Hanson Contracting switch to low-carbon fuel

Road-surfacing plant now using biodegradable HVO–GTL fuel mix supplied by GB Fuels

HANSON Contracting’s road-surfacing plant is now using a low-carbon fuel source in the company’s latest initiative to reduce carbon emissions at every stage of its business.

Pavers and rollers are using GD45+, supplied by GB Fuels Ltd, which, on average, reduces CO2 emissions by 42% and NOx by 14%, as well as releasing 18% fewer fine particles compared with traditional diesel.

GD45+ is a mix of sustainably sourced hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and a gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuel developed in conjunction with Shell and is classed as readily biodegradable under Defra definition.

The HVO portion makes up 45% of the fuel and is created from waste oils and animal fats and uses no virgin crops, making it fully sustainable. It is ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) accredited from source to end-user and GB Fuels also certify feedstock and carbon savings under the DFT assurance scheme.

‘GD45+ is certified as regular B7 diesel,’ said Ian Price, managing director of Hanson Contracting. ‘This makes it easy to use as an alternative fuel as no modifications are needed, there are no additional storage requirements, and it is approved by most engine manufacturers.

‘The fuel also has a higher cetane rating, so not only does the GTL portion burn much cleaner than regular diesel, but it also creates significantly improved starting performance in low temperatures.

‘Another benefit is that GD45+ contains significantly less unwanted components such as sulphur, metals, and aromatics, making it non-toxic and less harmful to the environment, and safer to store and transport with no unpleasant smell.’