All 300 diesel vehicles, 85% of Gatwick’s fleet are now powered by HVO until they are retired and replaced by electric vehicles as part of the airport’s sustainability policy, Decade of Change.
Using HVO will save Gatwick Airport more than 950 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum.
Vehicles powered by HVO include all the airport’s fire engines, airside operations vehicles and snow ploughs with trials concluding that HVO had no impact on vehicle performance.
Steve Kelso, Head of Engineering at London Gatwick Airport says powering diesel vehicles with HVO is an important sustainability milestone and a big step in the airport’s fleet transition.
He said: “From the buses that pick passengers up from the long-stay car parks, to operations vehicles that patrol the airfield, HVO is now being used to fuel vehicles throughout the airport. As we continue to grow, we are making sustainability part of everything we do here at London Gatwick and we are committed to finding solutions and working differently to meet our ambitious targets.”
Last year, London Gatwick accelerated its commitment to being net zero for Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2030, 10 years earlier than its previous commitment.
The airport will invest over £250 million to replace all vehicles, gas boilers and refrigerants with low carbon alternatives.
It will continue to reduce overall energy use, invest in on-site renewable energy including solar power and continue to source 100% renewable electricity.
Using HVO is a small step for London Gatwick and part of its plan to address Scope 3 indirect emissions, which account for the largest impact at the airport.
