New Bio-LNG refuelling station planned for Spalding
Gasrec and FreshLinc have submitted plans for a new public Bio-LNG refuelling station in Spalding, creating the first open-access biomethane facility in East Anglia and expanding the UK's growing alternative fuel infrastructure network. The proposed facility will be located adjacent to FreshLinc's headquarters in Lincolnshire and is expected to begin operations towards the end of 2026. Once operational, the site will provide strategic coverage across Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, supporting both regional distribution fleets and long-haul operators.
The development marks a significant step for both businesses. For Gasrec, it extends its national network of biomethane refuelling facilities into a region that currently lacks dedicated gas infrastructure. For FreshLinc, it supports plans to begin transitioning parts of its 400-strong commercial vehicle fleet to gas-powered trucks as vehicles come up for replacement.
Expanding biomethane infrastructure
Gasrec says the new Bio-LNG refuelling station forms part of its wider strategy to create a nationwide network capable of supporting increasing demand for gas-powered heavy goods vehicles.
James Westcott, Chief Commercial Officer at Gasrec, said: "This development partnership with FreshLinc will enable us to bring biomethane infrastructure to an area of the country that was previously not serviced. "The demand for biomethane continues to grow at pace and the site in Spalding forms another important part of our plans to build a resilient national backbone of refuelling facilities allowing more and more operators to transition away from diesel." The company currently operates 18 biomethane refuelling facilities across the UK.
According to Gasrec, the network achieves uptime levels of more than 99%, supported by a dedicated Remote Monitoring Centre in Daventry and a nationwide engineering team providing round-the-clock operational support. The new site will initially operate as a skid-mounted, tanker-fed facility capable of refuelling up to 100 gas-powered trucks each day. This temporary arrangement will then be followed by the installation of a larger permanent station.
FreshLinc prepares fleet transition
FreshLinc has been assessing a range of options to reduce emissions from its transport operation and believes biomethane currently offers the most practical route to achieving immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The temperature-controlled logistics specialist recently completed a trial using Volvo gas-powered trucks and says the experience helped shape its future fleet strategy. Lee Juniper, CEO at FreshLinc, said: "Reducing the environmental impact of our operation is something we take very seriously. For our line of work, biomethane represents the best way for us to instantly reduce our emissions."
He added: "We ran a recent trial with Volvo gas-powered trucks and were impressed with the technology. The performance and refuelling is very similar to diesel." The company also cited fuel availability and infrastructure reliability as key factors behind its decision to partner with Gasrec.
Open to all operators
Although located next to FreshLinc's headquarters, the Bio-LNG refuelling station will not be restricted to the company's own fleet.
Juniper stressed that the facility is intended to support wider adoption of biomethane-powered transport across the region. "It's important to stress this isn't a FreshLinc-only facility. The site will be immediately open to the public, allowing like-minded operators of all sizes access to this cleaner and cheaper fuel," he said.
The development could prove particularly important for operators based in East Anglia, where limited refuelling infrastructure has previously been a barrier to adopting gas-powered trucks.
With growing interest in lower-carbon alternatives to diesel and increasing pressure on fleets to reduce emissions, the new Bio-LNG refuelling station has the potential to strengthen the region's alternative fuel network while supporting wider uptake of biomethane-powered HGVs.
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