East Midlands Airport converts its vehicle fleet to renewable fuel

As World Environment Day is marked today, more than 60 vehicles involved in airport operations are now running on biodiesel instead of fossil-based diesel. These include airfield operations and security team vehicles, fire trucks and snow clearing vehicles.

The airport has worked with biodiesel supplier YourNRG to bring about the change, which comes as its parent company, Manchester Airports Group (MAG), launches its five-year Sustainability Strategy, ‘Creating a sustainable future for all.’ This pledges to transition its airports – Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands – to net zero carbon operations by 2038.

East Midlands Airport has been carbon neutral since 2012 and was the UK’s first airport to be certified carbon neutral by the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme. The airport has implemented a range of decarbonisation measures at the site, including investing in energy efficiency measures, installing commercial grade wind turbines and using 100% electricity from renewable sources. Over the last year, the airport has introduced two new electric ‘ambulifts’ which transport passengers with reduced mobility to aircraft, and installed electric vehicle (EV) charging points for vehicles operating on the airfield. In other initiatives, the airport also diverts 100% of its waste from landfill, and uses car parking revenue to improve public transport options to access the site.

The airport’s biodiesel is produced from waste vegetable oils and fats which undergo a hydrogen treatment to be turned into renewable fuel which reduces carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil diesel. It also drastically lowers particulate emissions and is biodegradable, making it safer for the environment than traditional diesel.

East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director, Steve Griffiths, said: “We are always looking at ways to reduce our impact on the environment, with the aim of hitting Manchester Airport Group’s target of achieving net zero operations by 2038.

“Working with YourNRG to convert our fleet of ground vehicles is a great step forward, with significant emissions reductions and other environmental benefits.”

Lee Reason, Commercial Director at Your NRG, said: "We're proud to support East Midlands Airport on its journey toward decarbonisation. By transitioning their operational fleet to HVO Fuel, they've taken a major step in reducing emissions without compromising on performance.

“It's a powerful example of how sustainable alternatives can deliver real impact today. As more organisations commit to ambitious climate goals, HVO Fuel offers a practical, low-carbon solution to help get them there faster."