Nearly all of Eastleigh Borough Council’s diesel engines will run on low carbon fuel, with the authority switching all of its diesel lorries, vans and cars to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel, as it transitions to net zero carbon emissions.
The council's entire fleet of bin lorries, vans operated by its Streetscene team, some mowers and other small vehicles will now be run on the fuel.
The move is estimated to lower the authority’s vehicle carbon emissions by 90%, as well as also cutting air pollution.
HVO is seen as a transitional fuel by the council, which aims to switch its vehicles over to electric and other zero carbon equivalents by 2030.
Eastleigh Council has already invested in several electric vans and has three new electric bin lorries on order.
HVO is a biofuel that works in diesel engines and is considered to be a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, with it being created by hydro processing waste vegetable oils and fats.
As well as being low carbon, the fuel produces up to 25% less NOx emissions and up to 42% less particulate matter, meaning a reduction in harmful air pollution.
Commenting, Eastleigh Council’s Cabinet Lead for the Environment, Councillor Rupert Kyrle said:
“Switching our vehicles over to HVO fuel will mean we are lowering air pollution and producing less carbon while we upgrade the vehicles themselves to more sustainable equivalents over the next eight years.
“It shows we are committed to cutting our own emissions to net zero by 2025 and moving towards a net zero borough by 2030.”
New HVO fuel tanks have been installed at a council depot in the borough and will be topped up by vehicles which also run on HVO.
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