Fuelling the journey to Net Zero
Niki Holt, head of commercial at Certas Energy, discusses how fleet operators can help reduce emissions with alternative fuels
The UK was the first major economy to pass net zero emissions into law in 2019, and three years later the transition to renewable energy sources is making positive headway. While an ambitious target, ongoing investment into emissions reduction is enabling commercial sectors – including the haulage and logistics space – to better navigate the journey to Net Zero 2050.
At the same time, legislative changes – including the red diesel rebate changes that came into force on 1 April 2022 – continue to incentivise the use of alternative energies and liquid fuels and encourage commercial fuel users to reassess their energy resources. But how can transport fleets help reduce emissions and contribute to a more fuel-efficient future, without compromising their bottom line?
While diesel continues to play an important role in the transport industry and beyond, the demand for cleaner, compliant fuel alternatives is on the rise.
According to recent research, 53 per cent of businesses name the potential for disruption as one of the most significant barriers to adopting cleaner fuels, but 48 per cent would be encouraged to use these alternatives if they resulted in little impact on implementation.
The good news is that an expanding range of drop-in, alternative fuels are available to assist businesses in gradually transitioning to a low emissions future.
Shell Gas-to-Liquid Fuel (GTL) is cleaner-burning diesel with a longer shelf life than conventional diesel, available for both on-road and off-road applications. As a drop-in diesel alternative, it can be used without any modifications to vehicles or engines and without requiring added investment for additional infrastructure.
Plus, as Shell GTL Fuel is a FAME-free winter grade fuel, haulage fleets can avoid the issues often created by the increased FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) content in conventional road diesel. FAME is a biofuel that can help reduce CO2 emissions; however, as it has strong hygroscopic properties, FAME can result in diesel bug and a build-up of wax crystals when temperatures drop.
Fuel contamination like this can cause a range of costly complications in vehicles, machines and bulk fuel tanks – using additives or replacing with Shell GTL Fuel helps to mitigate these issues.
Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is another cleaner fuel alternative, considered part of the ‘third generation’ of biofuels. It is a cleaner-burning drop-in solution which is produced by recycling waste biomatter, including ethically-sourced raw materials like used cooking oil and vegetable fats, into a sustainable fuel solution.
To be certain of its environmental credentials, it is crucial that fleet managers conduct due diligence to ensure their HVO fuel comes from a transparent supply chain with a sustainable source. HVO is a relatively new solution and so the supply chain is not yet fully developed, but its future growth potential is significant and it is likely to be adopted globally as part of the pathway to net zero.
Fuel choice is not the only way to clean up emissions; fuel additives and AdBlue also play an important role. AdBlue passes through the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system in a diesel engine, converting nitrogen oxide emissions into water vapour and nitrogen. This brings diesel vehicles into compliance with Euro V and VI emission standards as well as helping to reduce vehicle emissions.
Additionally, commercial transport businesses can take steps to offset their carbon, if prevention or reduction of emission production is unattainable. While it should only be considered as part of a broader energy mix transition, carbon offsetting can help businesses offset unavoidable carbon emissions from their operations and bring energy policies closer to a net zero emission future.
For example, Certas Energy customers can opt-in to a scheme that offsets their bulk fuel CO2 emissions by purchasing carbon credits from activities related to the protection, creation or redevelopment of natural ecosystems.
The journey to Net Zero 2050 will inevitably not be an easy one, but reducing carbon emissions and investing in a future-proof fuel mix will be key to making this a reality. While the roll-out and adoption of cleaner fuels on a larger scale is still in its infancy, the future looks optimistic.
