Page 45 - Linkline Summer 2016

Rodger O’Connor, Research Engineer, outlined the details of Gas Networks Ireland’s strategy to introduce new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations to service commercial vehicle users. There are three crucial factors in the development of CNG for commercial use in HGVs in Ireland. Factor one is to have a network of fuelling points that are strategically placed to cater for the needs of HGVs. Compressed Natural Gas use will be on average 30% cheap- er than equivalent diesel fuel. A HGV could run on CNG alone, however, the most likely combination will be a diesel/ CNG mix. For this fuel to be viable, along with the need for a network of stations, technical innovation is required to makes its use in HGVs viable. Thirdly, transport operators need to be incentivised to adapt this technology; be it by the elimination of road tolls or increased capital allowances on the purchases of these trucks.
Final speaker on the night was Paddy Murphy, Managing Director of Macroom Haulage Ltd. He has converted three units in his modern DAF eet to operate on diesel/ lpg. Overall on these units Paddy stated there is an 8% to 10% fuel cost saving, with a repayment on the conversion in less than three years. Paddy’s talk centred on the technology adapted in his business to maximise productivity and reduce the volume of diesel used per cubic metre carried. Being Ireland’s largest bulk load carrier, his business has been a commercial success due to its adoption of technology and work practices that now mean a 75% reduction in diesel used per cubic metre carried. Paddy stat- ed that it was the tremendous support and backup he received from DAF Truck Services and Calor Gas that made its implementation possible.
As his business supplies Ireland’s leading horse trainers with equestrian products, Paddy says that the key to business growth is operating ultra-modern, fuel-ef cient and eco-friendly units. While the main incentive for ef - ciency has been the bottom line, it will also have a long-term bene t for the environment. Paddy stated he trucks Calor product throughout Ireland and few road users realise he does so in trucks that are lpg powered with mini- mal carbon emissions.
Rodger O’Connor, Gas Networks Ireland, speaking with Ciaran Haughton, Logistics Irish Defence Forces Collins Barracks, about the Natural Gas Vehicle.
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT 43
Gràinne Lynch Chairperson of the CILT Southern Section, with Colm Looby, Mitsubishi Motors, Gerard Rice, Mitsubishi Ireland, Ruth Lanigan, Business Development Executive CILT, Vania Ribero, CILT and Jason Byrne, Mitsubishi Ireland, at the launch of the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug In Hybrid (PHEV).
Below: Tony Smith and Stephen Ferriter, both with DAF Trucks, with Donal Dempsey, Fleet Magazine.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY