorable."

The DRÄXLMAIER Group is continually analyzing sustainable concepts for Transport Logistics. The LNG technology also has other potential for improvement: Both liquified biomethane (also briefly known as LBM) and the methane gained in renewable power generation ("power-to-gas") can be mixed with LNG, which enables further reduction of CO₂ emissions.