How a fuel made from cooking oil and food waste is helping improve air quality in the communities we serve

We're taking big steps to reduce emissions from our vehicles, by converting our existing fleet to run on an alternative, cleaner fuel.

As an electricity Distribution Network Operator whose two licence areas cover a vast portion of Great Britain’s landmass, we operate a vehicle fleet to maintain every corner of the network for our customers.

We will have a zero-emissions fleet by 2030. But while manufacturers work to develop electric or hydrogen vehicles with the range, payload, and towing capabilities our operations require, we're committed to making meaningful cuts to the emissions of the outgoing fleet.

To do this, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil – or HVO – is progressively being used instead of diesel. The HVO used is made from by-products or waste materials which were destined for landfill, such as used cooking oil and food waste.

A successful trial with HVO involving more than a dozen operational vehicles based at depots in Poole and Perth covered a total of 52,000 miles. This trial was carried out with the consent of manufacturers who approved the use of HVO in the vehicles concerned.

Key outcomes of the trial

• A 30% reduction in emissions of Carbon Monoxide and particulate matter, and a 10% reduction in Nitrous Oxide.
• A 7.9% reduction across all associated greenhouse gas emissions, including those from the supply chain.
• No increase in refuelling times.
• Minimal changes in vehicle efficiency and fuel costs.
• No impact on routine vehicle servicing.
• Good performance during colder months.

Next steps

The use of HVO will now be expanded to include more 4x4s and Heavy Goods Vehicles throughout the rest of this year, with a target to have it fuelling nearly all SSEN’s non-electric vehicle fleet by the end of 2025. This move – together with the growing procurement of EVs as appropriate models come on stream – will further reduce the emissions the company’s fleet produces.

Graham Robinson, SSEN Distribution’s National Net Zero Emissions Manager, says:

“We’re committed to decarbonising our vehicle fleet as quickly as we can. But we also have a commitment to our customers to respond to faults on the network as safely and quickly as possible. And this means maintaining certain specialist vehicles with the specific capabilities which allow us to do this.

“While the automotive industry develops long-term solutions to provide us with the zero-emission vehicles our operations demand, we’ve sought interim measures to make meaningful emissions reductions in the meantime. The HVO trial has been a big success, and thanks to the support of our own teams, fuel suppliers, and the vehicle manufacturers, we’re able to roll-out the use of HVO across our fleet.

“The significant reduction in the output of Carbon Monoxide, Nitrous Oxide, and other harmful particles will mean that while our teams are carrying out their vital work in communities, their essential journeys will be causing much less local pollution, and helping improve air quality.”

A robust, transparent, supply chain

We carry out a great deal of work throughout the procurement process to ensure the best practice for sustainability standards are adhered to. More than 90% of SSEN's HVO supply comes from used cooking oil, and our sustainability and procurement teams carry out thorough checks on its provenance. The HVO supply chain is heavily regulated, and we work directly with suppliers to ensure all relevant legislation is complied with.

All lower-carbon fuels used within the UK comply with the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) scheme, which is run by the UK Government’s Department of Transport. Independent verification is required before any fuel is eligible for an RTFO Certificate.

Furthermore, all our HVO supply comes through Renewable Fuel Assurance Scheme (RFAS) approved sources, and a Renewable Fuel Declaration (RFD) is provided for each batch.