DHL Group doubles bioLNG-powered truck fleet in the UK

The e-commerce arm of global logistics company DHL has added 30 new bio-liquefied natural gas (bioLNG)-fuelled trucks to its UK fleet, doubling its total number of LNG vehicles to 60.

The Volvo FM trucks – which can run on both fossil LNG and bioLNG – are expected to reduce emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. When running on bioLNG the vehicles can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared with traditional diesel, according to Swedish car and truck maker Volvo.

“We are committed to being at the forefront of sustainable logistics so we will continue to make the necessary investments to reduce our GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions footprint as we work towards our sustainability targets,” said Stuart Hill, CEO of DHL e-commerce in the UK.

The new trucks will be based at DHL hubs in Leicester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, and Coventry – where the company will also install a secondary bioLNG tank.

BioLNG, derived from organic waste, is a renewable, carbon-neutral fuel source that can be used in the same infrastructure as conventional LNG, providing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels in the transport sector.

Despite its promise, the sector has suffered from low production and insufficient refuelling networks for gas-powered trucks. There are also concerns about the sustainability of feedstock sources.

However, as part of its REPowerEU plan, the EU aims to increase biomethane production to 35 billion cubic metres by 2030. As of 2023, combined biomethane and biogas production was already up to 22 bcm. The EU’s total natural gas consumption in 2023 was 295 bcm.

In the UK, uptake is being driven partially by a government-certified scheme called the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO). The scheme, which was introduced by the country’s Department of Transport, aims to encourage the use of renewable fuels in the transport sector,

Earlier this year, fuel provider Gasrec became the first in the UK to offer customers access to the RTFO-certified biomethane through either a grid-connected facility or through tanker-supplied LNG.

Some of its key customers include the retailer Asda – which invested in two bioLNG refuelling stations in 2024, Ocado, logistics company Gregory Distribution, and Reed Boardall. It also works with other major retail and logistics players like Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, B&Q, and DHL.