The switch to this fuel will result in a saving of 829.49 tonnes of CO2 per year.
HVO is a renewable, diesel-like fuel made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or waste materials, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil diesel with up to 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The 130 vehicles in the council’s fleet are made up of HGV refuse vehicles, vans, street sweepers, tractors and specialist vehicles. They consume around 334,948 litres of diesel every year, producing the equivalent of 841.41 tonnes of CO2*.
Steve Brunt, Bolsover District Council’s Director of Services said, “We have trialled the fuel and had no adverse effects and our vehicles are performing very well.
“We have looked at converting the entire fleet to fully electric, but the capital costs are currently prohibitive, and the local infrastructure isn’t ready yet, so we have gone down the route of converting to HVO as we look to lower our CO2 emissions.”
The advantages of converting to HVO as a direct replacement for diesel is there are no modifications needed to the vehicles, the Council can continue to use established fuel supply systems giving us time to explore electric options further, whilst lowering their CO2 emissions by 90% saving 829.49 tonnes.
Steve added, “Switching to more environmentally friendly fuels really is a win-win situation. We are using a low-emission alternative to diesel, our vehicles are reliable meaning residents will not see any difference to our services and we are creating a better environment and reducing our carbon emissions.”
As part of their plans to switch to electric vehicles, the Council is preparing to replace 11 cars used by the housing wardens with full electric vehicles.
This initiative is a key part of the Council’s broader ambition to achieve net-zero by 2050, paving the way for a cleaner, greener future for Bolsover District.