OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2014. The privately owned gas seller and distributor Eesti Gaas is planning to set up 50 natural gas and biomethane stations around Estonia to provide fuel for trucks, buses and also smaller vehicles.

Eesti Gaas currently has five such stations, but they service only certain companies, which run fleets on natural gas.

Aivar Raim, the Head of Sales Development at Alexela, one of the nation's largest natural gas station operators, said that right now there are few clients and the trend must begin from larger vehicles, such as buses, trucks, trains and boats.

Raul Kotov, board member at Eesti Gaas, said possibilities have to be offered before consumption can grow, adding that the stations will be built in cooperation with the state, local companies and municipalities.

The Environmental Investment Center has earmarked 50 million euros in the next few years to support the production and transport of biomethane. That money will come from the sale of carbon credits.

Private vehicles could also be funded by state subsidies, in a similar way that electric cars are currently cheaper due to the state paying up to half.