Stagecoach has revealed that more than half of its UK bus fleet now operates using a greener, carbon-saving fuel blend.
The company has significantly increased the number of its buses
running on a greener blend of 30% biofuel and 70% diesel, compared to a
standard fuel mix with 5% bio content.
Now, Stagecoach operates more than 4,500 vehicles using the greener
blend of 30% biofuel across Scotland and England. In addition,
Stagecoach has around 70 buses which run on 100% biofuel.
Results show that the greener fuel has helped to save more
than 67,700 tonnes of CO2e in the past year – the equivalent of the
emissions produced by powering 27,000 homes for a year.
Looking ahead, it is forecast that the company will save more than
double that amount - around 140,000 tonnes of CO2e - in the coming year
as a result of the increased number of vehicles using the greener blend.
The announcement comes as Stagecoach marks its sixth annual
Group-wide Green Week – a sustainability drive which promotes
environmental awareness among its employees and customers.
Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus Robert Montgomery said: “We
are committed to becoming a greener business and an important part of
that is to run cleaner, greener buses that will help reduce the impact
of our operations on the environment.
“We were the first major bus company in the UK to run buses on 100%
biofuel and we are continuing to lead the way in the use of this greener
blend which allows us to continue delivering our greener, smarter bus
services to the millions of people who use them every day as well as
being kinder to the environment.”
In October 2012, Stagecoach began using 30% biofuel in all of its
buses at its East Scotland and West Scotland businesses. Since then the
operator has rolled out the fuel to more than half of its UK regional
bus companies.
The biofuel included in the blend is provided by Motherwell-based biodiesel producer Argent Energy.
Argent Energy Development Director Dickon Posnett said: “Our diesel
is made from only the most sustainable waste oils and fats. As well as
the green criteria, fuel quality is paramount to Stagecoach who we have
been working with for a number of years to develop a large scale
operation to blend and supply a drop-in replacement for standard diesel.
“This level of carbon savings is a great achievement for Stagecoach
and it comes with other benefits such as full fuel analysis to maximise
efficiency and fuel supply management, taking the strain of monitoring
fuel quality, maintaining tank levels, reporting on GHG savings and
cleaning storage tanks. We look forward to helping Stagecoach achieve
even greater environmental benefits in the future.”
In 2010, Stagecoach Group launched Revolution in the Way We Travel, a
five-year plan to reduce further the carbon emissions from its
transport operations in the UK and North America. The strategy has been
supported by an £11million green investment programme. Employee
initiatives and eco teams set up by staff have also helped drive
dramatic improvements in energy and carbon efficiency.
The Group has delivered its targets 12 months ahead of schedule, and
has cut its carbon intensity by 30% in the past five years. It has also
achieved an overall absolute reduction of 8% in carbon emissions from
buildings and a cut of 3% in annual carbon emissions per vehicle mile
from fleet transport.
To maintain the momentum of the Group’s programme, work is now
underway to develop a new five-year strategy. This will include
identifying further cost-effective energy-saving opportunities,
continuing investment to make the business greener, and setting new
targets around carbon reduction, water consumption and waste recycling
rates.
Stagecoach Group has delivered a number of initiatives as part of its carbon reduction programme, including:
• investing in a hi-tech eco-driving system, which is installed in
around 7,000 buses and is helping to reduce fuel consumption at the
Group’s bus division by 3%. The scheme also offers employees the chance
to earn “green points” that are converted into financial benefits from a
potential £900,000 annual bonus pot.
• becoming the UK bus industry’s leading investor in new hybrid electric
buses, which deliver a 30% reduction in carbon emissions compared to
standard vehicles. The Group now has around 370 hybrid electric buses in
service across the UK.
• introducing a fleet of gas buses in Sunderland and working with
partners in Aberdeen to introduce hydrogen-powered vehicles in 2014.
• investing almost £545 million over the past seven years in new buses and coaches for the UK with greener engines.
• installing a new ‘intelligent’ lighting system, which uses movement
sensors to determine the amount of light required, at a number of bus
depots and railway stations across the UK and in North America.
• investing £2.2 million at South West Trains in a major regenerative braking project to save energy on more than 200 trains.
• introducing an innovative energy-saving engine standby system to reduce carbon emissions from idling trains.
• implementing new contracts for waste and recycling at East Midlands
Trains which has helped increase the recycling rate at stations to over
70%.
• cutting gas and energy consumption at South West Trains’ 20 largest stations by 9%, saving 110 tonnes of carbon.
Last year, figures compiled as part of the Government’s Carbon
Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme showed that
Stagecoach Group is among the top 10% of large companies in the UK for
its performance in reducing the carbon emissions from its business.