Toyota Material Handling Europe has revealed it is turning to liquid biogas to increase the role it plays in minimizing the use of fossil fuels.
Manufacturing facilities owned by the company in Mjölby, Sweden, will begin replacing the more environmentally harmful liquefied petroleum gas next year.
Swedish-based biogas producer Tekniska Verken i Linköping has been confirmed as the supplier, making the agreement the first of its kind in the Scandinavian country.
“In 2015, we converted all electricity in our facility to green electricity via hydropower. The transition from liquefied petroleum gas to liquid biogas is also an important part of our overall sustainability strategy: minimizing fossil fuel in our production activities”, said Kristian Björkman, managing director at Toyota Material Handling Manufacturing Sweden.
“It is essential for us to ensure that our customers’ products are produced with minimal impact on the environment. We are looking forward to working with Tekniska Verken as they are at the forefront on these issues, which makes them a credible partner in our sustainability work,” Björkman continued.
Mainly used for drying and curdling of the paint, the liquefied petroleum gas will be replaced with the renewable, locally produced biogas – considered one of the world’s cleanest fuel sources.
Liquid biogas is produced by purifying the biogas and cooling it down to about -163°C. It is easier and more efficient to store and distribute than a gaseous substance.
The first delivery is expected to take place after the summer of 2019. The agreement extends over 10 years and covers up to 25GWh of liquid biogas per year, which is enough to manufacture more than 130,000 trucks a year at Toyota’s Swedish facility.
June 22, 2018
