Volkwagen Group’s Bentley Motors said installation of an on-site, 34,000-litre biofuel tank and pump had “dramatically” cut CO2 output from local logistics vehicles by 233 tonnes in its first year.
The automaker claimed it can now run its in-house logistics fleet on 100% “green” energy.
The ‘Green D+’ biofuel is made from hydrotreated waste vegetable oil (HVO), a fossil-free alternative to diesel that refines renewable and sustainable products such as waste fats, vegetables and oil. It now powers 15 HGV logistics trucks carrying parts between Crewe and a company storage depot in Winsford, plus a further 20 smaller, on site vans and security vehicles.
Logistics vehicles have used over 100,000 litres of the waste based fuel since the new tank and pump were installed late in November 2020. To offset the same amount of CO2 – a saving of 86% – would have required the company to plant 23,291 trees.
The resulting reduction in emissions also helped ensure that when the wider manufacturing site was recertified to PAS 2060 Carbon Neutral standard last month, offsetting was substantially reduced compared to when the certification was first achieved in 2019.
Alongside the HVO biofuel scheme, the automaker’s 250 forklift trucks and the tow motors used inside the factory are also charged with green electricity.
Much of this is provided by 30,000 solar panels.