Belfast City Council's diesel fleet will soon be powered by vegetable oil

Belfast City Council’s diesel vehicle fleet will soon be powered by vegetable oil.

Councillors greenlit the siwtch on Thursday night following the results of a summer trial.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil or HVO is a low carbon, zero sulphur fuel and is made from waste materials like rapeseed and sunflower oil.

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Councillor Ross McMullan, Chair of Belfast’s People and Communities Committee said: “As a council we remain focused on the climate emergency and our aim to transition Belfast to a low carbon, inclusive, climate resilient city within a generation.

“The transition to move our fleet to this high quality, liquid fuel is really encouraging. HVO is stable and renewable whilst significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions on combustion.

“Not only is it a direct alternative for diesel with less pollutants in terms of air quality, but it will also require no modifications to Council vehicles.”

It is estimated that running vehicles with HVO reduces their fuel-related C02 emissions by up to 90%. Bin lorries will also be included in the transition, which involves around 200 vehicles or 88% of the diesel fleet.

Councillor McMullan added: “As a local authority, we can help advocate and accelerate climate ambition within the city and this progressive move aligns with the commitments we made as part of our climate action plans for the city.

“I look forward to the development of this decision including the process of ensuring that the fuel is derived from a sustainable and ethical source, and I hope we can continue to build momentum in tackling climate change in our city.”

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