Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced it will be expanding the use of its biomethane-powered trucks as part of a commitment to reduce transport emissions.
The vehicles have up to 85% lower CO2 emissions than traditional diesel engine vehicles, according to M&S, which said the biomethane-powered trucks will serve its M&S Food and its fashion, home & beauty logistics operations.
Bio-CNG – or biological compressed natural gas to give it its full name – is a sustainable and renewable fuel produced from waste feedstocks, including food waste and agricultural by-products such as manure.
As it stands, M&S already operates 210 bio-CNG trucks, including around 150 Scania 4×2 and 26 Scania 6×2 trucks, but the plan is to increase this fleet further working alongside its existing manufacturing partner.
Working on this project should mean M&S’s lower carbon fleet will total more than 300 bio-CNG vehicles by the end of March 2027.
To enable the rollout, M&S has signed a long-term agreement with CNG Fuels to deliver mobile refuelling stations (MRS) located at distribution centres, which will provide daily capacity to refuel more than 300 CNG trucks.
Julian Bailey, transport director at M&S, commented: “Moving to lower-carbon logistics with reduced dependency on diesel and the increased use of new technologies and lower carbon fuels is key to achieving our Plan A net zero ambitions.
“We trialled a range of technologies and have chosen Bio-CNG as a key solution for decarbonising our logistics fleet as it is a proven, flexible and cost-efficient fuel supported by mature infrastructure.”
Philip Fjeld, CEO & co-founder of energy supplier ReFuels, added: “Biomethane is a cost-efficient here-and-now solution to decarbonise road transport, and our MRS help large fleets decarbonise quickly.
“This agreement underscores the rapid growth in demand from major UK retailers and distributors.”
Waitrose is another UK retailer which continues to expand its biomethane-powered operations, including an innovative venture at its Leckford Estate farm where manure is used to power tractors on the site.
Simon Gray, specialist sales manager at Scania UK, remarked: “At Scania, we are driving the shift towards sustainable transport systems that are better for business, society and the environment.
“By working together with our partners, we can develop transport solutions that reduce our carbon footprints, while making sure that we continue to meet the demands of a growing population – profitably and sustainably.”
M&S said in addition to the biomethane-powered trucks, it has 13 zero tailpipe-emission battery electric HGVs and five battery electric rigids operating across its distribution networks.
[image credit: M&S]
