Brentwood Council vehicle fleet makes the switch to eco-friendly fuel

Brentwood Council vehicle fleet makes the switch to eco-friendly fuel

Brentwood Borough Council is driving towards meeting its net-zero carbon emissions target with an environmentally friendly upgrade to its vehicle fleet. Following its declaration of a climate emergency in June 2023, the Council has transitioned 56 of its vehicles, including waste trucks, to run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a sustainable alternative to diesel fuel.

Brentwood is the first council in Essex to fully switch to HVO, alongside its growing fleet of seven electric vans. This cleaner fuel, made entirely from certified waste materials like vegetable oils and waste fats, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 99% compared to traditional diesel and cuts nitrous oxide emissions by 25%, improving air quality.

HVO offers a practical and cost-effective solution to reducing emissions, requiring no major modifications to existing diesel vehicles. It’s also a more sustainable option than traditional fuels, as it uses materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, contributing to environmental harm.

The Leader of Brentwood Borough Council and Chair of the Clean and Green Committee, Councillor Barry Aspinell said, “This is a really exciting initiative. Switching to more environmentally friendly fuels will have a very positive effect on air quality and provide enormous benefits to our residents. The move to HVO demonstrates our commitment to addressing climate change and improving local air quality, all while ensuring that essential waste collection services remain reliable and efficient. While the Council is taking this brilliant step, we hope to encourage the private sector to join us in transforming their petrol or diesel-fueled vehicles to alternative energy sources. This initiative is a key part of the Council’s broader ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, paving the way for a cleaner, greener future for Brentwood”