FedEx Express linehaul-truck network begins using renewable diesel in the Netherlands

Photo: FedEx Corp.

FedEx Express Europe, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, has begun using renewable diesel to fuel a portion of its company-owned trucks in the Netherlands.

As of the beginning of November, FedEx Express instructed the drivers of these heavyweight, long-distance vehicles to refuel using renewable diesel as an environmentally favorable alternative to fossil-fuel diesel. Trucks will use this fuel when they depart the recently reopened FedEx Express road-hub in Duiven, the Netherlands.

The decarbonization of the heavyweight-transport sector is recognized as more challenging than parcel pick-up and delivery, where the transportation company has already outlined its goal to transition to a fully electric fleet by 2040. The required mileage range, time needed to refuel, and the fact that, by the very nature of their operation, heavy-goods vehicles travel between territories means they often require refueling in multiple countries.

“Using synthetically made diesel offers an interim solution with the promising ability to drive down well-to wheel carbon emissions by as much as 80 percent to 90 percent per liter,” said Vinay D’Souza, senior vice president of planning and engineering at FedEx Express Europe. “It means that while technological solutions are still being developed to help the industry transition away from using fossil fuels altogether, we can already make decisions to influence and reduce our scope 1 carbon emissions in our linehaul-truck network—those generated by our owned vehicles.”

The opportunity for reducing emissions in linehaul trucking with this fuel depends not only on supply of the fuel, but also on the infrastructure. FedEx Express’ use of this renewable diesel is currently small-scale and limited to the Netherlands, where its use is encouraged on continental routes from the Netherlands.

The FedEx goal announced in March 2021, to achieve carbon-neutral operations globally by 2040, includes all FedEx owned and operated transportation including parcel pick-up and delivery, its extensive European linehaul-truck network, and aircraft.

It also includes the company’s scope 3 emissions that are generated by contracted transportation services that play a part in the FedEx network.

By demonstrating support and adaptation of diesel alternatives, FedEx is striving to make alternative fuels more viable, scalable and ultimately accessible across the industry, as solutions to decarbonize challenging transportation sectors in Europe.