Citram Aquitaine Uses Bioethanol Developed From Winery Waste To Run Scania Bus


    Citram Aquitaine operates a Scania Interlink LD Euro 6 that runs on bioethanol produced from wine waste called grape marc. (Photo courtesy of Scania.)


    Citram Aquitaine, a transport company based in Bassens, Gironde, in France that’s been in the business since 1921, is using leftover waste from the wine-making process called grape marc to make ED95 fuel that powers a Scania Interlink LD Euro 6 bus. Raisinor France Alcools collects 100,000 tonnes of grape marc annually from wine cooperatives in Bordeaux and generates the biofuel needed for the experiment. The Scania bus travels on a route between Bordeaux and Blaye in France.


    “We have to be at the forefront of innovation,” says Nicolas Raud, director of Citram Aquitaine. “I believe that the ability of a carrier to reconsider its energy mix is essential. We were immediately drawn to Raisinor and Scania’s proposal of locally produced, environmentally friendly power, so we asked to be involved in the experiment to measure the efficiency and viability of this solution.”



    French text on the side of the bus roughly translates to “I run on bioethanol produced from grape marc.” (Photo courtesy of Scania.)
    Price Of Ambition

    Jérôme Budua, director of Raisinor France Alcools, suggests that the amount of biofuel it makes from grape marc would be enough to “supply 1,000 vehicles locally,” and that focus on regional solutions for alternative fuel is at the heart of this project. The main reason for that is because ethanol outputs half the energy of an equal amount of diesel, which in turn makes it more expensive to use as a fuel source. For companies like Citram Aquitaine, the higher price is justifiable if it means cutting down on pollution.


    “Reappraising our fleet of vehicles by investing in alternative energy can only be done with the support of the region, and we know that the region views this approach favourably,” says Raud. “Bioethanol and gas allow us to develop an energy mix that is suitable for our area. In our network, some remote places do not have and probably will never have a petrol station with gas. They could easily accommodate this locally produced, ecologically relevant energy.”


    Past, Present & Future

    Scania and Raisinor have a relationship that dates back to the 1990s, which is the year Scania began operating biofuel-powered buses in Sweden and also the year Raisinor started supplying bioethanol for use in those buses. That relationship grew when Europe made a push toward using alternative fuels, like E85 and SP95-E10, in 2009. The partnership between those two companies and Citram Aquitaine is a natural next step in the process.


    “The bioethanol and diesel comparison is irrefutable, with 85% fewer carbon emissions, 50% less nitrogen oxides, and 70% fewer particulates,” Budua says. “We are now talking of a second-generation bioethanol, which stands out from the first-generation alcohol produced from beetroot and cereals.”In case you’re in the market for vehicles, this site offers a range of used buses for sale as well as hundreds of quality used Scania trucks.



    Posted On Friday 21 September 2018
    Category: Truck and Trailer News
      Blog Archive
    Iveco Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary & Sets In Motion The Spirit Of The Future
    Posted 11/06/2025
    Iveco, the brand of Iveco Group N.V. that designs, manufactures, and markets light, medium, and heavy commercial vehicles, marks the 50th anniversary since its foundation in 1975. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Schmitz Cargobull Trailer Increases Capacity & Flexibility For Bolshaw Industrial Powders
    Posted 10/03/2025
    Bolshaw Industrial Powders, a Macclesfield-based producer of limestone products, purchased a Schmitz Cargobull S.CS Fixed Roof curtain sider after being impressed by the trailer’s capacity, durability, and security features. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Fuso Canter Fills The Bill For Jack Cotterill Tree Services
    Posted 07/03/2025
    The 130-horsepower Euro 6 Step E-compliant Fuso Canter produces 360 newton-metres of torque, has the smallest turning circle in the 3.5-tonne class, and features enhanced driver comfort and safety. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Ipswich Haulier Goes Green, Replacing Diesel Truck With Volvo FE Electric
    Posted 05/03/2025
    Warehousing and distribution firm Debach has added the first electric truck to its vehicle fleet, a new, zero-tailpipe emissions Volvo FE Electric. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Iveco S-Way Makes Its Debut In Euro Truck Simulator 2
    Posted 23/12/2024
    Iveco announces the recent release of the Iveco S-Way in the popular Euro Truck Simulator 2 video game developed by SCS Software. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Cargo Express Chooses High-Quality Schmitz Cargobull Mega Trailers For International Transport
    Posted 06/11/2024
    Cargo Express adds Schmitz Cargobull Mega trailers to its fleet for their high quality, flexible roof height, and anti-theft features. ...
    Read the full blog post
    DAF Trucks Debuts New Innovations At IAA Transportation 2024
    Posted 07/10/2024
    Learn more about DAF's New Generation XD, XF, XG, and XG? trucks, which recently made their debut at the IAA Transportation 2024 show. ...
    Read the full blog post
    West Yorkshire Haulier Acquires Volvo FH Aero 460 Tractors
    Posted 30/09/2024
    Bower Green recently upgraded three trucks to new, aerodynamic Volvo FH Aero 460 tractor units with I-Save fuel-saving features and Globetrotter cabs. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Holland & Barrett Renews Fleet With Don-Bur Box Bodies
    Posted 26/09/2024
    Don-Bur announces the completion of a new batch of 33 bespoke 18-tonne rigid box bodies for Holland & Barrett, the UK's leading health and wellbeing store. ...
    Read the full blog post
    Top Tips For Selling Your Truck
    Posted 31/03/2020
    Anyone looking to sell a truck, whether it be a tractor unit, tipper, flatbed, curtainsider, or box truck, has the same goal: sell it fast for as much money as possible—here’s how. ...
    Read the full blog post