Official opening of the first LNG filling station in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg

Nuremberg/Neumarkt – The first LNG filling station in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg has been in operation since July. The Newmarkt-based energy supplier Rödl energie and the Munich-based BayWa Mobility Solutions GmbH (BMS), a wholly owned company of the BayWa corporate group, combined forces to build the filling station at the traffic-friendly location in bayernhafen Nürnberg. Yesterday, the filling station in Mülheimer Straße 17 was officially opened by Albert Füracker, the Bavarian State Minister, Marcus König, the Lord Mayor, Dr. Michael Fraas, the Spokesman on Economic Affairs, Stefan Rödl, the Managing Director of Rödl energie, Michael Taft, the Member of the board of Management of BayWa AG, and Joachim Zimmermann, the Chief Executive Officer of bayernhafen.

“LNG enables us to offer greater opportunities for environmentally friendly freight transport today until other technologies such as hydrogen and e-fuels reach market maturity. As an entrepreneur, when it comes to protecting the environment, I consider it my duty to offer alternative market-ready fuels,” explains Managing Director, Stefan Rödl, on why he is investing in LNG. In addition to the filling station at the port in Nuremberg, he is already planning to open two more LNG filling stations.

In his capacity as member of the Board of Management of BayWa AG responsible for the Energy business segment, Matthias Taft stresses: “We want to develop our filling station business with an eye to the future and add low-emission fuel alternatives to our product portfolio. The LNG station in Nuremberg is an important milestone in the development of our LNG filling station network throughout Germany.

Bavarian State Minister Albert Füracker: “When it comes to new technologies, Bavaria is a premiere league player. This can also be seen in the collaboration between bayernhafen Nürnberg, the Neumarkt-based energy supplier Rödl and the Munich-based BayWa group in the development of the LNG filling station at bayernhafen. The filling station will make an important contribution to the diverse range of technology available in Bavaria and, in times of climate change and re-alignment in transport priorities, it supports innovation and alternative opportunities for powering vehicles. LNG is a bridging technology and a timely alternative for ships and HGV road vehicles.“

Lord Mayor Marcus König is also pleased that the first LNG filling station in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg has gone into operation in his city, thereby clearly signalling the trend towards more environmentally freight transport. “Now that this filling station has entered into service, Rödl energie is starting a new chapter in alternative fuels in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg. The new LNG filling station will provide a welcome boost to efforts to protect the climate, reduce CO₂ emissions in freight transport and send a clear message to industry and the logistics sector: we want to protect the environment, and we can do it too.”

The project also enjoyed great appeal from the very beginning at bayernhafen. CEO Joachim Zimmermann sees it as a clear win-win for the location. “Of course, our goal at our bayernhafen locations is to shift long-distance transport onto rail and inland waterway – but trucks will still remain indispensable for the initial and last mile transport legs. For this reason, we heartily welcome the LNG filling station: operating from our port, Rödl energie and BayWa will make a valuable contribution to reducing fuel emissions. Being open to technology also means letting go and doing what works. This is the mindset that we and our customers at all of our locations share and live.”

Rödl energie also operates a highly frequented diesel filling station at the site of the new LNG filling station in Mülheimer Straße. By adding alternative fuels to the normal refueling service, the aim is to offer existing customers and new customers the best conditions for changing over to more environmentally friendly HGV vehicles.

In addition to cutting CO₂ emissions by around 15%, LNG delivers significant reductions in pollutants and noise emissions, lower fuel consumption and greater cost savings. The German Federal government also has funding programmes in place to enable the changeover to LNG. It currently offers a € 12,000 subsidy for the purchase of an LNG HGV vehicle.

In addition, LNG HGV vehicles are exempt from road tolls until the end of 2023. Drivers can refuel at the new LNG filling station using cards supplied by the two companies, Tankpool24 and BayWa. Brief instructions are provided to drivers when the first use the system. Refueling with LNG takes 10 minutes. Two lanes are available for LNG HGV vehicles that share one pump between them. A second possibility for refueling that will allow both lanes to be served is to be added in the new year.