Wigan crane fleet to run on vegetable oil!

The move by Ainscough Crane Hire of Standish represents a key milestone in the construction industry’s journey to net zero.

It will cover Ainscough’s 400-plus cranes and and more than 30 HGVs.

Bosses anticipate the adoption of HVO will result in a further CO2 reduction of up to 90 per cent, saving in excess of 14,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

An additional five per cent reduction has been achieved through wider energy-saving initiatives with the residual circa five per cent met via the use of UK based residual carbon offsetting.

HVO is an advanced renewable diesel alternative – made largely of recycled vegetable oil that offers significant environmental advantages, including enhanced burning efficiency while delivering the same benefits and robustness as traditional fossil fuels.

Ainscough is sourcing HVO through a guaranteed sustainable supply chain.

HVO can be used as a direct replacement for diesel – meaning no modifying of Ainscough’s fleet is required and has a storage life over 10 times that of traditional diesel, providing consistent performance in all conditions.

Crane manufacturer Liebherr has supported the extensive trials of HVO across Ainscough’s fleet to confirm emissions, performance and viability.

Other environmental initiatives from the firm include: substantially increasing number of low-polluting Stafe V engines in the fleet, encouraging sustainable life choices among staff and introducing smart lighting and upgrades to heating systems at company premises.

This combined activity means that Ainscough will be carbon-neutral from April and will see it become the first crane firm in the world to be fully powered by low emission fuel, supported by its UK wide depot and refuelling network.

And it’s the first major phase of the firm’s transition to a net zero operation by 2025.

CEO Peter Gibbs said: “As the UK’s leading crane hire company we have a responsibility to lead by example in the challenge of preserving the planet for future generations.

“Our move to HVO fuel is not just a breakthrough moment for the domestic crane hire market – it’s a global first too. Our fuel usage is the most significant aspect of our carbon footprint, accounting for the vast majority of the business’ carbon

emissions.

“By achieving this 95 per cent reduction and undertaking offsetting we have been able to make sure our company will be a carbon-neutral business within the first months of 2022.

“Everyone working in construction needs to be bold in order to ensure we can reach our collective net zero targets, and we feel this announcement will be of great benefit to our partners throughout the industry.”

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