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TRANSPORT I


nsulation, drywall and ceiling product distributor, CCF, which is also part of Travis Perkins plc, has invested in a new sustainable fuel source to cut carbon emissions across its delivery fleet. The shift to a more sustainable fuel source is part of CCF’s commitment to decarbonise its deliveries to customers by steadily reducing the carbon footprint generated by its lorries by up to 92 per cent when compared to the use of diesel. As part of its mission to reduce the environmental impact of its business operations, CCF has now introduced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) refuelling sites at several of its branches across the country to provide part of its delivery fleet with a low carbon alternative to the use of diesel fuel. “In our own experience of using HVO across a number of our delivery vehicles since 2021 it has generally performed the same as diesel. Those vehicles that have been fuelled with HVO have reported the same MPG as being fuelled with diesel, and no additional maintenance requirements have been necessary for those vehicles that have been fuelled with HVO as would be expected if diesel had been used. The transition to using HVO as an alternative fuel was supported by our driver’s own acceptance that HVO was not impacting on vehicle performance but was contributing to a reduction in vehicle tailpipe emissions when compared to using standard diesel. One of the biggest challenges is refuelling as HVO is still comparatively expensive and it can take longer to tank up. The infrastructure is also still in its infancy and installing refuelling sites at our own branches does depend on available space and access. The sustainability benefits outweigh these challenges though and we have already installed refuelling sites at several of our branches and are reviewing other suitable locations,” says Adam Taylor, commercial director at CCF.


The HVO used by CCF is sustainably sourced and made from waste materials such as used cooking oils and other waste oils. In addition to reducing carbon dioxide, it also has the potential to reduce other emissions, including nitrogen oxide by up to 30% and particulates by up to 85%, and requires no modification to existing diesel engines. “The move to HVO is a key part of CCF’s wider strategy and supports the other improvements made to our nationwide vehicle fleet such as investing in 70 new fuel-efficient delivery lorries. By increasing capacity from 26 to 32 tonnes, the larger vehicles will replace the smaller, older trucks within the existing fleet so that more orders can be delivered in fewer journeys. We are also taking further steps to reduce the


ON THE ROAD TO CUTTING CARBON


CCF has invested in a new sustainable fuel source to cut carbon emissions across its delivery fleet. Anjali Sooknanan finds out more.


environmental impact of the distribution of building products and materials by phasing out the use of diesel-fuelled vehicles in our warehouses. To date, 88 per cent of equipment has been moved over to electric power and this includes the investment of 191 new electric fork lift trucks, as well as electric moffets and sweepers. We plan to continue to upgrade the rest of our warehouse fleet where possible to further increase the number of electric vehicles by 2024,” says Taylor.


HVO fuel move


As well as bringing tangible environmental benefits, CCF has made the move to HVO fuel to support customers who are working on low carbon schemes or simply wish to reduce the embodied carbon within their supply chain. In addition to this, CCF’s move to a 100% renewable electricity tariff in November 2021 is now generating an average of 45 tonnes less carbon emissions per month across CCF’s operations, and to mitigate emissions of the company’s estate further, the installation of


October 2023 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net


energy saving solutions, such as utilising LED lighting and solar panels is well under way. Moving forward, CCF is focused on fulfilling the business’ wider sustainability commitments, as Taylor adds “We are constantly looking ahead and reviewing the initiatives we have in place to ensure they are the best choices for our own company, our customers and the environment. As well as embracing renewable technologies wherever we can, we are also investing in refining our processes to support the wider industry’s move to zero carbon. A flagship initiative we are currently trialling is a comprehensive new carbon reporting system. We’re working with a panel of key customers on projects across the country to gather as much data as possible. The new tool will provide information on the carbon emissions relating specifically to the delivery of products to site but going forwards it will also include the embodied carbon of the products to give insight and transparency to enable decision makers to make tangible carbon savings.” BMJ


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