Shell has revealed details of a pilot fuel initiative it is undertaking in partnership with global specialist bulk logistics leader, HOYER, to help decarbonise its UK supply chain.
The initiative sees Shell switching part of its UK fuel delivery fleet, operated by HOYER, to the new Gd45 powered by Shell GTL Fuel as an innovative drop-in alternative to diesel fuel.
The pilot programme began in May 2022 and will run for six months. Through the initiative, HOYER will move part of its Shell-dedicated fleet over to using Gd45 powered by Shell GTL Fuel, marking the first application of the fuel in heavy-duty vehicles for Shell globally.
After analysing the outcomes, Shell aims to expand the initiative – working to deliver Gd45 powered by Shell GTL fuel at even greater scale across its UK supply operations and to its Commercial Road Transport customers.
The new fuel was co-developed by Shell and Green Biofuels, the UK’s leading provider of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) – made from 100% renewable raw materials like fat, waste vegetables and other oils. Formulated using 45% HVO Gd+ and Shell GTL fuel, a diesel alternative derived from natural gas, offering a cleaner burn than crude oil-based diesel, Gd45 powered by Shell GTL fuel offers a partly renewable alternative to conventional diesel, allowing fleets to experience potential CO2e emission reductions of over a third (40%).
With the UK transport sector accounting for 32% of territorial CO2e emissions last year, and emission regulations becoming increasingly stringent, immediate solutions play a critical role in driving emissions reduction.[1] Offering a straightforward drop-in alternative to diesel, Gd45 powered by Shell GTL Fuel can help achieve this reduction– without compromising vehicle performance – helping heavy-duty fleets to meet their business and sustainability targets.
“Balancing demand and the need for more sustainable operations is a key challenge for businesses across the industry. With this pilot programme, we hope to demonstrate that switching to lower-carbon fuel alternatives doesn’t need to be a complex process and drop-in solutions are an effective way for fleets to progress their environmental goals”, said Steve Brown, Distribution Operations Manager for UK at Shell.
“With Gd45 powered by Shell GTL Fuel, we see a future fuel that can drive down emissions across the sector. We are pleased to be working closely with our partner Hoyer in the UK to lead the way in commercial road transport decarbonisation by not only offering innovative solutions for our customers, but also by using them to decrease our own carbon footprint,” Steve Brown, at Shell continued.
Allan Davison at HOYER, said: “Our pilot with Shell is already yielding positive results and we are proud to be leading the way in this area. The drop-in nature of Gd45 makes it an especially attractive option for emissions reduction, helping fleets to decarbonise without having to carry out an expensive conversion process. We look forward to expanding our efforts to improve our environmental impact through initiatives like this and establishing new routes forward for the UK Commercial Road Transport industry.”
[1] Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy, 2021 UK greenhouse gas emissions, provisional figures, March 2022
