North Ayrshire Council has announced it has switched 36 refuse collection vehicles from diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
The initiative is expected to save roughly 2,529 tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 12 months, which is more than a fifth of the overall fleet-produced emissions.
Approximately one million litres of HVO will be consumed across the year, with the council stating the move aligns with the Scottish Government’s plans to phase out diesel HGVs between 3.5 and 26 tonnes by 2035
HVO is produced from waste cooking oil, animal fat, and forestry materials that are thermo-chemically treated with hydrogen.
The drop-in fuel can be used in vehicles or equipment designed for standard diesel, without any changes to the engine or infrastructure, and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%
Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, said:
“As a local authority, we are continually striving to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure that climate change and sustainability are at the heart of the decisions we make. Using HVO will help to make a significant impact, cutting the overall reduction of fleet-produced emissions by more than 20 per cent.”
Darren Holloway, Commercial Director for Energy Solutions at Certas Energy, said:
“We are thrilled to be fuelling the transition to net zero for North Ayrshire Council, who are one of a growing number of public sector organisations switching to HVO.
“Demand for HVO is growing year-on-year across the UK as more organisations are understanding the sustainability benefits of switching to this fuel. We anticipate this trend to continue for the next decade, and the public sector will be a key driver for this.”
Image courtesy of North Ayrshire Council
