DPD to switch all diesel HGVs to renewable biofuel by end of 2023

87% reduction in CO2 emissions across 1,600 HGVs
60% of DPD's HGV fleet will switch to biofuel this year

Leading parcel delivery company DPD has announced that it is to switch its entire diesel HGV fleet to Gd+ HVO, an advanced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel, in conjunction with integrated energy provider, Essar and Green Biofuels Ltd.

Gd+ HVO is a direct drop-in replacement for diesel, developed by Green Biofuels Ltd and is defined as renewable and sustainable under the EU's REDII legislation. It is the lowest-emission diesel replacement fuel available made from renewable feedstocks, and contains a specifically designed performance additive to ensure cleanliness and optimum combustion throughout the fuel system.

Gd+ HVO can be used in any diesel engine without the need for modifications or capital expenditure. It is approved by vehicle manufacturers, and there is no degradation in performance.

By using Gd+ HVO fuel, operators of diesel engines typically save lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 90%(1), and consequently help improve local air quality(2). In-field and controlled environment-independent tests have shown that compared to standard diesel emissions, Gd+ HVO achieves up to 80% reductions of particulates and up to 20% reductions of nitrogen oxides emissions.(3)

DPD will begin switching its 1,600 strong HGV fleet to Gd+ HVO immediately, and following a four-month trial, the company aims to convert 60% of its vehicles within 2022 - reducing emissions by 70,282 tonnes compared to 2021. The remaining vehicles will switch by the end of 2023. Gd+ HVO will be delivered directly to DPD's onsite tanks nationwide by existing bulk fuel supplier Essar.

Justin Pegg, Chief Operating Officer at DPD commented, "This is a very significant step in the journey to decarbonising our entire fleet and achieving our aim of being the most sustainable parcel delivery company in the UK. While we are well on the way to electrifying our delivery van fleet, the HGV linehaul fleet has always been a very different challenge. We have assessed a range of options and it is clear now that this is the most effective and practical way to make a real difference. While there may be different solutions in years to come, we must start this process now by making our existing vehicles significantly cleaner."

Carlos Rojas, Head of Marketing & Logistics at Essar, said: "Essar is committed to playing a leading role in the decarbonisation of the UK economy and manufacturing the fuels of the future in a lower carbon way. As a key partner of choice, we have worked seamlessly to provide integrated energy, infrastructure, and logistical solutions to DPD nationally for over ten years and are proud to be its strategic supply partner as it decarbonises its fleet."

William Tebbit, CEO and Co-Founder of Green Biofuels, said: "We are delighted to be working with Essar and DPD. Our mission is to support the net-zero energy transition by providing a solution that that makes an immediate impact on local air quality, lowers CO2 emissions, and supports decarbonisation. The challenges faced by DPD are typical of most large fleets in the UK; however, Gd+ HVO provides results with no additional costs of transforming the engines. Green Biofuels offers the most effective solution available today - it is an essential ingredient for the transition to an environmentally friendly world fuelled by 100% renewable energy."

Details on all of DPD's sustainability initiatives can be found on its dedicated DPD green website and include plans to have over 3,000 electric vehicles on the road in the UK this year and a total of 4,000 by 2023, delivering to 30 towns and cities on all-electric vehicles only.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact: press@dpd.co.uk

Notes to editors

(1) - Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (Text with EEA relevance.)

(2) - Millbrook Trial (Independent Test), ?Refuse Collection Vehicle Engine Testing on Chassis dynamometer. Comparison of Emissions with Three Fuels: Diesel, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils and Green D+', Jan-Mar 2018

(3) - Millbrook Trial (Independent Test), ?Refuse Collection Vehicle Engine Testing on Chassis dynamometer. Comparison of Emissions with Three Fuels: Diesel, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils and Green D+', Jan-Mar 2018; Chepstow (in field), ?Emissions testing on Three Construction Engines (Chepstow Plant Hire) at Tyttenhanger site with two fuels (Gd+ and Diesel fuels)', July 2021 - Jan 2022; Emissions Analytics (controlled test cell trial), ?Emissions testing of a 110kVA, Stage IIIA Power Generator. Analysis of Data measurements carried out by Emissions Analytics. Comparison of Emissions with Diesel, HVO and Green D+ fuels', Jan-Feb 2021.

About DPD

DPD was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise 2015 in the Innovation category, for its unique one-hour delivery service, Predict.

In 2018, DPD opened the UK's first all-electric parcel delivery depot in Westminster. DPD currently has over 2,100 EVs on the road in the UK and has announced plans to deliver to 30 of the largest towns and cities in the UK with zero and low-emission delivery means by 2023. In July 2021, Oxford became DPD's first all-electric city in the UK.

Details of all of DPD's sustainability initiatives can be found on its dedicated green website: https://green.dpd.co.uk/

DPD is a member of DPDgroup, the largest parcel delivery network in Europe. DPDgroup is the parcel delivery network of GeoPost, a holding company owned by France's La Poste.

The company operates more than 10,000 vehicles from 84 locations and delivers over 400 million parcels a year.

About Essar

Essar Oil (UK) Ltd is committed to playing a key role in the decarbonisation of the UK economy. With ambitious plans to build an energy transition cluster in the North West of England, Essar is transforming for tomorrow. Through Essar Oil (UK), Essar is leading this change in the UK by developing projects in refinery decarbonisation, biofuels and new energies infrastructure and logistics to help deliver the UK's energy transition ambitions.

About Green Biofuels:

Green Biofuels provides the bridging technology essential to help the transition to a greener and more renewably fuelled world. While new technologies and further advanced fuels are in development, Green Biofuels responds to the need for alternatives to standard fossil diesel fuels now.

The company supplies its own brand of low emission and GHG saving fuels to customers using diesel consuming engines. Gd+ HVO is the lowest emission diesel replacement fuel available in the UK. Green Biofuels' products include completely renewable diesel alternatives made from vegetable and/or animal fats and oils.

Independent tests at the Millbrook specialist vehicle testing facility have shown that compared to standard diesel emissions, Gd+ HVO has up to an 85% reduction in particulates, and up to a 30% reduction in Nitrogen Oxides, thanks to a special additive not found in any other HVO fuel. This means that emissions contributing to climate change are reduced, as well as pollution affecting the local air quality.

Using Green Biofuels' products does not require any modification to engines. There is no need for costly upgrades to machinery, it can be filled into the tank and used just like diesel fuel.

The company's aim is to encourage businesses who use diesel engines to look at adopting an environmentally friendly and commercially viable alternative to standard diesel fuels as an urgent interim solution to reducing emissions and GHG.

Green Biofuels is a UK Business Climate Leader and the first HVO supplier to be approved by Zemo's Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme.