LNG

Grupo HAM, the Spanish company that has opened more than 100 filling stations and now operates around 25 percent of existing facilities in Europe for LNG-powered trucks and other vehicles, has launched a new concept of mobile and transportable service stations.

The group’s new mobile unit, which is called EDUX, has been developed by its subsidiary HAM Criogénica, together with HAM’s research and development team who have been in charge of the design and construction.

The EDUX service station allows owners and operators to store and supply LNG for all types of trucks and heavy vehicles, keeping the liquid subcooled and adapting to the optimal temperature of the different brands.

The mobile units offer fast re-fuelling for Volvo, Scania or Iveco LNG-powered trucks. At the same time, the units allow fuel filling for compressed natural gas in cars, light vehicles and trucks.

HAM’s own network of LNG and CNG facilities is expanding in a growing number of countries with more than 30 in Spain and the others spread around the EU in France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands.

The group has also expanded its network by opening several natural gas stations in the South American nations of Chile and Peru.

The new mobile unit LNG filling station concept has 60,000 litres (60 cubic metres) of LNG capacity and works at low pressures (2-3 bar), has a submerged pump and can supply up to 12,000 kg/h of LNG and 300 Kg/h of CNG, with a capacity storage of 7,000Kg of CNG.

“The gas station has two ‘on the fly’ conditioning systems and has two LNG dispensers and two CNG dispensers, with an innovative nozzle, designed by HAM, with a 'no frost' system and a double anchoring system and closing, avoiding leaks or losses of liquid, in addition to facilitating disconnection without emissions of gas into the air,” explained HAM in a statement.

The selection of fuel and payments can be made independently at each of the dispensers, using any debit or credit card or the HAM Card for professional users.

“EDUX is a modern mobile service station, which is monitored remotely, by registering different parameters, always guaranteeing its perfect operation and allowing to quickly solve any incident,” added HAM

“At Grupo HAM, we continue to work and innovate, in direct contact with our customers, to develop high-quality and reliable advances in the improvement of CNG-LNG logistics infrastructures and services, taking respect for the environment as a starting point,” stated the company.

Grupo Ham of Spain has opened its 100th liquefied natural gas filling station and now operates around 25 percent of existing facilities in Europe for LNG-powered trucks and other vehicles.

The Ham group said the latest LNG filling station was opened in Saint Quentin Fallavier in southeast France, reaffirming its leading role in the vehicular natural gas sector in the European Union and elsewhere.

The company’s network of LNG and compressed natural gas (CNG) facilities is expanding in a growing number of countries with more than 30 in Spain and the others spread around the EU with most of them located in Spain, France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands.

Ham has also established an LNG-CNG foothold in South America with filling stations in Chile and Peru.

“A report from the Association of Natural Gas and Biogas Vehicles, noted that in Europe there are 400 service stations that allow LNG refuelling and on one in four of facilities have been designed, built and commissioned by HAM, many of them being owned by us and forming part our network of service stations,” said the company.

Ham has also started developing networks in the newer entrants to the EU such as the Czech Republic, Finland, Poland and Slovakia, as well as non-EU countries like the UK and Switzerland.

“HAM as a trucking company as well was a pioneer in Spain in 2000 when it added to its fleet of 10 trucks, acquired in the US and powered by LNG, taking on a major environmental challenge with the aim of reducing polluting emissions and also building the first vehicular LNG plant in Europe for the refuelling of these vehicles,” explained the Barcelona-based company.

“Later, in 2009 we designed and built the first public vehicular natural gas service station in Spain, located in Abrera, Barcelona,” it added.

“We continue to bet on Vehicular Natural Gas, a rapidly developing market with great potential to achieve the decarbonisation of road transport,” stated Ham.

The company is also developing new concepts of fixed and mobile service stations, allowing easier expansion of the network.

Ham is also committed to adopting bio-LNG made from waste and will make more of it available over time.

“At Grupo HAM we continue to work and innovate, always working in direct contact with our customers, to offer the best products and services that adapt to their real energy needs,” declared the company.