Cleanaway demonstrates 100% renewable diesel use in Melbourne-area garbage trucks

Photo: Cleanaway

Cleanaway is leading the way for Australia’s heavy-vehicle sector with 100 percent renewable diesel (HVO100), a fossil-fuel alternative made from used cooking oil that reduces greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 91 percent.

Aligned with Cleanaway’s Blueprint 2030 strategy to provide high-circularity, low-carbon solutions, HVO100 provides an immediate and real reduction of scope 1 emissions from its fleet, which translates into reduction of scope 3 for its customers.

For Cleanaway customers with substantial waste volumes, reducing scope 3 emissions from waste-collection services is significant and can mitigate the need to spend on carbon offsets.

Cleanaway is using Neste MY Renewable Diesel made exclusively from used cooking oil.

The drop-in renewable diesel requires no infrastructure modification and minimal capital investment.

Neste is an established HVO100 manufacturer with over 15 years’ experience to European and American markets and a commitment to sourcing 100 percent renewable and traceable raw material.

Following the August 2023 acquisition of AEO Scanline, Cleanaway is now collecting and processing used cooking oil and supplying this as feedstock to Neste, among other end markets.

HVO100 is a scalable option for fleet decarbonization that maintains performance and payload.

The heavy-vehicle industry is a hard-to-abate sector for GHG emissions and Cleanaway is working with its fueling partner, Viva Energy, on new and emerging solutions.

In addition to HVO100, Cleanaway will be receiving two hydrogen vehicles into its fleet as part of Viva Energy’s New Energies Service Station.

Cleanaway thanked the Albanese government for its consultation with industry and work towards changing the fuel standards to recognize HVO100 as a National Greenhouse Energy Reporting emissions-reduction solution, supporting government and industry to achieve emissions-reduction targets.

This demonstration will continue to provide valuable insights to inform supportive regulatory, market and commercial conditions.

Speaking about the demonstration, Mark Schubert, Cleanaway’s managing director and CEO, said, “Today we’re launching our HVO100 demonstration, with two vehicles powered by this 100 percent traceable and circular fuel, which will emit up to 91 percent less greenhouse gas than regular fossil diesel. The use of HVO100 in Cleanaway trucks is part of our Blueprint 2030 strategy to reduce the carbon impact of our operations and increase circularity from the material we collect. We’re committed to leading our industry with innovative and fit-for-purpose solutions that align with our customers’ goals while driving forward to support the achievement of federal emissions targets.”

Operating out of the Perry Road Depot in Dandenong, Victoria, the demonstration includes a City of Casey Volvo FE 2020 council truck and a Volvo FM11 front-lift organics-collection vehicle that services Coles Supermarkets in South-East Melbourne, among other customers.

Supported by insights from the HVO100 demonstration, Cleanaway will work in partnership with the Albanese government, customers and key partners to identify barriers and create a pathway for the scaling of HVO100 that addresses budget, operational and regulatory priorities.

“Thanks to this partnership with Cleanaway, one of their trucks that collects organic waste at our stores in South-East Melbourne will run on a fossil-fuel alternative made from used cooking oil for the next six months,” said Brooke Donnelly, Coles’ general manager of sustainability. “It’s an excellent example of how we’re working with our suppliers to create a more sustainable future and achieve our sustainability ambitions. We look forward to learning about the results that we hope will drive change in the industry and fast-track our transition to a circular economy.”

Steven Bartholomeusz with Neste said, “Neste is very pleased that this demonstration kicks off at a time when the Australian government is carrying out a consultation to revise the Fuels Quality Standard to recognize renewable diesel as a fuel that can help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. We hope that data from this demonstration project can provide insights into how renewable diesel can reduce emissions from heavy transport and industry.”

Lachlan Pfeiffer, chief business development and sustainability officer for Viva Energy, said,“Viva Energy is delighted to be working with Cleanaway on delivering low-carbon fuel solutions such as renewable diesel. This initiative builds on our partnership with Cleanaway to help lower carbon emissions in the heavy-vehicle sector. We are also pleased to have Cleanaway as a partner in our New Energies Service Station project, which will see Viva Energy delivering green hydrogen to Cleanaway to power its first two hydrogen EV rubbish trucks, which we expect to see operating in Geelong before the end of the year.”

Bioenergy Australia CEO Shahana McKenzie said, “We are thrilled to see Cleanaway leading the way for Australia’s heavy-vehicle operators with renewable diesel use, signaling to others the opportunities for decarbonization presented by drop-in renewable liquid fuels. Renewable liquid fuels are an essential piece of Australia’s decarbonization strategy and will be crucial as a replacement for traditional fossil fuels used within major hard-to-abate sectors including heavy haulage, marine, construction, rail, manufacturing, mining and agriculture. Bioenergy Australia welcomes the Albanese government’s review of the Fuel Quality Standards to enable to the supply of renewable diesel and its addition to the National Greenhouse Energy Reporting scheme. Establishing clear and consistent policies that encourage and support the adoption of renewable liquid fuels is critical for market confidence and to stimulate investment, providing assurance to businesses like Cleanaway who are ready, willing and able to make change.”