Write a comment
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council decision to begin transitioning its vehicle fleet to a greener biofuel mix could cut its annual carbon emissions by almost 2,500 tonnes.
The decision to move towards Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a fuel produced from renewable sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats, was taken at a meeting of the Council's Sustainability and Environment Committee on 18 February 2026.
HVO can be blended with regular diesel and used in many existing engines without modification to vehicles or infrastructure, meaning the Council can begin introducing it into its current fleet of 195 vehicles without significant additional investment. The fuel has been approved for use by vehicle manufacturers who provide engines for Council vehicles.
At present, only one vehicle across the Council's entire fleet is electric and emits zero emissions. However, the Council is aiming to have 17 zero emission light fleet vehicles on the road by the end of June this year and is currently drafting proposals for all small vehicles under 3.5 tonnes to be carbon neutral by 2035. All new vehicles will be required to produce zero emissions by 2035, in line with the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (VETS).
Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell said, "Introducing biofuel and zero emission vehicles across the Council fleet is part of our vision for a low-carbon, climate resilient future, protecting the area's fragile environment." Councillor Campbell said that the scale of the reduction in the Council's carbon footprint that the biofuel mix would deliver "cannot be underestimated", adding that the Council is "committed to integrating climate action and sustainability in all aspects of our operations and decision-making and policies."
Cllr Campbell also pointed to the practical advantages of HVO over conventional diesel, noting that greenhouse gas reductions lead to better air quality and a reduced reliance on fossil fuels. "The fact HVO can be blended with regular diesel and used in many of the Council fleet's engines with little or no modification is positive and offers significant environmental benefits," he added.
From an environmental perspective, HVO can reduce greenhouse gases by up to 90% compared to fossil diesel. It can also reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by between 28% and 69%, depending on the vehicle's operating cycle. The benefits of HVO as a transition fuel were identified in a feasibility study on the Adoption of Alternative Fuel Vehicles by Local Authorities, carried out in 2022 for a number of Council authorities in the East Border Region, which identified HVO as a crucial arrangement on the path to net zero.
The fleet transition forms part of a wider commitment by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, which is currently consulting on its draft Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. The strategy commits the Council to reaching net zero by 2050, by which point it aims to have its entire vehicle fleet, including heavy lorries, fully decarbonised.
