SAG – the European pioneer in LNG cryotank systems
LNG stands for Liquefied Natural Gas. If natural gas is cooled to -163 °C, it condenses and the volume is reduced by a factor of 600. This allows sufficient quantities of natural gas in the form of LNG to be stored in a special vacuum-insulated fuel tank (called LNG tanks or cryotanks).
As the world market leader for fuel tanks, SAG develops not only diesel tanks but also high-tech tanks for LNG-powered trucks, so-called cryotanks, at its plant in Schwarzach (Salzburg/Austria). In these, liquefied natural gas is stored at approx. -150°C and used as an environmentally friendly fuel. The double-walled, super-insulated cryogenic tanks allow a similar range with LNG as with diesel. SAG’s LNG tank is the first European solution approved for the European market by its ECE R110 certification.
Advantages of LNG in truck traffic:
The strict environmental requirements of the Euro VI emissions standard can be easily met with LNG. Compared to diesel, LNG reduces sulphur oxide and fine dust emissions by almost 100 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 to 90 percent and CO2 emissions by up to 15 percent. Noise emissions are up to 50 percent lower than for a diesel vehicle.
Operating costs are of central importance for forwarders and fleet operators. With LNG, fuel costs are lower than for a diesel vehicle with a similar range. This price advantage will be maintained for LNG users in the long term, as LNG production capacities are growing worldwide and the use of LNG is becoming ever more efficient. The increasing use of LNG vehicles will also further reduce acquisition costs, so that the LNG drive alternative will become increasingly competitive, depending on diesel price trends.
About the company:
SAG Salzburger Aluminium Group is an Austrian family business with 1300 employees at 10 locations worldwide. The production facilities in Austria are located in Lend and Schwarzach (Salzburg). Further production locations are in Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and Mexico. In addition to diesel and LNG tanks, the company’s main products include special components for the automotive, truck and railway industries. 95 percent of the products are exported. The turnover of the group of companies in 2019 was around EUR 220 million.