ULEMCo has converted a commercial waste vehicle to use hydrogen fuel. The conversion, enabling the vehicle to use both hydrogen and diesel fuel, was for Grundon Waste Management.

The company had previously retro-fitted trucks and vans for public sector ciustomers but this is the first private sector contract.

The project also represents the first conversion of a DAF vehicle and signals the way towards use of hydrogen as a practical alternative to reduce emissions in a wide range of vehicle makes.

Grundon has a commitment to carbon neutrality and was keen to explore the benefits that hydrogen ' particularly when produced from waste processes ' will give it in the circular economy.

Grundon had already committed to reducing all greenhouse gas emissions from its vehicles to net zero by extending its highly successful CarbonNeutral fleet certification programme for a fourth consecutive year.

The certification means that every mile travelled by Grundon vehicles is officially carbon neutral. This helps customers reduce their own carbon footprint.

'This DAF conversion represents several firsts for hydrogen fuel and moves ULEMCo onto the next stage of being able to convert large numbers of different vehicle types cost-effectively,' said Amanda Lyne, chief executive officer of ULEMCo.

'We are highly impressed by the potential of hydrogen dual-fuel to reduce our carbon footprint as well as reducing costs in the future,' said Grundon's group logistics manager John Stephens.

'The synergy of combining the use of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles with the potential production of hydrogen from waste treatment processes makes it especially compelling'