Fourteen LNG projects to get TEN-T funding

As part of the funding made available by the EU’s TEN-T Programme, a total of 14 LNG projects have been recommended to be supported financially by the European Commission.

Subsidies have been allocated to 11 short-term (Annual Call) and 3 long-term (Multi-Annual) initiatives related to liquefied natural gas.

Overall the European Commission selected 106 projects in total to benefit from over €320 million in EU support for improving Europe’s transport infrastructure and reducing the transport sector’s carbon footprint.

The 11 LNG short-term projects have been recommended for funding under Priority 2, which aims at “decarbonisation/oil substitution or environmental cost reduction”. Moreover, additional 3 long-term LNG projects were recommended under the Multi-Annual Call as part of the Motorways of the Sea Programme. The total aid allocated to the 14 LNG ventures amounts to almost €40 million. Remarkably, the number of recommended projects related to LNG has increased significantly compared to last year’s Call, when 6 LNG projects were selected.

Among the initiatives receiving support are 3 proposals handed in by NGVA Europe members, including two road-related projects. Dutch Rolande LNG will receive subsidies in the amount of some EUR 4,000,000 for a study including pilot deployment to determine the viability of LNG as an alternative fuel for medium and long distance road transport, which includes the build-up of 5 new LNG filling stations. This further extension of the number of LNG filling stations in the Netherlands will certainly help to take away the “chicken and egg” dilemma for using LNG as fuel for trucks. Additionally, Rolande has ordered 75 new IVECO Stralis Euro 6 LNG trucks to enable the pilot deployment of LNG fuelled trucks in the Netherlands.

Belgium-based Fluxys was granted funding in the amount of EUR 520,000 for a project with the aim of greening road transport by means of deploying LNG refuelling infrastructure network. Fluxys has completed a brand new LNG filling station in Veurne, which is an important step in the launch of LNG as a sustainable alternative fuel for trucks.

Furthermore, Wärtsilä has been granted funding of EUR 3,629,540 (half the total costs) for the long-term project “Into the future – Baltic So2lution” that supports the development of more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient shipping in the Baltic Sea region, and the build-up of an LNG infrastructure.