CV Focus episode 7 - James Westcott

CNG, LNG and biogas - it’s all methane - so what’s the difference? Explaining everything you need to know about gas is James Westcott, Chief Commercial Officer for Gasrec, which supplies infrastructure, such as refuelling stations.

He sets out the advantages of using gas - that it’s cleaner and cheaper than diesel - and ready technology that’s available now for heavy-duty-cycle trucks and buses.

With Gasrec’s DIRFT, Daventry, station already filling around 350 trucks from 20 different operators a day, the switch from diesel is already well underway, learns Matt Eisenegger.

That’s not surprising with the attraction of a clear duty differential for 10 years, thanks to the CO2 benefits, which are up to 90% on biogas, and with savings of up to 40% on fuel costs.

While supermarkets have been early adopters of gas trucks, James explains why family businesses are now starting to make the switch. 

With shorter decision-making process, they can move quickly and with a choice of Iveco, Scania and Volvo vehicles - plus a payback time of around two years - family-owned businesses can see an opportunity; and, they are taking it.

While electric works well for shorter distances, and with hydrogen fuel-cells yet to come to market for trucks and buses, James predicts that up to 50% of the heavy-duty sector could be gas powered in 10 years time. Listen to why he thinks this will be the case.