Tarmac and DB Cargo UK to use renewable HVO fuel to power trains on key route

Credit: Tarmac

Tarmac and its rail freight partner DB Cargo UK have announced that the delivery of construction materials on a key strategic route will be powered entirely by 100 per cent renewable fuel.

The partners have confirmed that environmentally friendly hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) will be fuelling all freight trains running between Tarmac’s Mountsorrel site in Leicestershire and its rail-fed asphalt plant in the centre of Birmingham as part of an ongoing commitment to supporting the sustainable delivery of the UK’s infrastructure ambitions.

HVO is one of the greenest fuels that are currently commercially available and is made synthetically through the hydro-treatment of vegetable oils or animal fats, which significantly lowers the amount of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide that is emitted when used in diesel engines.

Previous trials by DB Cargo UK have estimated that as much as 90 per cent of a train’s carbon emissions can be eliminated by using HVO fuel compared to traditional red diesel.

Chris Swan, Head of Rail at Tarmac, said: “We’re constantly looking to explore and adopt new innovations that support efficient and sustainable delivery, allowing us to move the right materials to the right place for customers. Developing our rail freight capability and capacity is key to our operations and aligns with the national agenda to deliver a low-carbon built environment. As the fight to cut carbon emissions and reduce air pollution intensifies, rail freight is becoming increasingly important for our sector and the adoption of new, sustainable fuels will further help to drive down emissions.”

Roger Neary, DB Cargo UK’s Head of Sales, said: “We are delighted that Tarmac has agreed to the exclusive use of HVO fuel on this key strategic route, which will deliver an important reduction in our own and our customer’s carbon emissions. Rail freight is already a much greener alternative to road haulage, so to reduce our carbon footprint even further will, I hope, make businesses re-evaluate their own transport strategies. If they want to reduce their own carbon emissions, then rail freight is the obvious choice over road.”