Swindon Borough Council is to introduce renewable fuel to power its estimated 675 fleet vehicles from next month.
The £150,000 move was approved by the council last week, following proposals made in July last year.
According to the local authority, the switch from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) could result in carbon dioxide emissions being cut by up to 90%, as well as improving air quality through the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.
With the council’s current diesel supplies being depleted, the transition will involve all of its fleet vehicles, including waste and recycling lorries, road sweepers, and highway machinery.
The local authority has confirmed that the change will be cost-effective and increase the efficiency of its fleet operations, as well as ensuring sustainability standards are met through the use of HVO that does not contain palm oil.
Cllr Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said: ‘Ending the use of fossil fuel to power council-owned vehicles will have a positive and immediate environmental impact.’
He added: ‘Longer term we will continue to explore all options to decarbonise our fleet still further, recognising that widescale electrification is currently financially out of reach and comes with some operational challenges to resolve.’
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