UK-based HVAC firm Grob Group switches to renewable diesel as part of 2030 net-zero strategy
U.K.-based conglomerate Grob Group Ltd. has switched 100 percent of its delivery vehicles from fossil diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel, to support its efforts to meet net-zero emissions by 2030.
This means that Grob Group is among the first within the HVAC industry to be entirely fueled by HVO.
Grob Group company LeFactory invested in HVO in November, enabling the company to fuel its entire fleet of 10 delivery vehicles—including two Mercedes trucks, four DAF trucks, and three vans.
This follows the successful fueling of its fire-protection vehicles with HVO in December 2023.
Grob Group said this decision was a “no-brainer” due to the large reduction in carbon compared to petroleum diesel, the cost gap has been reducing, the high cost of procuring electric vehicles, and that high-quality HVO is reported to perform better in efficiency, and in the winter months.
HVO can cut carbon emissions caused by fossil diesel by up to 90 percent.
This is one of several initiatives invested in by Grob Group as part of the company’s roadmap to net zero by 2030.
In addition to this announcement, the firm has also recently become the first in the U.K. industry to offer green steel to its clients, investing in a solar system at its Eastbourne facility, which covers half of all energy consumption on-site as well as in an electric company-car policy.
According to Grob Group, its customers, who are seeking more details on CO2-reduction efforts during tenders and helping them to meet their net-zero targets, have welcomed the decision.
Switching to HVO directly addresses scope 1 emissions and gives the company a competitive advantage over its competitors, said Steve Hancock, Grob Group’s sustainability manager.
“We are pleased to be able to support Grob Group and early adopters of HVO to meet their net-zero goals,” said Darren Holloway, the commercial director for energy solutions at Certas Energy, Grob Group’s HVO supplier. “This transition fuel will continue to play a central role in helping to decarbonize road transport and other industries in the short- and medium-term, benefiting our customers across the U.K. I expect demand for HVO to continue to grow over the next decade, so now is the time to trial this sustainable solution at your business.”
Olivier Grob, the CEO and owner of Grob Group Ltd., said, “At Grob Group, transitioning our entire fleet to HVO was an easy decision, driven by both the economic and logistical advantages. This step aligns perfectly with our commitment to doing things right. We recognize the significant role businesses like ours must play in addressing climate change, and this move is another reflection of our ongoing obsession with finding sustainable solutions that make a real difference. We are grateful that Certas Energy is supporting us in this journey.”
Roughly 9,000 liters (2,378 gallons) of HVO have already been delivered to Grob Group so far this year.
