SUSTAINABILITY |
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A new departure in freight fuel innovation Rail freight remains a vital part of the UK construction supply chain, with more than 20 million tonnes of aggregates and materials moved by rail each year
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new partnership between Tarmac and DB Cargo UK is set to demonstrate how the use of 100 per cent renewable fuel on a strategic route can cut carbon emissions further and play an important part in the transition to net zero construction. Tarmac is one of the largest users of rail freight and the largest transporter of construction materials by rail in the UK. With more than 60 of its sites nationwide connected to the rail network, the business transports around nine million tonnes of material by rail across the UK each year. For Chris Swan, head of rail at Tarmac, rail freight is an important element of the company’s sustainable transport strategy and integral to the company’s drive to modal shift and lowering operational emissions. Swan says: ‘Trials by DB Cargo UK and its supplier Crown Oil have estimated that as much as 90 per cent of a train’s carbon emissions can be eliminated by using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel compared to traditional red diesel. ‘We’re constantly looking to explore and adopt new innovations that support efficient and sustainable delivery. The use of HVO on a key part of our strategic network is therefore a natural step to further lowering the environmental impact of moving our materials to customers UK wide’ adds Swan. Tarmac freight trains running between Tarmac’s Mountsorrel quarry in Leicestershire and its rail-fed asphalt plant in the centre of Birmingham will now use HVO as part of the new agreement. HVO or hydrotreated vegetable oil is a FAMEfree and fossil-free alternative to mineral diesel. Supplied by Crown Oil and accredited with International Sustainability & Carbon Certification, it is synthetically made through the hydrotreatment of either waste vegetable oils or animal fats and is manufactured from 100 per cent renewable raw materials. HVO capacity is growing quickly globally, by an expected 50 per cent over the next three years, with the majority of production taking place in Europe. For Roger Neary, DB Cargo UK’s head of sales, the use of HVO offers an immediate opportunity for freight customers to reduce Rail Professional
