Council Transitioning Vehicle Fleet from Diesel to Address Climate Change

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is taking an important step towards significantly reducing its carbon footprint by powering its vehicle fleet with an environmentally friendly biofuel mix.

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is produced from renewable sources such as vegetable oil and animal fats and can be blended with regular diesel. Introducing the fuel mix across the Council’s current fleet would reduce carbon emissions by almost 2,500 tonnes annually.

Viewed as an effective alternative to diesel, HVO can significantly reduce greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions, including nitrogen oxide, with the fuel approved for use by vehicle manufacturers who provide engines for Council vehicles.

With all new vehicles required to produce zero emissions by 2035, in line with the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (VETS), Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is planning for the future and driving change across its fleet. Introducing HVO requires no vehicle or infrastructure modification and can be mixed with the Council’s existing diesel stock.

Agreement to begin transitioning the fleet’s main fuel source was taken at a meeting of the Council’s Sustainability and Environment Committee on February 18, 2026. The Committee’s recommendation has to be formally approved by the full Council next month.

Currently, there is only one electric battery powered vehicle across the Council’s 195 vehicle fleet which emits zero emissions. But that is set to change.

By the end of June this year, the Council is aiming to have 17 zero emission light fleet vehicles on the road and is currently drafting proposals for all its small vehicles under 3.5 tonnes to be carbon neutral by 2035.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell said, “Introducing biofuel and zero emission vehicles across the Council fleet is part of our vision for a low-carbon, climate resilient future, protecting the area’s fragile environment.

“The scale of the significant reduction in the Council’s carbon footprint by introducing the biofuel mix cannot be underestimated. We are committed to integrating climate action and sustainability in all aspects of our operations and decision-making and policies. Introducing HVO is a critically important step on this journey.”

The Council Chairperson said HVO offers significant advantages over conventional diesel, with greenhouse gas reductions leading to better air quality and a reduced reliance on fossil fuels.

“The fact HVO can be blended with regular diesel and used in many of the Council fleet’s engines with little or no modification is positive and offers significant environmental benefits,” Cllr Campbell added.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is currently consulting on its draft Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy which commits the organisation to be net zero by 2050 when it aims to have its entire vehicle fleet, including heavy lorries, fully decarbonised.

A feasibility study on the Adoption of Alternative Fuel Vehicles by Local Authorities (2022) for a number of Council authorities in the East Border Region identified HVO as a crucial transition arrangement on the path to net zero.

HVO is derived from sources that can be replenished, unlike fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gases by up to 90%, compared to fossil diesel. In addition, the biofuel helps reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by between 28% and 69%, depending on the vehicle’s operating cycle.