Endesa Inaugurates First Bio-CNG Station in Southwest France

Endesa-Sigeif CNG station at Bonneuil-sur-Marne

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the largest administrative region in France, located in the southwest of the country has united with Spanish energy company Endesa to inaugurate the first BioGNV (Bio-CNG or RNG) station of Endesa located in that region. The event took place in Nouvelle-Aquitaine at the end of last week.

Alain Rousset, president of the regional council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Gil Najid, director of Endesa Energía in France, were present to lead the ceremony. It is the first 100% BioGNV station of Endesa, fed with local biomethane from the Certenergie methanation unit at Audenge.

Thanks to the financial support of the regional council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, it is ensured that the charging of the BioGNC (Compressed Natural Gas) is made at the same price as the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) for 3 years. In fact, the institution compensates the additional cost linked to the consumption of biomethane.

The methane that constitutes renewable natural gas is produced locally from organic waste from the food industry, from agricultural operations, from domestic waste or from wastewater from treatment plants. The consumption of Bio-GNV, which is presented as the true driver of the circular economy and sustainable mobility, allows a reduction of approximately 80% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fuels.

Likewise, it also allows meeting the public health objectives (and the upcoming evolutions and regulatory restrictions) aimed at reducing polluting emissions caused by transport in urban areas. In addition, apart from its environmental benefits, compared to diesel, natural gas also saves money when it comes to buying fuel and is the definitive alternative to diesel for the transport of goods by road.

Endesa continues to develop its network of CNG stations with the inauguration of its fifth CNG station (Natural Gas Vehicle) published in Saint-Vincent-de-Tyrosse (40 – Landes). The opening of this station is part of Endesa’s vehicular natural gas development plan in France and Europe, whose objective is to offer solutions for accessing CNG and bioGNV through a network of public and private stations.

This public station will have capacity for all types of vehicles, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in its three service lanes, with an area of more than 2,000 m². The refueling time of a heavy vehicle is less than 15 minutes and less than 5 minutes for a light vehicle. Payment is made by credit card or identification card for subscribers.

Regional Council Actively Supports Methanation

The regional council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine has also invested EUR 356,640 (USD 400k) in the installation of this second station in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It intends to take advantage of this impulse to create an operating network of CNG / BioGNV stations, to support road transport companies (1,200 companies in Nouvelle-Aquitaine) in their efforts to renew and green their fleets, giving them access to an economical fuel with a price more stable than diesel.

The regional council wants to install 20 public filling stations and support the conversion of 500 regional freight trucks. The region is supporting the acquisition of transport vehicles that work with BioGNV (subsidy to compensate for 50% of the additional costs of a gas vehicle compared to a diesel vehicle). In this way, it reaffirms its objective of 30% green gas by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

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