Zemo Partnership has launched a new scheme to boost fleet operator confidence and uptake of renewable fuels, it has announced.
Zemo Partnership (formerly LowCVP) has launched a new Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme (RFAS) for high blend renewable fuels, which will give fleet operators information about the greenhouse gas (GHG) and wider sustainability performance of renewable fuels supplied in the UK.
A recent Zemo Partnership study discovered a barrier to uptake was HDV fleet operators needing more clarity in terms of the environmental credentials of renewable fuels, for company carbon reporting, and also making decisions on fleet decarbonisation solutions.
The RFAS approves companies that supply high blend renewable fuels on these criteria with evidence verified by an independent auditor complementing the safeguards included in the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The assurance criteria are based on life-cycle GHG emissions, feedstock sustainability and supply chain traceability. The scheme is open to companies supplying renewable fuels for use in road vehicles and non-road mobile machinery, including biofuels and hydrogen.
A unique feature of the scheme is a ‘Renewable Fuel Declaration’ which fleet operators receive with batches of the renewable fuel purchase. The declaration includes a colour-coded GHG emission savings banding system, similar to energy efficiency labels, encouraging fleet operators to strive to achieve higher GHG emissions savings.
Zemo Partnership piloted the scheme with several renewable fuel suppliers. Argent Energy and CNG Fuels are now approved under the scheme and Zemo Partnership is working with Green Biofuels, Air Liquide and Gasrec to enable their approval. All companies are producing biofuels from waste feedstocks, achieving GHG emission savings of between 80% and 90% compared with diesel.
Gloria Esposito, head of sustainability, said: “It’s critical that technological interventions to tackle climate change live up to their billing and can demonstrate verifiable life cycle GHG emissions savings and strong sustainability performance in terms of their production.
To promote these initiatives, Zemo Partnership and the Renewable Transport Fuels Association are running a series of webinars on UK prospects for advanced renewable fuels in road and aviation sectors. The webinars begin today with a focus on advanced gasoline. Further events take place on 25th and 30th March and 1st April.
“With increasing attention being given to Scope 3 emissions in corporate carbon reporting, measures to lower GHG emissions across company supply chains are becoming increasingly important. One of the benefits of the RFAS is that it will provide accurate, robust and transparent renewable fuel GHG emissions data, and assist fleet operator decision making and reporting with regards to choosing sustainable low carbon solutions”.
