Councillors will consider a proposal to switch the council’s preferred vehicle fuel from diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel in a bid to reduce fleet emissions by over 90%. HVO is considered to be a ‘transitional fuel’ for vehicles that cannot currently be replaced by electric ones.
The report outlines the proposal and sets out the rationale and potential cost of making this switch. The key benefits include a significant reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions, of up to 94%, when compared to standard diesel.
The fleet currently accounts for over 40% of Thanet District Council’s emissions. Making a change to HVO would therefore see the council taking a significant step towards reaching its Net Zero targets.
The report highlights the outcome of a vehicle trial undertaken to provide a cost analysis of replacing diesel with HVO. Councillors are also being asked to approve the additional spending that would arise from making this change. Costs range from an additional £39,000 per annum, increasing to £120,000 when compared to diesel. There is no need for vehicle modifications meaning the switch can be made immediately.
These additional costs are anticipated to be offset by savings achieved from purchasing less expensive combustion-engined vehicles for certain types of vehicles, under the vehicle replacement programme, instead of electric alternatives. The report reiterates the council’s primary preference is still the replacement of older vehicles with electric models. However, based on the range and charging requirements, suitable electric options for some of the council’s larger HGVs are currently limited.
The proposals follow research by council officers into alternative fuelling methods for the council’s vehicle fleet and a three-month trial to assess the performance of selected council vehicles on HVO fuel. As a result it has been possible to calculate projected running costs and to identify mitigation for risks around fuel production, pricing and supply.
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Coastal Services said: “The opportunity to consider this move is very welcome. Should we proceed we’ll be taking a significant step towards the council’s 2030 net-zero target. Right now the vehicle fleet accounts for over 40% of our total carbon emissions. Getting that down by more than 90% would make a really big difference. That’s not to say that we are moving away from the overarching strategy to transition to zero-emission electric vehicles, but HVO could provide a viable interim solution.”
The report will be considered on Tuesday 15 July at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (OSP). Comments from OSP will be reported to Cabinet who will make a decision at a meeting on Thursday 24 July.
If approved, the transition to HVO could be implemented as early as August 2025.
