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The sustainable alternative

The battle against climate change and the race to net zero has seen a significant rise in the popularity of alternative energies. The groundswell of pressure concerning sustainability is driving the forecourt sector toward a seismic transformation

The catalyst inspiring this change is the forthcoming ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, with hybrid models to follow suit in 2035. As a consequence, motorists in the market for a new car after the deadline will be presented with a choice of battery-electric vehicles or other environmentally friendly alternatives, such as hydrogen, LNG or CNG. Retailers need to start strategic planning now to revise their existing business model – or risk getting left behind.

As established fuel suppliers, large forecourt networks and independent retailers are in a strong position to claim natural ownership of new energies. Retailers should embrace the potential new revenue opportunities generated from welcoming environmentally friendly drivers to the site. By treating it as incremental business and leveraging existing locations and facilities to deliver new energies, they will soon see a return on their investment via supplementary store sales.

TSG Gas

The opportunity for fuel retailers

Adoption of sustainable lifestyles is on the rise and consumers are increasingly making conscious decisions with sustainability and the environment in mind. High on the list of priorities is opting for low-carbon emission vehicles including hydrogen, LNG and CNG.

This situation presents an ideal opportunity for fuel retailers to upgrade their facilities with the introduction of gas to their energy offering, and in doing so attract additional customers to the store. Internal combustion engine (ICE) cars are on the decline and so it stands to reason that retailers will likely see a gradual erosion of their once loyal customer base – unless they take action now.

Get into Gas
Hydrogen

Hydrogen is a naturally occurring element and as such, the most sustainable of all energy sources. Colourless, odourless and tasteless, this non-toxic gas produces nothing except water vapour when burned, making it the cleanest of all fuels. Hydrogen can be compressed into gas or liquefied to simplify its transportation and reduce costs.

Whilst hydrogen is emission-free at the point of use, it relies on energy to produce it. Consequently, hydrogen is categorised into a wide variety of colour groups, determined by the production process. The cleanest form is known as green hydrogen, which is made by using electricity from renewable sources (solar or wind) to split water molecules into its constituent components, producing completely carbon-free hydrogen.

Most importantly for forecourt owners, the majority of fossil fuel vehicles can be converted to hydrogen energy by replacing the traditional combustion engine with a complete hydrogen fuel cell power system.  This clever initiative allows motorists to switch to greener energy at a fraction of the cost of vehicle replacement.

CNG

CNG, also known as compressed natural gas, is a safe eco-friendly energy alternative to petrol and diesel. Like hydrogen, it is odourless, colourless, non-corrosive and free of any kind of toxicity. Now gaining recognition in the transportation sector for powering cars, vans and heavy goods vehicles. CNG reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 90 to 97% percent over traditional fuels and can cut engine noise by as much as 50% compared to diesel vehicles. This innocuous energy is totally safe and even when accidentally discharged, it does not contaminate groundwater.

Consistent with hydrogen, most vehicles can be modified to CNG power by employing a certified CNG installer to fit a conversion kit.

LNG

LNG, also described as liquefied natural gas, is predominantly methane cooled down to liquid form. By liquefying the natural gas, it reduces its volume by 600 times in comparison to its gaseous state, making it easier to transport out of the country or to remote areas where the use of a pipeline is not possible. LNG is a clean-burning, more eco-friendly energy that emits less carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels.

LNG has been part of the UK’s energy mix for many years, however, in recent times the demand for the liquefied gas is rising in the transportation sector with several key players adopting LNG heavy goods vehicles to run their operations. It would be fair to say that this fossil fuel has yet to reach its true potential as the UK moves toward cleaner, low carbon energies.

Leading the way

It is important for the fuel retailing sector not to play the waiting game, the energy transition is happening right now across the UK. Adding hydrogen, LNG/CNG dispensers and electric charge points chargers to the forecourt will benefit the local community, businesses, commuters and visitors to the area, whilst elevating the site’s brand image and reputation.

TSG Gas is here to help

Primarily recognised for the supply, installation and maintenance of traditional forecourt equipment, TSG has been serving the fuel retail industry for over 30 years. Now TSG is making inroads into the new energy sector, assisting forward-thinking site owners to increase their clientele by offering alternative energies. This includes all types of CNG and LNG plants and dispensers, and Hydrogen compressors, electrolysers and dispensers.

TSG is now established as the UK’s first-choice engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for all new energies (including electricity and solar), delivering all works within a predefined timescale and budget for any application.

In addition, TSG operates an aftercare service that caters to the exacting needs of the forecourt sector, causing minimal disruption and downtime. The team of highly skilled engineers is spread across the UK,  providing the necessary support and advice at every step of the transition and continued maintenance services for the years ahead.

Electric vehicle (EV) charge point installation

TSG UK offers a wide range of charging hardware and software to site owners, creating an infrastructure to support the growth of EV charge points as demand increases.

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