Sainsbury’s plans to double the size of its dual-fuel fleet as it orders 50 more liquefied biomethane fittings for its trucks.

The supermarket will fit 50 vehicles with a natural gas fuel system during Q1 and Q2 this year.

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said the retrofitted trucks will be added to the fleet in addition to the 49 liquified biomethane vehicles that it began operating out of Bristol and Daventry last year.

Although Sainsbury’s has not confirmed where the additional trucks will be based, the spokesman said it locates the vehicles “where long distance benefits the rates of substitution of diesel by liquefied biomethane”.

“We’re keeping a close watch on the performance of these conversions and will be taking decisions on future fleet dependent on these,” the spokesman added.

Clean Air Power will supply and retrofit Genesis-Edge fuel systems to 50 Sainsbury’s HGVs at its Leyland facility.

Sainsbury’s also runs eight trucks fitted with methane diesel installations, also supplied by Clean Air Power.

The supermarket is also currently trialling a CO2-powered refrigerated trailer.