Argent Fuels partners with bus operator Transdev for biodiesel supply in UK

Photo: Transdev

U.K.-based Argent Fuels announced June 13 a partnership with Transdev, a prominent bus operator in the North of England.

The collaboration will reduce carbon emissions by over 3,600 metric tons per year through the use of sustainable biodiesel.

Under the agreement, Argent Fuels will assist Transdev in transitioning its entire U.K. fleet, spread across 10 operating centers in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, to a high-blend fuel.

This fuel will displace 15 percent—and later 25 percent—of fossil diesel with Argent Energy’s waste-based biodiesel.

Argent Fuels is part of Argent Energy Group, a leading European manufacturer of waste-based biofuels in the U.K. and the Netherlands.

The biodiesel supplied by Argent Fuels will be produced on-site in the U.K. with full distillation, using only certified waste material resulting in a high-quality product that achieves an approximately 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional fossil fuel.

Argent Fuels will blend the sustainable second-generation biodiesel directly with regular diesel on-site and supply it to Transdev as high-blend fuel.

Transdev will be using a B15 blend consisting of 15 percent biodiesel blended with 85 percent low-sulfur diesel across their fleet.

This switch will cut greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 3,612 tons per year, the equivalent to removing 1,745 cars off the roads.

This measurement includes all the savings the bus operator will receive, encompassing not just CO2 but also other GHG emissions.

Currently, the sector relies on blends of 1 percent to 7 percent biodiesel (B7), making Transdev’s commitment to shift to a B15 blend a big improvement in sustainability alongside its preparations for electrification.

In the future, Transdev plans to transition to a higher blend of B25, further enhancing its carbon savings.

“Transdev’s dedication towards sustainability is clear, and its proactive approach to finding sustainable solutions for its existing diesel vehicles, alongside plans for electrification, is commendable,” Argent Fuels stated.

Transdev was the first operator in Britain to introduce eight “opportunity-charged” electric buses in 2018, with an additional 71 fully electric buses expected to be delivered over the next three years.

“Completing our switch to this lower-emission fuel is helping us to achieve environmental benefits now, and on a commercially viable basis,” said Vitto Pizzuti, operations director at Transdev. “Biodiesel is 100 percent biodegradable, less toxic than table salt and is derived from renewable sources. At 15 percent concentration, biodiesel is significantly reducing emissions compared with regular diesel fuel—and without damaging engine components. And the benefits are happening right here and now across all 10 of our operating centers, as we prepare for the keenly anticipated replacement of our entire Harrogate bus fleet with 71 new fully electric buses.”

Colin Duke, head of sales at Argent, added, “We are excited to embark on this partnership with Transdev to help them accomplish significant carbon reductions across their fleet. Transdev was looking for an immediate solution for their existing diesel fleet while they are on the road to electrification, and high-blend fuel provides exactly that. High-blend fuel serves as a steppingstone and plays a vital role in the broader context of net zero. It has its place and acts as a transitional measure alongside a combination of other solutions, including electric alternatives. We are thrilled to collaborate with Transdev on this journey.”

High-blend biodiesel fuel can be readily implemented without requiring modifications to existing infrastructure, and it incurs minimal to no cost increase.

This fuel offers a significant reduction in GHG emissions and provides an immediate solution for those hard-to-decarbonize sectors.

By providing environmental benefits in the present, Transdev takes a meaningful step in taking thousands of cars off the road every year, leading the path towards greener bus operations.