Derby City Council is making its vehicle fleet greener by switching hundreds of its diesel vehicles to a cleaner, renewable fuel.

We are introducing Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as an alternative to conventional diesel. The change is expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the fuel by around 91%, saving more than 1,960 tonnes of carbon emissions every year.

An approximate illustrative example of this saving is the equivalent of taking 1,220 mixed fleet cars off the road each year, or in terms of home energy usage, the equivalent annual energy footprint of 737 average UK households. This helps show the scale of the difference the switch could make to Derby’s carbon footprint.

We rely on our vehicles every day to provide services across the city, including collecting bins, cleaning streets and supporting adult and children’s social care. With such a large and varied fleet, replacing every vehicle with an electric alternative straight away is not currently practical.

HVO provides a way of making a significant environmental difference now. It is a renewable alternative to diesel and, importantly, can be put straight into the Council’s existing diesel vehicles without needing to change their engines or the Council’s fuel infrastructure. Checks have also confirmed that using it will not affect vehicle warranties.

Before deciding to make the switch, we successfully trialled HVO in partnership with the University of Derby. The trial looked at how well the fuel performed in everyday use, as well as its environmental impact, and found it offered a practical and financially viable way to reduce emissions from the fleet.

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Parks and Leisure, said:

This decision allows us to make meaningful progress now while continuing to plan responsibly for the future. HVO gives us immediate carbon savings across a large proportion of our fleet and does so without disrupting the essential services residents rely on every day. It is a practical, evidence-led step that reduces emissions now while supporting our longer-term transition to a cleaner and more sustainable fleet."

Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said:

We want to do everything we can to make Derby greener and reduce our impact on the environment. Introducing HVO means we can make a significant reduction in the emissions from our fleet now, while still providing the essential services that residents depend on every day. It’s another important step towards a cleaner, more sustainable city.”

We will continue to engage in demonstration opportunities, trials and lease options to support the transition to cleaner fleet operations and ensure that future decisions remain evidence based and in the best interests of residents.