It's already working in Zaragoza Spain's first public station capable of supplying bioLNG and biomethane for all types of vehicles. The facility is located in the El Cisne service area, at kilometer 309 of the A-2 highway, and is destined to become a benchmark for professional and private transport seeking cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels.
The project is the result of a collaboration between Redexis, Zoilo RÃos and Axpowho have combined their capabilities in infrastructure, service station operation, and renewable gas marketing. Thanks to this agreement, the station offers COâ‚‚-neutral renewable fuels and integrates into the decarbonization and energy transition strategies which are gaining importance in the transport sector in Spain.
A pioneering project in the renewable refueling network
The new facility has been designed as a publicly accessible biogas plant which allows refueling with both bioLNG and biomethane at the same point. BioLNG is primarily intended for long-haul trucks and heavy vehicleswhile biomethane is intended for passenger cars, vans and fleets that use gas as fuel.
According to the companies involved, the El Cisne station is considered a pioneering project within the Spanish alternative fuels networkIt is the first facility to combine these two renewable gases in publicly accessible installations. This configuration allows both freight and passenger transport to access a stable renewable refueling point, with prices that are below those of conventional fossil fuels.
The new biogas plant is integrated into the Redexis mobility network, which already has More than 40 natural gas vehicle refueling stations in Spain and works on the development of biomethane and green hydrogen projects. In this context, the Zaragoza station acts as key link to extend the use of renewable gases in the country's main transport corridors.
For its part, Axpo contributes the renewable gas with guarantees of origin which is supplied at the pumps. The company, which presents itself as the largest biomethane marketer in Spain, sees this collaboration as another piece of its growth plan in the national market, where it expects to reach around one terawatt-hour of biomethane projects by 2030.
Zoilo RÃos, responsible for managing the service station, integrates this biogas plant into a broader strategy of sustainable mobility and energy diversification, which already includes other solutions such as vehicular natural gas, renewable hydrogen or alternative fuels for pilot tests of new transport technologies.
El Cisne, a strategic point on the A-2 and next to PLAZA
The location chosen is not accidental. The station is located in the El Cisne service station, left side of the A-2, kilometer 309, at the gates of the Zaragoza Logistics Platform (PLAZA), considered one of the largest logistics centers in Europe. This enclave concentrates a very significant portion of road freight traffic on the Iberian Peninsula.
The data handled by the development companies indicates that along this section of the highway More than 6.000 heavy vehicles circulate dailyZaragoza also acts as a connecting hub between Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Bilbao and Valenciaand as a natural step for international journeys to France, making the station a particularly interesting point for national and international fleets.
Located next to one of Europe's largest logistics hubs, the biogas plant strengthens the supply of alternative energy supply for transport companies and logistics operators that operate in PLAZA and nearby corridors. This makes it easier for large fleets to gradually incorporate vehicles powered by bioLNG or biomethane without having to deviate from their usual routes.
The station is also open to light vehicles and private carsThis means that people traveling on the A-2 or moving around Zaragoza can opt for renewable fuel if they own gas-powered vehicles. In this way, the project's impact extends beyond professional transport to encompass everyday mobility.
This strategic location makes the facility a potential replicable model in other logistics hubs in Spain and Europewhere the transit of goods is intense and the potential demand for renewable fuels is beginning to grow in line with decarbonization policies.
BioLNG and biomethane: how and for whom they are supplied
The station is equipped with dedicated fuel dispensers for bioLNG which service long-haul trucks and heavy vehicles. This fuel, being liquefied, allows for the storage of larger amounts of energy in the tank, which is especially useful for long routes that require high range and short downtimes.
Along with bioLNG, the facility has pumps for biomethane in gaseous state For cars, vans, and trucks that use compressed gas. Biomethane has similar characteristics to natural gas but with the advantage of being derived from renewable sources, such as the use of organic wasteThis helps to close the cycle of matter and move towards a circular economy.
The project managers emphasize that the Refueling times are comparable to those of traditional fuelsAround three minutes for cars and light vehicles, and up to eight minutes for trucks and heavy vehicles. This speed is a key factor in making these alternatives viable for professional transport companies, as it does not require drastic changes to daily operations.
As it is a public station, access is not limited to large operators. Any user with a gas-powered vehicle can refuel. refueling with biomethane or bioLNG under the usual conditions of a conventional gas station, with the added benefit that the fuel supplied is renewable and COâ‚‚-neutral throughout its life cycle.
Combining both products in the same location makes it easier to different types of fleet share infrastructureFrom long-distance trucks to urban delivery services or private vehicles, this optimizes the use of space and the investment made.
Environmental impact and contribution to the circular economy
One of the facts that Redexis, Zoilo RÃos and Axpo emphasize most is the station's potential for reduce carbon dioxide emissionsThe companies' estimates indicate that the use of bioLNG and biomethane in this facility could reach to avoid more than 2.000 tons of COâ‚‚ per year with respect to equivalent fossil fuels.
This reduction in emissions is due to the fact that both fuels are renewable and are considered COâ‚‚ neutral in their overall balancebecause the carbon they release during use comes from biomass and does not add additional fossil COâ‚‚ to the atmosphere. Furthermore, they are usually produced from organic waste from agriculture, livestock, urban or industrialThis allows for the valorization of currents that could otherwise generate uncontrolled emissions.
In this sense, the project fits within the logic of the circular economyWaste that was previously an environmental problem is captured and treated, transformed into biogas, and, after purification, converted into biomethane suitable for vehicle use. BioLNG is essentially that liquefied biomethane for use in long-haul trucks.
In addition to the direct environmental benefits, the station contributes to Strengthening Spain's energy independenceBy leveraging local resources and reducing the need to import fossil fuels, this diversification of energy sources is seen as an important element for improving security of supply in a context of energy transition and international price volatility.
The companies involved also point out that projects of this type help to consolidate a renewable gas value chain in the countryFrom biomethane production plants to distribution networks and end-use points, generating economic activity and investment opportunities in different territories.
The companies behind the Zaragoza biogas plant
Paper redexis The project focuses on the development and operation of the energy infrastructure needed to supply bioLNG and biomethane. The company, specializing in the transport and distribution of natural gas and LPG, has been expanding its activities in recent years into this area. renewable gases and sustainable mobility solutionswith significant investments since 2010 and a network of natural gas vehicle stations already deployed throughout the country.
El Zoilo RÃos GroupWith nearly a century of history in Aragon, the company manages the El Cisne service station. The company, which operates a network of service stations and has been incorporating new businesses for years, natural gas, biofuels and other energy alternativesThis has transformed the site into a small hub of innovation in mobility, where hybrid trucks powered by hydrogen and renewable diesel have also been tested and a hydrogen refueling station has been installed for the first regular bus line of renewable hydrogen of the community.
By your side, Axpo It supplies the renewable gas that is sold at this station. The energy company, with an international presence and a broad client base in Europe, North America, and Asia, has been active in the Spanish market for some time, where it claims to be one of the main players in the marketing of biomethaneTheir participation guarantees the supply of renewable gas with traceability and sustainability criteria.
The alliance of these three companies allows for a combination infrastructure, operational experience and renewable gas supply capacity, a set of factors that is key for the station to be able to offer continuous and reliable service to businesses and individuals.
This collaboration also fits with the corporate strategies of the three entities, which have positioned the decarbonization of transport and the energy transition as central pillars of their growth and innovation plans in the coming years.
A model with the potential to expand to other corridors
The opening of this station in Zaragoza places Aragon in the national map of renewable mobility initiatives linked to the use of biogas. The project is presented as a benchmark for future similar developments in other parts of the Spanish and, potentially, European road network.
The promoting companies emphasize that the El Cisne biogas plant offers a replicable value proposition in other logistics nodes: to integrate the supply of bioLNG and biomethane at a single point, facilitate access to renewable fuels for fleets of different sizes and maintain refueling times and operations very similar to those of a conventional station.
Looking ahead, the existence of infrastructure like this could help to More transport companies are encouraged to renew part of their fleets towards renewable gas vehiclesespecially in those corridors where a sufficient number of refueling points are being ensured. This aligns with European targets for reducing emissions in road transport.
For private users with gas-powered vehicles, having a station of this type on a road as busy as the A-2 means having an additional option for traveling with renewable fuels between the country's main cities, without relying solely on conventional natural gas stations.
With this initiative, Zaragoza reinforces its role as real laboratory of energy solutions applied to transportAdding the bioLNG and biomethane biogas plant to other renewable hydrogen, vehicular natural gas and low-carbon alternative projects already operating in the area.
The commissioning of the first public bioLNG and biomethane station in Spain, located in El Cisne (Zaragoza), brings together in one place technological innovation, strategic location and supply of renewable fuels for all types of vehicles. With its capacity to reduce thousands of tons of COâ‚‚, its role in the circular economy and its integration into the national logistics network, this biogas plant is establishing itself as a significant step in the transformation of road transport towards more sustainable and diversified energy models.
