Yet another new, environmentally friendly biogas-fuelled milk truck joined Valio's milk collection fleet. The compressed biogas-fuelled truck started collecting milk in the Pedersöre area. Its milk transport capabilities will be concentrated at the Seinäjoki dairy in South Ostrobothnia. The new vehicle reduces the carbon footprint of milk collection by up to 85–90% compared to traditional diesel-fuelled milk collection trucks.
Valio’s goal is to achieve carbon-neutral milk production by 2035, and reducing transport emissions is an important part of this goal. The utilisation of biogas in transport significantly reduces the use of fossil fuels, and with the new truck, Valio continues to increase the number of biogas-fuelled collection trucks annually. The new vehicle is the seventh biogas-fuelled milk truck, and the second that uses CBG.
More sustainable transport with biogas
A milk truck running on compressed biogas uses renewable biogas that is made from industrial side streams and municipal waste as fuel.
“In the municipalities of Pedersöre and Kruunupyy, the range of a milk collection truck is about 500 km. The truck travels about 700 kilometres every day and is refuelled on average twice per day at the end of each route. The average distance for one route is 350 km. One run collects approximately 40 tonnes of milk, which is roughly what 15 dairy farms produce,” says Valio Logistics Manager Petteri Laine.
“The truck took to the roads in early November, and everything has been working perfectly. While it has a slightly shorter range than the liquefied biogas-fuelled trucks, it is suitable for the area’s compact and dense routes. Compressed biogas is also what gas-powered passenger cars use, which means there are more refuelling points than for LBG,” says Petteri Laine.
A future with biogas and renewable fuels
Valio currently operates seven biogas-powered collection trucks. By the summer of 2025, four more trucks will be introduced in different areas of Finland. Although transport only accounts for about 1.5% of the carbon footprint of Valio milk, reducing the use of fossil fuels is important for the overall goal of an entirely carbon-neutral milk chain. By 2035, Valio aims to have all its transport equipment using renewable forms of energy such as biogas, renewable diesel, hydrogen or electricity.
“What limits us from adding more biogas trucks is the current state of the refuelling infrastructure. In particular, we need more liquefied biogas refuelling stations around Finland, preferably close to Valio’s production facilities. For example, there are still no refuelling stations in the vicinity of the Lapinlahti, Haapavesi, Riihimäki or Joensuu plants, which makes it difficult to add gas-powered trucks in their areas. However, discussions on how to develop the refuelling infrastructure are ongoing with gas distributors,” says Petteri Laine.
“Valio’s collection and distribution trucks are on the road almost 24 hours a day. This makes it relevant for Valio to modernise the fleet and reduce emissions, as well as for the climate goals of Finland as a whole,” Petteri Laine sums up.
