RWE, one of Europe’s leading energy companies, and Rolande, a pioneer in developing LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) fuelling infrastructure, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in the downstream LNG market in Germany and to further promote the use of LNG as an alternative fuel.

Rolande, based in Tilburg, Netherlands, already introduced (Bio)-LNG and CNG+ (Compressed Natural Gas) for transport vehicles in Dutch and European road freight transport in 2010. Today the company operates the largest LNG network in the Netherlands and is also setting up a supply structure in Belgium and Germany.

The main focus of the cooperation will be on the heavy duty road transport sector, where the use of LNG has significant environmental and economic benefits over Diesel. In particular, LNG is less CO2-intensive and can almost completely eliminate pollution from NOx and SOx emissions. In addition LNG-powered vehicles considerably reduce noise levels. RWE has already demonstrated in a project with the Port of Duisburg in Germany that replacing Diesel with LNG reduces environmental pollution. An LNG filling station was set up there and port vehicles were converted to the more environmentally friendly fuel.

Key to the cooperation with Rolande will be RWE’s access to LNG via the planned import terminal in Brunsbüttel. RWE has already contractually secured capacities in this terminal. Rolande plans to operate six new LNG fuelling stations in Germany in 2020. Other areas of cooperation are joint investments and the development of Bio-LNG solutions.

Javier Moret, Global Head of LNG at RWE Supply & Trading GmbH, comments: “LNG is the best solution to reduce emissions in heavy duty road transport in Germany today. This is one of the reasons why we are supporting Germany’s first LNG import terminal in Brunsbüttel, and we are pleased to be working with Rolande as a partner to promote LNG as an alternative fuel in Germany.”