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A blog by Serena Lang, Non-Executive Director at Henry Boot
At Henry Boot, we recognise the responsibility that comes with operating in real estate - an industry that relies heavily on energy-intensive machinery and vehicles.
As part of our Responsible Business Strategy and 2030 net zero carbon goal, we’re consistently scrutinising our methods and investigating new tech and schemes that can get us to our targets in an effective and sustainable way.
One of the most promising steps we’ve taken so far is a successful trial of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel at Banner Plant. Now, following the trial’s success, we’re preparing to roll HVO out more widely across our operations.
Why HVO
HVO is a renewable, drop-in alternative to diesel that can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%. Produced from waste fats and vegetable oils through a hydrotreatment process, it burns more cleanly than its diesel alternative and delivers lower emissions without affecting performance.
Because it can be used as a direct replacement for diesel in existing engines, it offers a cost-efficient, practical solution that we can implement immediately while continuing to evaluate longer-term decarbonisation technologies.
Trial outcomes
Working with Certas for our pilot scheme, we operated part of the Banner Plant fleet on HVO. The results were compelling: 95 tonnes of carbon savings were achieved without any compromise to operational performance. For a business like ours, where a significant portion of emissions comes from heavy plant and transport, this marks a vital step forward.
Looking forward, the next stage is to integrate HVO into suitable parts of our operations, reducing our Scope 1 emissions and improving our fuel resilience as we move decisively away from fossil fuels.
There is no single solution to the challenges of energy security, resilience and decarbonisation. HVO is one of several important tools in our sustainability toolkit, but crucially, it’s one we can act on now, delivering measurable results today while we continue to invest in the solutions of tomorrow.
To find out more about our responsible business strategy, click here.
