LNG giant Shell revealed plans to offer liquefied natural gas as fuel for vehicles in Italy after a deal with fuel retailer PAD Multienergy.
Shell said in a statement on Friday it had expanded its worldwide presence by re-entering the Italian market through a brand license agreement with PAD Multienergy.
As part of the agreement, PAD Multienergy will rebrand 500 service stations across Italy to the Shell brand.
Shell expects the first site to open in March, with more sites to be rebranded in the following months.
Also, the agreement with PAD Multienergy would help Shell to “take a material position in the mobility market across Italy by offering customers a wide range of lower-carbon products and services.”
Customers in Italy would soon have access to Shell’s products including lubricants, the firm said.
LNG as fuel for vehicles on the rise
Over time, Shell and PAD Multienergy would “incrementally increase their offer of lower-emission fuels including biofuels, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and charging points for electric vehicles,” Shell said.
According to Brussels-based association, NGVA Europe, in which Shell is also a member, Europe has recently reached a new milestone of 500 LNG filling stations for trucks.
The countries with the highest amount of LNG stations for trucks today include Italy with 112, followed by Germany with 108, the association said.
This includes a growing number of bio-LNG projects as fleet owners look to further slash emissions from their operations.
Shell is one of the largest operators of LNG fueling stations in Europe. Recently, the firm started building what it says is the largest bio-LNG production plant in Germany. This plant will provide bio-LNG to its growing network of filling stations.