A recent study promoted by IVECO and conducted by the Institute of Atmospheric Pollution of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) has evaluated the environmental impact of using compressed biomethane derived from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) compared to traditional fuels, such as diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG). The study focused on vehicles employed for waste collection in urban areas within the Italian market, where CNG refuelling stations are widely distributed due to the high prevalence of methane-powered vehicles.
The Well-to-Wheels analysis, which assesses the impacts of fuel production and usage, revealed significant environmental benefits of compressed biomethane over traditional fuels. The study did not include the construction or maintenance of plants and infrastructure, concentrating solely on fuel comparison. Key factors considered included CO2 capture in the production chain and the energy mix used to power industrial processes.
According to the findings, compressed biomethane can reduce climate-changing gases by up to 96% and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 72% compared to diesel.
The study’s most promising results emerged from scenarios where the entire production chain—from waste management and anaerobic digestion to CO2 capture and vehicle refuelling—was conducted on a single site, utilising energy produced from on-site biogas combustion.
“We are honoured to support research into sustainable technologies that are truly able to help us achieve decarbonisation in an effective and productive way. At IVECO, we have always believed in the benefits of biomethane, a technologically mature resource for our entire range and multiple missions of our clients. The study led by the CNR further confirms that the use of bio-CNG is an environmentally sustainable solution and can generate a highly desirable circular economy, extracting value from waste and organic matter to provide fuel for waste collection itself, without compromising the vehicles’ mission capabilities,” added Giandomenico Fioretti, Head of Alternative Propulsion Business Development at IVECO.