Our Goal: Net Zero
Alongside our wider group of companies, Nationwide Fuels is dedicated to reducing our emissions with our eventual goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions.
Our first step was being certified carbon neutral in April 2022 under the PAS 2060 standard, followed by ISO 14064 standards in 2023 . This has included:
- An assessment of our greenhouse gas emissions based on accurate data measurements
- Reducing our emissions through a target-driven carbon management plan
- Offsetting our direct emissions through the purchase of accredited carbon credits, such as our longstanding commitment to offset our delivery mileage
- Documenting our actions and progress through verification and explanatory statements which will be publicly available
All of our emissions will be verified by an external consultancy on an annual basis, with the reports being freely available to all stakeholders.
Offsetting our delivery emissions since 2013
We have been very aware of the impact our operations have on our environment for several years and have taken steps to reduce our emissions wherever we can. One of the most effective steps we have taken is offsetting the emissions generated by our delivery miles.
We began offsetting our delivery miles back in 2013 and have continued to do so in the intervening years. This has offset thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions, and we have now widened this initiative to include the emissions from our non-delivery operations such as our depots, offices and non-delivery vehicles.
How are being carbon neutral and net zero different?
Being carbon neutral means that our group’s emissions (scope 1, 2 and selected group 3 which we have control over) are offset through the purchase of accredited carbon credits. These credits represent investment into global carbon-cutting initiatives that will absorb or offset the carbon being released by our operations.
Being net zero means that our operations wouldn’t create any carbon emissions to begin with, meaning that there would be nothing to offset. To reach this goal, we will have to:
- Power all of our locations with renewable energy
- Upgrade our fuel delivery systems
- Upgrade all of our delivery and service vehicles to electric power
Helping our customers to de-carbonise
Reducing our environmental impact hasn’t been confined to our own operations – we’ve also been working with our customers to help curb their carbon output through the provision of cleaner burning, renewable and sustainable fuels.
These have included:
- HVO fuel, or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, is one of the best renewable and sustainable diesel alternatives available in the UK today, and offers a range of benefits that make it one of the best liquid fuels for diesel users looking to dramatically reduce their environmental impact. It cuts net carbon greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%, NOx by up to 27%, and particulate matter by as much as 84%.
- Carbon Offset Red Diesel or CORD, is the same fuel as regular red diesel, except it includes an additional cost to offset the carbon emissions produced through the use of the fuel which effectively counteracts your energy use through funding global projects
- Carbon Clean Kerosene is a form of boiler fuel that burns particularly cleanly. This increases burning efficiency by reducing oxidant deposits in the combustion chamber, reducing the amount of fuel needed to reach desired temperatures.
- AdBlue, an exhaust additive drastically reduces the amount of harmful NOx emissions released by diesel engines.
