Waste disposal with natural gas vehicle starts in Vienna

“The start-up of the first natural gas-driven waste collection vehicle in Vienna is a further step by Saubermacher towards a worthwhile environment in Vienna”, says KommR Hans Roth, Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG executive board spokesman.

Vienna’s first waste collection wagon is a joint project between Saubermacher, Wien Energie [Vienna energy firm] and the Vienna Economic Chamber. For Saubermacher the environmentally-friendly waste collector is a showpiece project, for Wien Energie the opportunity to gain experiences with HGVs powered by natural gas, and the Vienna Economic Chamber thus demonstrates a new economic and ecologically useful solution to the industry.

A great deal of horsepower – few pollutants

The 26-tonne vehicle from Saubermacher features over 205 kW/279 HP and a maximum torque of 1,000 Nm. “Saving starts with the wagon at the service station and with the pollutants, since hardly any pollutants come from the exhaust”, adds Roth. The low noise level of the waste vehicle is also pleasing: the noise emission values lie up to 50 percent below those of a diesel motor.

The vehicle is optimal for short distances in the municipal area. One tank filling (140 kilograms of natural gas) is enough for the daily route of a waste collection vehicle. 

Warm air from the exhaust

Mag. Helmut Miksits, Chairman of Wiener Stadtwerke [Vienna municipal utilities]: “Natural gas HGVs have good ranges in city traffic, where we meanwhile have a well-developed service station network. Most logistical day tours can be managed in the inner-city area with one tank filling. We are taking part in the project because we also want to gather further experiences in the HGV sector with vehicles powered by natural gas.” With the knowledge obtained, Wien Energie intends to make the topic of natural gas capable of being experienced by other firms in the realm of logistics and distribution of goods traffic.

Miksits: “As a fuel for HGVs, natural gas is clean, save and economical. Clean, because nearly only warm air comes out of the exhaust and no pollutant particles are emitted; safe, because the companies are at least just as safely underway as with diesel & petrol-driven vehicles; and economical, because natural gas has a clean competitive advantage over diesel at the pump.”

Chance for the economy

KommR Brigitte Jank, President of the Vienna Economic Chamber, sees [the fuel] natural gas as a chance for the economy: “Companies which cover many annual kilometres and switch to natural gas thereby secure a competitive advantage for themselves.” On the whole, innovative ability offers a chance for the economy.

The natural gas service station network in Austria is expanding. This is also an opportunity for plant manufacturers to gain experience and a foothold in this area. The piston-free compressor from Linde Austria is one example.

“Natural gas is a favourable and clean fuel that is ideal for all logistical companies in the inner-city area. Through the utilisation of this environmentally-friendly technology every company can save money and at the same time provide a valuable contribution towards the protection of the climate and the environment”, says Jank in conclusion.

For a worthwhile environment

“For a worthwhile environment” is not only part of our company logo, but a basic profession of loyalty to an environmentally-friendly and sustainable economy. Saubermacher is the disposal partner for quite a few industrial and commercial business operations in Vienna, and that is why we see it as our obligation that we provide a contribution towards a better quality of life in Vienna”, adds Roth.